by S R Dyble
“This is why I need to be driving. I need a distraction, especially when you’re dressed like that.”
“Serves you right for teasing me, you little shit.”
“You tease me every second of every day, Blondie, walking around in those skinny jeans.”
Smiling, I tried to hide my blush but Kit made me look at him and kissed me.
“I love you,” he said.
“I love you more. Especially in that suit.”
The second I got out of the limo, I wanted to jump back in. I got out directly onto a red carpet leading inside the historical building attached to Delta and there were people everywhere waiting to go inside. Everyone was dressed like royalty and I gulped, feeling so nervous being here. I held my hands together as people spotted me, looking me up and down. Then Kit pulled one of my hands into his and I looked at him, feeling instantly calmer.
“Isn’t this the safe house?” I asked.
“Yeah. There’s a huge ballroom at the back of the building. We haven’t used it in a while but with your dad…” Kit stopped, looking at me.
“It’s okay,” I frowned and urged him to continue.
“With your dad’s passing the committee wanted to hold it at home in his honour.”
I smiled, feeling thankful that here people truly did love my dad.
Part of me felt guilty that I’d deliberately taken a step back, not allowing myself to be involved in any of this planning. Unfortunately, it wasn’t that easy. The role I’d need to take on was too much. Even without being pregnant I knew I’d struggle. That's why I’d left that position in trusted hands. With Kit.
He took my hand and lead me forward down the red carpet and I loved how the small trail on my dress followed behind me. Having Kit’s hand pressed against the bare skin on my back sent an electric bolt across my body, prickling at all of my senses as he led me through the house and crowds of people to the back of the building. As we walked, I felt overly conscious. It was obvious that everyone was looking at me, and it wasn’t just my paranoia. People were stopping to see me and I knew why. They were either truly intrigued or judging me just by the sight of me.
Their eyes would first land on me and then they’d follow my linked hand to Kit’s and they’d judge us together. I knew it.
“They’re only looking because they can’t believe how stunning his daughter is,” Kit said against my ear.
I bit my lip nervously and stared at him, loving him for trying to make me feel so much at ease.
“They’ve never seen you before,” he added, leading me through a set of opened double doors into the ballroom where classical music was playing.
“Holy shit,” I said beneath my breath.
It was breathtaking. The room was laid with large round tables and gold drapes were hanging all over the walls. It went amazingly with the dark red theme colour that covered all of the tables occupied with gold chairs. It reminded me of an Edwardian ballroom as I stared at the ceiling where historical paintings and art deco designs had been created. Kit had to hold me tight and lead me around others so that I didn't fall whilst staring. I apologised and eventually looked away to where he was leading me. The hall had been lit by dim lights, the chandeliers creating the warm atmosphere above our heads. I stood in awe, staring at their enormity. The hall was honestly breathtaking. I never would have guessed such a space existed at the back of the safehouse.
After everyone had arrived, we were asked to take our seats and with our drinks in hand, Kit lead me to our table and pulled my chair out for me. I saw both Bob and Phil over by the bar, looking dapper as hell. I smiled and waved at them both whilst Kit raised his glass at them.
"It's good to see them having a good time. Like normal guys."
Kit nodded. "You see the professional side. You haven't seen them on a night out after a few beers."
"And you have?"
"Obviously…" he smirked and I smiled back at where their bodies had turned back to face the bar.
Once seated, I glanced around the table and saw Maddie sat directly opposite me. As if the devil himself had organised the seating arrangement and had placed her directly across from me. It then dawned on me that Nick wasn't here, neither were any of Kit's brothers.
"Why aren't your brothers here?" I asked against Kit's ear.
"Despite there being a ball, work at Delta has to continue. This whole event is on lockdown and is watched from inside Delta. Nick is in charge of monitoring tonight alongside Tricia."
I nodded, that didn't explain why the rest of his brothers weren't here.
"My brother's prefer not to attend things like this. I used to be the same but now that I'm in charge, I kind of have to."
Kit took a drink and then looked back at me. "Plus, I never had a date. Never had a reason to wanna come."
I glanced over at Maddie then, wondering if he'd ever attended one of these things with her.
Our attention was brought to the huge stage at the far end of the room as a guy took to the stage with a microphone.
"Evening, ladies and gents. I want to thank you all for coming. Shortly, we will start our charitable donations but first, I'd like to invite our recently appointed head, Kit to the stage to say a few words."
I smiled like everyone else did and clapped my hands. I wasn't expecting him to reach down to kiss my cheek as he stood up. I watched as he buttoned up his jacket on the way up to the stage. As he made his way up the steps, and everyone clapped, lads hollered at him and I watched as he grinned at them and I couldn't have felt prouder of him. I couldn't believe that this guy was my boyfriend. All of these people looked up to him as a leader and it reminded me of what an amazing guy he truly was. He tapped the guy who had introduced him on the back and thanked him.
"Well," Kit cleared his throat and looked around the room. His eyes fell on me and I smiled up at him. "I've been blessed to be a part of this life-changing firm. I truly want to thank all of you for supporting and investing in this movement. For being here another year, and aiding the crucial work we do here at Delta." He took a break and looked over at me again. "Over a year ago, we all lost the heart of this company. And when I say the heart, I mean the very existence of this company. I am truly proud to stand in his place, to honour him the best that I can and thank him for this."
As Kit said the last of his words his eyes connected with mine again and a lump formed in my throat as my eyes filled with tears.
"I hope you all have an amazing night, and I'd like to raise a glass for Mr. Johnson and his amazing family."
The tears threatening my eyes leaked down my cheeks as the whole room lifted their glasses along with Kit and toasted to my family. Once he came back to the table he moved his arm around my back and hugged me into his chest before kissing me.
"Thank you," I said, trying to wipe my eyes clear so that the whole room didn’t see me welling up.
Once our eyes parted, our attention was brought back to the stage. Kit kept a hold of my hand as a table was wheeled onto the stage to start the donations. I noticed Maddie staring at us and once she saw me looking, she smiled and looked away. She looked absolutely beautiful and it made me feel uncomfortable as I sat across from her. It was like torture, honestly. I blinked a few times and then admired the table decor. Each table had gold candles and red roses set up in short bouquets. The table was laid with a gold table runner and each of the candles were lit, creating a warm atmosphere. I closed my eyes briefly and enjoyed Kit's thumb brushing against my hand as a screen came down onto the stage. Then, one by one, different items were shown up on the screen. Including holidays, luxury cars, even a luxurious cake. I sat fascinated as members of the audience bid thousands of pounds on each prize.
"What do they get out of this?" I asked close to Kit's ear.
"Not only do they have this luxurious night, something all the rich enjoy, they get unlimited protection. They have stock shares. Every job we're given, we're paid for. The price is usually unthinkable but the price on someone'
s life is never high enough. Each time we're paid, they get paid too. This event is like a sport to them, a way to gamble away their wealth. When you've got that much money, spending ridiculous amounts on a car is nothing. It's in their best interest to invest in the company."
Jesus. My dad was a clever son of a bitch.
Once the bids had been placed, and prizes had been claimed it was time to dance and I watched as most couples got up to head to the dancefloor.
"You ready?" Kit asked me and I waited for him to explain but he stood up and offered me his hand.
He already knew I couldn't dance, but the way Kit looked at me made me take his hand and he lead me to the ballroom floor. I lowered my head as we passed people but on the way we were stopped by a couple.
"Kit, a pleasure to see you," a middle-aged man dressed very finely shook Kit's hand and his partner smiled at me.
They both looked at me carefully, and I wondered why.
"Miss Johnson," he said and I smiled, taking his hand.
"Eve, this is Cameron Harrison. He is a massive sponsor for Delta and attends our events every year."
"It's astounding to meet you, your dad would be so proud. You look beautiful," Cameron said.
His partner nodded and it left me speechless after shaking both of their hands.
"Thank you so much," I said breathlessly.
Kit must have felt my uneasiness because he excused us and lead me back towards the dancefloor.
"I told you," he said while placing his hand on my lower back.
"They can't believe it's you. They can't believe how unbelievably beautiful you are and they're astounded that you're here representing your dad. You're doing him proud."
I brought my head to his shoulder as beautiful music played and Kit led me into the dance. As happy as I was about doing my father proud for being here, I wanted to enjoy this with Kit. I wanted everyone to just leave and to dance here with him, alone. Placing a kiss to my head, he held me close as he swayed us from left to right. When I looked back up at him he looked into my eyes and waited for me to speak.
"Yes," I said randomly, and I wasn't expecting him to understand why I was saying it.
"Yes, I'll move in with you," I added.
"You're serious?" he began smiling and I reflected it and nodded.
He kissed me hard then, stopping to just kiss me in the centre of the dancefloor. It felt like a movie. Like I'd been scooped up into the movie-stars arms and kissed in perfect timing.
After a while, we both left the dancefloor to get drinks and I headed to the toilet, despite Kit's reservations about letting me go alone, he didn't have a choice. Once I returned I made my way over to the bar and saw it was packed with people. Kit was one of them, holding our drinks in hand as he returned. I decided to stay here and wait for him when Maddie came up beside me and stood beside the small table I was occupying. The table had nibbles and little dishes with sweets inside for people to help themselves too. She picked up a few, eyeing me all the more. I wasn't going to let her stare without my acknowledgement so I stared right back.
"You having a good time?" she asked and I realised this was the first time she'd ever spoken to me.
This girl was pretending to be me, faking a relationship with my boyfriend, and I'd never even spoken to her before. I nodded to her question and watched as Kit had been stopped once more by another couple wanting to talk to him. He hadn't noticed us talking here.
"It's beautiful isn't it?" Maddie said, looking around the room.
Again I nodded, "It really is."
“Shall I show you my old room?” she asked, looking me up and down.
“Your old room?”
“My old room here? I used to live here, didn’t Kit tell you?”
“You lived here?”
“That’s how we met, me and Kit.”
I had no idea she and Kit had met here, it made me wonder what else I didn’t know.
“I was brought here and given a room. We both joined Delta around the same time… We spent hours in that room,” she continued whilst looking down at my body once more. This time, I looked at myself and wondered why the hell she kept assessing me like she was.
“That’s what I don’t get.”
I looked around randomly, waiting for her to continue.
“I know him better than anyone, it was me who was there for him after his father had torn him to shreds. It was me who showed him love, and even now he still comes to me with his problems, the problems he can’t sort through with you. Still, he picks you. What do you have that I don’t? I could have given him a baby.”
It took me a second to digest what she’d said.
“You love him, don’t you?” I asked, feeling sick to my stomach.
“If you love him why are you doing this? Why did you agree to this mission to protect me if you fucking hate me?”
“I envy you,” she said, hatred lacing her words.
“So, you thought that by doing this mission he would realise how amazing you are? That he would feel something towards you?”
I could feel the hate rising through my body just staring at her. Funnily enough, I pitied her just as much as I hated her and I hated myself for allowing myself to put a cap on the thought I'd had about her trying to take Kit away from me. I fucking knew something wasn’t right with her from the start and I was mental for agreeing to something so stupid.
“He is connected with you now because you have a baby. If you weren’t pregnant he’d be able to realise how easy his life would be if he’d just picked me.”
“He didn’t pick you before I came along, why would he pick you now?”
“Because don’t you get it? No matter what, he still comes back to me.”
“What does that mean?” I asked, sickness rising in my throat.
“You think the night he came home pissed out of his head that he’d been drinking alone?”
“What did you just fucking say?” My eyes were bulging out of my head, I could feel the pressure forcing its way to my temple.
“Even Kit needs someone to vent to, especially the shit he has to put up with being with you. The fact that he comes to me means something.”
I couldn’t believe what I was hearing.
That night he’d come home pissed out of his head, he’d been with Maddie?
My chest started to squeeze as if I couldn’t breathe properly and hatred bubbled through my veins as I stared at her.
“You’re fucking bat-shit crazy,” I said, my knuckles firming into fists.
I wasn’t sure what I was going to do, I hadn’t even thought that far yet, but clenching my fists allowed me some relief from the anger and torment I was experiencing.
“You’ll see.”
Those were the last words she spoke to me because I could see how she looked across the room to see Kit. She’d locked eyes with him and he looked from her to me, then back again.
He wasn’t close, he was across the room still but was trying to make his way back, excusing himself from various people trying to talk to him. Feeling spaced out, I stared back at him. I wasn’t sure what was happening but snippets of conversations we’d had started playing in my head along with memories until I didn’t quite feel here anymore. Through all of the commotion going on in my head, I could see Kit pushing towards me from across the room and instead of allowing him to get closer I cleared my head and began walking in the opposite direction.
“Eves!?” he called after me over the music and I pushed my way further through the crowd until I reached the hallway that we’d entered through earlier.
I cursed when my dress got caught under my feet and I lifted it before continuing to walk. The second it took to unhook the fabric allowed Kit the second to get closer so he could stop me.
“No, wait, where are you going?" he said, making me look at him.
I couldn’t think straight and instead of speaking I just shook my head like a crazy person, feeling zoned out and lost in my head.
�
��Eves, speak to me.” He gently shook me but I just couldn’t get myself to speak.
“What did she say?”
I gulped, trying to get my body to work but it was futile. It was as if it was shutting down and I had to fight it to speak. All I could do was think and question everything that I’d come to believe. The more I thought about it, the more faint I felt.
"You've deceived me," I said.
“What? What are you talking about?”
“You went to her,” finally my eyes were allowing me to shed tears.
“You went to her and now she thinks she has some special bond with you!”
He eyed me and started cursing.
“She loves you, Kit. You must love her too because you go to her. You go to her and talk to her about us. About everything.”
Oh god, this was starting to hurt so bad.
“No, it’s not like that.” He stared into my eyes.
"Whatever she's said, it was to cause this. Don't you see that?"
"All I see are the facts. It doesn't matter what she wants out of this. You fucked up, Kit. That's all you. The fact you didn't tell me just proves something. All the crap you've fed me about me being it for you, it's all bullshit."
He shook his head, not having any of it.
“Look, I’ve fucked up so much with you, I know that. I love you so goddamn much, Eves, you gotta believe me.”
I shook my head and pulled away from him.
"I need to leave. Alone."
I tried to pass him, my mind a chaotic mess. I couldn't help but think he was meant to be here tonight with Maddie on his arm instead of me.
“Eves, please don’t do this."
"I didn't do anything! You don't give a damn about me, how could you?"
"I fucking love you! I love our baby. She told you all of that to get you to think I don’t love you, how can you not see that?"
“I know exactly what she's trying to do. It doesn't change that her facts are true. If you know she’s like that then why did you go to her over me? Why did you keep her around? It’s fucking bullshit, Kit, and you’re lying to yourself!”
