Ignite Me (The Annihilate Me Series)

by Ross, Christina

Of all people, Blackwell had made this happen for me. Just when I thought that I had a solid read on her, she went and did something as grand as this, which shattered all of my preconceptions of her.

  Apparently, as Jennifer had once told me, when you won over Blackwell, Blackwell had your back. After our heated morning discussion, I remembered that she’d said she needed to be out of the office for the rest of the morning. And now I knew why—after she’d tricked me into telling her my dress size, she’d gone to Bergdorf and purchased this gown for me.

  A seventeen thousand dollar gown . . .

  After all that we’d been through this past week, I didn’t know what to do with such a broad stroke of kindness, but I was grateful for it. And I was beginning to see why Jennifer considered her something of a mother figure.

  When Bernie was finished, he stepped away from me, blew me a kiss, and I saw in the mirror that he’d turned me into a sophisticated siren.

  Never once in my life had I thought that I could look so good. Bernie had kept my hair straight so it could hang over my shoulders and fall down my back, but he’d given it a quick cut to remove any split ends. Where he went mad was with my makeup—I was treated to a smoky eye, a dark, bold red lip that matched the color of my dress, and cheekbones that were somehow so pronounced, they looked full and plump in ways that my otherwise slender face couldn’t have achieved without his assistance.

  “Who is that?” I said into the mirror.

  “It’s you,” Bernie said. “The best of you.”

  “Thank you,” I said as I reached out to squeeze his hand. “I don’t know what else to say. Just . . . thank you.”

  “The expression on your face says everything, Madison. And you are most certainly welcome.”

  “I don’t think that Brock is even going to recognize me.”

  “Of course he will,” Blackwell said. “Do you think that man is blind when it comes to you? I already know better. But our time here has nearly run out. Jennifer has been kind enough to lend you some of her jewelry. We both decided on going with her canary-yellow diamonds. When it comes to fit, obviously there will be no issues with the necklace and earrings. But as for the ring? We’ll have to see. But even if it doesn’t fit, no worries—you’ll already be blinged out enough. So get a move on. We have only moments left before Alex and Brock arrive. Unless you want your suitor to see you looking half ready, you need to get into that gown.”

  * * *

  The gown fit perfectly. After Blackwell finished adjusting it on me, she quickly put a heavy necklace around my neck, two giant yellow diamond solitaires on my earlobes, and because this clearly was turning out to be the best day of my life, the huge ring she slipped onto my right ring finger fit just well enough for me to not only wear it, but carry it off.

  “I don’t know what to say to any of you,” I said as Blackwell maneuvered me in front of a long mirror. “I can’t tell you how much this means to me. To have a moment like this. To know that Brock is going to see me like this. I know that I’m rambling, but that’s because I didn’t see any of this coming. I feel like a princess.”

  “I believe you felt like one last week,” Blackwell said dryly.

  “Yes,” I said. “There’s that.”

  “You know,” Bernie said, “for years, I’ve always felt like a queen. But I have to bow down to you now, Madison. Because you look amazing.”

  “She looks like a goddamned supermodel,” Blackwell said. “Who the hell knew?”

  “I knew,” Jennifer said as she came up beside me in her flawless bright-yellow evening gown. “And look at us, Madison—each in Oscar.”

  “It doesn’t feel real to me,” I said.

  “Just enjoy it,” she said. “As surreal as all of it seems to you now, try to soak it all up. Tuck it away for later in your life, when you want to look back on this moment with a smile. And be the real queen of tonight’s party. Because as for this girl? She’s totally ready to take a backseat because I’m pretty sure you’re about to steal the show.”

  When she said that, she gave me an air kiss on each cheek.

  “And good for you, Madison,” she said in my ear. “I know exactly what you’re feeling. It’s otherworldly, isn’t it? Yes, it is. But we’re all here for you. And just so you know, all of us are rooting for you and Brock.”

  * * *

  It was just before 8:30 when we left for the elevator that would take us to the forty-seventh floor, where Alex and Jennifer had their offices—and where Brock and Alex would be waiting for us.

  Blackwell pressed the elevator’s down button while Bernie attended to each of our faces with a compact. When he was finished, he gave the compact to Blackwell and then lifted our hair away from our faces in an effort to strategically make certain that we looked just right.

  “Both of you are utter perfection,” he said as he assessed us. “Even if I do say so myself.”

  “Why be humble?” Blackwell said. “Bernie, you’ve outdone yourself.”

  “I didn’t have a hand in the gowns you chose,” he said.

  “Maybe not, but with these two? You brought them back from the dead in ways that a couple of over-priced gowns from a dead designer couldn’t.”

  As we waited for the elevator to reach our floor, Blackwell came over to me and took me aside.

  “You look lovely,” she said to me.

  “Barbara, I can’t thank you enough for your kindness. I thought I was here to just help out tonight. I don’t know what to say.”

  “So allow me to do the talking. I know I’ve been hard on you, Madison, but it turns out that you were worth the effort because you’ve risen above most of my challenges. And because of that, you’ll soon be rewarded for it. With your skills and education, you have no business being anyone’s personal assistant. Even mine. And even though we had an agreement that it would be a year before you advanced at Wenn, I already know that’s an unnecessary waste of your time and your life. So this week we’ll address that issue, and with Jennifer and Alex’s assistance, we’ll find you a position at Wenn that complements your drive, your goals, and your academic achievements. You’ve waited for this moment for two years, and I’m happy to tell you that it’s finally arrived.”

  I’d spent so long waiting to hear those words, I teared up.

  “Really?” I said.

  “Don’t you dare cry on me now—not after what Bernie has done to your face. You’ll destroy everything.”

  But I couldn’t help it. My eyes brimmed with tears. “I’m just grateful,” I said.

  “Fine. You’re grateful. And I’m happy that you are. But snap out of it, for God’s sake. You’re about to see Brock, after all. Do you honestly believe that he wants to see you looking like some stricken, weepy lass when those elevator doors slide open? Of course he doesn’t. He wants to see you looking your best, so pull it together. If seeing you dressed like this doesn’t put a stake in that man’s heart, I don’t know what the hell will. And if it doesn’t? My suggestion is that you just move on to the next man, because I have a feeling that you’ll be fending off your share of them tonight.”

  “I don’t think that’s going to be an issue,” I said.

  “Actually, neither do I,” Blackwell said.

  The elevator dinged, and the doors slid open.

  “Now, give us an air kiss,” Blackwell said. “Both of you. That’s right. Madison, I’m warning you—no tears. And try to forget about Bernie being hogtied, because that image will only distract you with questions about ‘how’ and ‘why’ throughout the night.”

  “It actually brightened my night,” Jennifer said.

  “And that’s why I adore you, Jennifer,” Bernie said. “That night with Buck is something I return to often. You know—when I’m alone. And in my bedroom. And have my privacy.”

  “Oh, for God’s sake, Bernie—really?” Blackwell said.

  “Well, it’s true.”

  “Enough. These two gorgeous women have two handsome gentlemen waiting for the
m. And believe me—I expect a full slate of details of tonight’s events by tomorrow morning. Now shoo!”

  * * *

  Brock and Alex were waiting for us just beyond the elevator doors when they whisked open. When I saw Brock in his black tux and caught the look of lust on his face as his gaze swept over me, I felt two things—an undeniable thrill because of how handsome he looked and an immediate sense of calm because I was near him again. My fears that Alex might push him away from me clearly had been for naught.

  I had no idea what to expect from a social event held within high society, but with this man on my arm, I felt that I could conquer anything.

  “Ladies,” Alex said.

  This was the first time that I’d seen Alex in person, and God, if he wasn’t enough to take a woman’s breath away, I wasn’t sure who could.

  With the exception of Brock, of course.

  Jennifer was first out of the elevator. She went over to Alex, who took her hand in his, twirled her around so he could get a good look at her in her gown, and then he took her in his arms and planted a firm kiss on her lips.

  “Mrs. Wenn,” he said.

  “Mr. Wenn,” she answered back.

  “You look flawless tonight,” he said.

  “It’s all Blackwell and Bernie.”

  “The hell it is.”

  “And what about you?” she said. “You know what seeing you in a tux does to me—let alone a suit. Right now, I just want to skip the party and go home with you.”

  When she said that, the elevator doors started to slide shut, but Brock was quick. He held out an arm, stopped the doors from closing, and then he took me by the hand and pulled me toward him.

  Before he could say anything to me, Alex came over to introduce himself and shake my hand. “I’m Alex,” he said. “It’s nice to meet you, Madison. I’ve heard a lot of great things about you from Barbara and Jennifer. Barbara might have already told you this, but in case she didn’t, this week, we’ll talk about a proper position for you at Wenn. Barbara hasn’t just agreed to let you go, she said that she didn’t want to stand in the way of your success at Wenn. So we’ll find you a professional position that suits your talents. How does that sound?”

  “Like a dream come true? Thank you so much, Mr. Wenn.”

  “It’s Alex,” he said. “We’ll get to know each other more tonight and over the coming weeks and years, I hope. I’ve heard that for some reason you’ve had a difficult time of it since you came to New York.”

  “I’ve managed,” I said, not wanting to emphasize how terrible the past two years had been for me professionally. “But now I’m here, and I couldn’t be happier. For a whole host of reasons,” I said.

  When I said that, Brock took my hand in his own and squeezed it—my man didn’t miss a beat.

  I turned to him.

  “I’ve missed you,” I said. “I know that sounds ridiculous because we only kind of, uh, spoke for a brief moment this morning, but you didn’t return any of my texts. I wasn’t sure if I’d done something wrong.”

  “And I worried about that,” he said. “But when I found out this morning that Alex and Jennifer were gracious enough to ask us to be their guests at Peachy’s party, I was asked to keep all of it a surprise. I hope you don’t mind now that you know what we’ve had up our sleeves, because all of this was intended to make the end your day land on a high note. That was our intention. I hope we came through.”

  “You have no idea what all this means to me. Wearing this gown and these jewels? Having my hair and makeup professionally done? And the spirit that was in that room tonight while Jennifer and I were preparing to get ready? It was so much fun, I can’t tell you. But I’m not going to lie to anyone. I’m not used to anything like this.”

  “Barbara would say to get yourself in line and suck it up,” Jennifer said. “But that’s just Barbara. As for me, I hear you, Madison. When you come from humble roots, as each of us has, all of this probably seems like a Cinderella story to you. It certainly did for me, especially when Alex and I fell in love.”

  “And now, if he’ll have me, I have my own prince,” I said.

  When I said that, Brock took me in his arms, and despite the fact that Jennifer and Alex were looking on, he kissed me so deeply and held me so closely against his body, that I felt almost faint. We were meant to be together. As unlikely as it seemed, I knew in my heart that it was true. I was in love with him. Did he feel the same way about me? I had no idea. All I could do was hope that he did, and that we would carry on with our lives together.

  “You look dashing,” I said when our lips parted.

  “I told him that he needed to trim his beard,” Alex said. “Bernie came here before he spent time with each of you and took care of that. He also gave Brock a haircut because I thought that he needed one. But that’s just his older cousin speaking. What do you ladies think?”

  “Don’t even get me started on the subject of facial hair,” Jennifer said. “You know that your stubble is the end of me, Alex. Always has been, always will be. And look at Brock? His beard not only suits him, but it’s masculine in ways that are clearly thrumming through Madison right now.”

  “Oh, I love the beard,” I said.

  And pretty much everything else about Brock.

  “We should go,” Alex said. “Peachy lives not far from here on Park. Tonight, Cutter is driving us, because apparently Tank and Lisa are having a date night.”

  “I heard about that,” Jennifer said. “Dinner and a movie. And then whatever follows from that, which Lisa was pretty certain would lead to some sexy time. And if I know those two, that’s exactly what will happen.”

  She turned to me in an effort to include me. “Lisa is my best friend, Madison. We’ve known each other since we were kids, and together, we made the move from Maine to Manhattan just over a year ago. Her fiancé Tank—who literally is built like a tank, thus his nickname—is not only the head of security here at Wenn, but also an absolute sweetheart. You’ll meet both of them soon.”

  When she said that, a thought seemed to occur to her. “And, hey, maybe the three of us girls can go out shopping together? And for theatrics, we could even bring along Blackwell. Just think of the histrionics that would come from that alone.”

  “I could handle it,” I said. “And even though I can’t exactly afford the kind of shopping spree I think you’re talking about, I’d still love to go.”

  “You’ll soon be able to afford it, Madison,” Alex said. “We’ll be talking.”

  “Then it’s a date,” I said.

  “Speaking of dates,” Alex said as he moved forward to press the down button on the elevator. “We’ve got one. So let’s go and see what the night has in store for us.”

  CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

  From what Jennifer told us on the drive over, Peachy Van Prout lived in one of the few remaining mansions on Park Avenue.

  It was on Sixty-Eighth Street, and when we came upon it, I noticed that it was much wider than the townhouses on either side of it. I thought that it was gorgeous. It was a brownstone, eight windows across and five stories high, with a black iron gate in front and two topiaries on either side of an open mahogany door. It was at once elegant and understated.

  It was surrounded by a well-dressed set of people stepping through the front door while lights from cameras flashed all around them from a clutch of photographers gathered on the sidewalk.

  “Isn’t her house amazing?” Jennifer said.

  “I can’t even imagine owning something like this,” I said.

  “Wait until we go inside. Sensation overload.”

  “Why are the press here?” I asked. “I thought this was just a party. Is it something more than that?”

  “Since Peachy knows everyone—and since those people are the kind of people the paparazzi tend to care about—they show up whenever she has a party so they can photograph who’s wearing what, who came with whom, who looks as if their on the verge of death, et cetera. You’v
e seen the rags.”

  “Is there anything else that I should know about Peachy?” I said.

  “Just what you’ve already heard. She’s every bit as kind as her name suggests. You’ll adore her the moment you meet her, and she’ll instantly take a liking to you. I already know it, because that’s just who Peachy is. She loves everyone who hasn’t crossed her. Her husband Robert is the former CEO of Citibank. He’s a nice man, but he doesn’t have Peachy’s spark, so if you feel as if he’s had a lobotomy, that’s just who he is.”

  “Jennifer,” Alex said.

  “Well, it’s true,” she said. “You’ve got to admit it, Alex.”

  He grinned when she said that, and then he shot her a glance. “OK, kind of.”

  “It’s just that when he’s next to Peachy, who is the life of the party, he comes off as boring. That said, if Peachy decides that she wants to adopt you on the spot, you probably should expect that too. What I love about her is that, because of her stature at the top of New York society, she could be a total bitch if she wanted to be, but she isn’t. Far from it. I can’t wait to see her. It’s been too long since I’ve seen her.”

  “How are you tonight, Cutter?” Alex asked as the car nudged forward.

  Since I didn’t know Alex at all, it was nice to see him connect on a personal level with Cutter, who’d once driven Blackwell and me to Bergdorf and then to Le Salade. Whatever ideas I might have had about him and Jennifer before coming to Wenn—that they were a power couple and might come off as such—had officially been shattered. They seemed like normal people to me—not billionaires—which made me feel at ease with them.

  “I’m great, Alex,” Cutter said.

  “I was sorry to hear from Barbara that things didn’t work out between you and Susan.”

  “Not an issue,” he said. “She had a job offer in Chicago that she couldn’t turn down. Since a long-distance relationship is something neither of us wants at this point in our lives, we decided to part ways as friends and move on. It was completely amicable.”