Effie glanced at Zander, then stuck her hand out.
Dante brought it to his lips and kissed it.
“Don’t mind him. He’s got a big, bad seductive bark, but he’s a one-woman guy,” Kennedy said. “I don’t want you to think he’s hitting on you. He’s a terrible flirt. It comes from spending too much time onstage having women throw their panties to him.”
Effie coughed out a laugh. “Seriously?”
“Shit, yeah,” Dante said. “And then I take all my passion home to this gorgeous woman.”
Kennedy shook her head, smiling.
“Aren’t you the lead singer for that group, Marked Love?” Effie said. Excitement seemed to spill from her pores. She sidled closer to Zander and snaked her arm around him.
Dante bowed. “At your service.”
“I like your music. I listen to it when I’m doing homework.”
“And it inspires you?” Dante said, puffing up.
“Sometimes, yes,” Effie said, bluntly.
Zander snorted. “Effie’s honest.”
“I didn’t mean…I…” She stammered. “I only meant that sometimes it inspires, and other times it provides the perfect backdrop for a difficult assignment. You’ve got some seriously complicated guitar riffs in your repertoire.”
“I like this one,” Dante said, stabbing his thumb at Effie. His gaze landed on Mia who stood behind Zander. “And, Mia, get over here.”
She stepped toward him. “I wondered when you’d give me your attention.”
He wrapped her small frame in his arms and squeezed tight. “So good to see you, too.”
Kennedy turned to Effie. “Let me introduce myself while he gets his hugs on. I’m Kennedy Vega. Dante’s wife. Also, known as a tiger whisperer. The cat pens he referred to a second ago are big cats. They live at the sanctuary at our home in upstate New York.”
“Really? That’s so cool,” Effie said.
Some sort of crawling ant sensation hit the back of Zander’s head. He turned to see Bryant and Trisha shooting laser-like gazes at him from across the room. His heart began to beat faster, like some tweaker had his fingers on a keyboard and played an erratic tune in his chest. Stay calm. Stay cool. Don’t let the bitch get to you. Masking his anxiety, Zander lifted his chin toward Bryant and resumed his conversation.
Effie spied them, too. She pressed herself against Zander, snaking her arm around his waist.
Damn, it feels good to be with this girl. Zander couldn’t recall ever feeling this happy or this proud of a woman by his side. All thoughts of a contract end date were absent from his mind. He focused on getting through this night and taking whatever pleasure he could find in each moment.
“Let’s go meet with Kent and whoever he’s dating at the moment,” he said.
“Hell, yeah,” Dante said. “I’d hoped to catch up with him, too.”
Zander, clutching Effie’s hand, pushed through the crowd, heading toward Kent when another guy called to him.
“Well, look who climbed out of the cave.”
Zander glanced over to see one of his old climbing buddies, Raj Patel, standing near Logan, his friend from Rock Nirvana.
“Hey, Raj,” he said, tugging Effie toward them. He glanced over at Dante, Kennedy, and Mia. “I’ll catch up with you guys.”
“Yeah, yeah,” Dante said, smirking, lifting his hand over his head. He disappeared into the crowd.
Raj pulled Zander close for a man hug. When he released him, he said, “It’s good to see you, man. We’ve all been wondering where you went. Logan told us he sees you at Rock Nirvana. Is this the girl you keep bringing? Logan says she’s pretty good.”
“She is,” Logan said. “I’ve watched her.” He turned toward Effie and said, “You’ve got some mad skills.”
Effie’s face turned scarlet. “I owe it all to this guy.”
She squeezed Zander’s hand.
“You’re a natural,” Zander said, beaming. It felt great to be seen, to be out of his depression, and to be so warmly greeted by people who had meant so much to him in the past. His anxiety and his paranoia began to abate, surrounded by people with intact mental health. They weren’t the crazy bitch who almost destroyed him.
As the night rolled on, Zander enjoyed socializing with Effie by his side. The night took on a Prince Charming fantasy, of him, here with the woman of his dreams. Everyone seemed to see it and comment on it. Even Kent hadn’t given him much of a hard time. When he moved through the ginormous house, an entourage of friends, old and new, moved with him. He felt on top of the world.
And Bryant and Trisha hated the attention he got. Each time Zander passed them, or looked over their way, they shot spears from their eyes with vicious glowers.
He didn’t care. He had Effie.
After dinner, he leaned toward Effie and nuzzled her ear, saying, softly, “I’m so glad you’re here. Thank you for accompanying me.”
A waiter placed a small bowl of chocolate mousse in front of him. He startled for a second, caught in a flashback.
When he was with the bitch, Trisha cleared his plate before he even had time to set his fork down. She was always one or two steps ahead of him. She even prepared his toothbrush at night before he stepped into the bathroom. Shit like that annoyed the hell out of him.
I’m with Effie, he reminded himself, and she’s as far from Effie as one galaxy is from another.
“Thank you. I’m enjoying being with you, too.” She looked up at him through her lashes.
The waiter stepped behind Effie and placed her dessert in front of her.
When he’d moved on, Zander whispered, “I’m sorry I was cold to you this past couple of weeks. Again, it had nothing to do with you.” He extended the tip of his tongue and licked the shell of her ear.
Effie shivered. “I’m sorry, too. I got all caught up in school and, well…I thought I’d done something to piss you off,” she said. She dipped her finger in the chocolate mousse, scooped some mousse onto her fingertip, and held it in front of Zander’s mouth.
Zander sucked the mousse from her skin. “Mmm. Chocolate Effie,” he said. His arousal began to push against his trousers.
He swiped his human finger through his dessert. He wiggled it in front of Effie’s mouth.
Effie sucked it, taking her sweet time, making soft humming noises against his skin.
Trisha, sitting a few seats down from him, directed another withering glare his way.
He flashed a side-eyed glance at her, shook his head, and resumed his attention on Effie. The thrill of her tongue on his digit sent blood straight to his groin.
“Does this mean we get to kiss and make up later?” Zander said, in a voice meant for her and her alone.
“I’m thinking that’s a good possibility, Mr. King,” Effie said. Her hand snaked under the table and caressed his erection.
He hissed. “God damn, Effie.”
She withdrew her hand and bit her lip, chuckling.
After dinner, when they danced to the captivating guitar licks and crooning vocals of Dante Vega, Zander pulled her close, letting her feel his engorged heat.
“Oh, my,” Effie breathed into his ear. “Someone’s happy.”
“I am. I’m so happy being here with you, Effie. You have no idea.” He nuzzled her hair with his nose, inhaling her scent.
“I feel like this party’s all for us,” she said.
“I do, too. Bryant’s none too happy.” Zander, the skin at the back of his neck prickling, glanced through the room.
“I’ve noticed,” Effie said.
Trisha was nowhere in sight. But, knowing her, she could have binoculars trained on his back.
Bryant stood near his floor to ceiling fireplace, talking with a few people, sending stabbing glances at Zander.
Zander whirled Effie in a half circle, so his view wasn’t sullied.
The song came to an end, and the guests all cheered and clapped.
Dante accepted the adoration, then stepped toward the mic
rophone and said, “I’d like to dedicate this last tune to my long-time friend, Zander King. We both know heartache from terrible choices.”
Zander snorted, glancing at Trisha.
She seemed to simmer with rage.
Dante continued. “And from the looks of it, we’ve also been given a second chance with a woman of substance. So, to Zander and Effie, let me present to you, my latest hit, Love at Last.”
The crowd cheered.
Bryant and Trisha both appeared apoplectic like the medics would soon need to be called for a coronary arrest.
Dante’s masterful voice belted out the lyrics, as Dante and Effie melted together in a slow dance.
When Dante got to the chorus, “I left the darkness in the past, hoping I’d find love at last,” he beamed at Kennedy, then flashed his winning smile at Zander and Effie.
Zander flashed him a thumbs-up behind Effie’s back.
“I’m so happy, Zander,” Effie breathed into his ear.
“Me, too.” The song ended, but Zander kept holding Effie close. He never wanted this moment to end. Finally, he eased away from her. “You make me a happy man,” he said, brushing an errant curl away from her cheek.
She flashed him an indecipherable look but said nothing. Then, her eyes seemed to glisten.
Before Zander could ask her what the sudden tears were about, Dante stepped from the stage and strode in their direction.
“What do you think of my new song?” he asked Effie when he stopped near them.
A hesitant smile graced her gorgeous face. “It’s beautiful. And, it’s perfect. But…”
Zander’s brow creased. “But what, Effie?”
“Nothing.” She shook her head and pasted on another smile. “I’m parched, aren’t you? I’ll head over and get us something to drink. What would you like?”
Zander frowned slightly and said, “I’ll have a beer, thanks. A pale ale.”
“What about you, Dante?” Effie said, smiling sweetly.
“I’m good. I’ll keep this guy mellow while you’re gone. He’ll probably whine and whimper, though, with his tail between his legs.” Dante grinned.
Effie slipped away, heading toward the bar, and Zander’s frown deepened.
“What’s up?” Dante asked. He cocked his head and studied Zander. “Why the long face?”
“What?” Zander said, turning to look at Dante. “Oh,” he said with a wave of his hand. “It’s nothing.”
“She’s really something. Where did you meet her?” Dante said.
A shot of alarm bolted through Zander. Aside from Kent and Mia, no one in his world knew he’d bought and paid for Effie’s companionship. Wait, there are Bryant and Trisha. And who knows how many people they’ve told.
“Her?” Zander said, stabbing his thumb at Effie.
“Yeah, her,” Dante said, chuckling. “Are you that smitten with her you can’t think straight?” He guffawed.
Zander forced a smile. “Pretty much.”
“It’s so obvious you two are the real deal, dude. I’m happy for you.” He clapped Zander on the back. “You’ve landed a fine fish, my friend.”
Bought and paid for, more like it. Zander’s attention flicked back to Effie. His dinner curdled in his belly. “Oh, shit.”
“What?” Dante said, following Zander’s gaze. His eyebrows lifted. “Shit is right. The Trish-bitch has cornered your babe.”
Zander shoved through the crowd. He had to get to Effie before it was too late.
Chapter 29
Effie
Effie sidled up to the bar, feeling naked without Zander by her side. The night had gone better than she’d ever dreamed, like the most perfect date, ever. She felt hopelessly over the moon with Zander.
But who am I kidding? I’m his purchase. Worse, his friend Dante thinks we’re a couple in love. And, Zander’s quickly being swept into his old life tonight. In less than two months I’ll be his summer fling while he sails away with Raj, Logan, and Dante, and a new girl by his side—a girl not paid for. While I shuffle away broken-hearted. Shit, shit, and triple shit.
A middle-aged bartender with a gold hoop in his ear and some sort of tribal tattoo peeking out from his crisp white shirt-sleeve hurried toward her. “What will it be, miss?”
“I’ll have a glass of Cabernet, water, and a pale ale, please,” she said.
The guy raked her with his eyes before nodding and swiftly disappearing.
Guys of every age had been ogling her all night. She far preferred living under her rock of science, physiology, and study. But, she loved seeing Zander so happy. She figured she could “take one for the team,” if that’s what it took for Zander to be happy. He deserved to be with a wonderful woman. Too bad it can’t be me. Her chest rose and fell in a long sigh.
“Well, well, well. If it isn’t Zander’s whore.”
Effie stiffened at the venomous female voice behind her. It had to be Trisha Banks. Every time she’d caught sight of Trisha tonight, she’d been burning holes in Effie’s face with her demonic glare or making goo-goo eyes at Zander. Effie had been too enthralled with Zander to pay it much attention.
“I see the ugly duckling is being transformed into a swan,” Trisha said. “Isn’t it a wonder what money can buy?”
Effie’s cheeks burned. She pressed her fingers into the gleaming wood of the bar, hoping the bartender would come her way. But, no, he’d been distracted with a line of customers at the other end of the bar.
“But money can’t account for taste,” Trisha said. “You’ve either got it, or you don’t. And you don’t.” She pressed close enough to Effie’s back to make her recoil.
“You sure clean up nicely, for a gold-digger,” Trisha said close to Effie’s ear, smelling of cigarettes and expensive perfume. She extended her artfully manicured hand onto the bar next to Effie.
Effie glanced at the gold and emerald rings on Trisha’s fingers. Hurry up, hurry up, hurry up, she silently pleaded with the bartender. Her hands balled into fists, pressing against the solid wood. She rolled her perfectly lipsticked lips between her teeth, ignoring Trisha.
The bartender snagged a wine glass and a beer mug. He sloshed wine into the glass. Then, he angled the mug underneath the ale tap, filling it with light-golden liquid.
“What, are you deaf? That would be a hoot. The guy with the stump gets the girl with no hearing.” Trisha let out a wicked-sounding laugh.
The bartender scurried toward Effie. He placed her drinks in front of her, nodded, and hustled away.
Effie picked up the wine and beer. She started to call, “You forgot my water,” but decided he wouldn’t hear her. She wanted to dash across the room and find Zander, but Trisha blocked her exit.
She trapped Effie on the right with her arm.
And some beefy guy with thinning hair waddled up to Effie’s left. He leaned across the bar and slurred, “Bartender, I need another drink.”
Effie began to panic. Her dress felt too tight, strangling her breathing. Her hands trembled. Her knees started to give way. She feared dropping the drinks and stumbling through the crowd, becoming the laughing stock of the party.
Trisha hissed into her ear, “So, what’s the going rate for sleeping with a cripple?”
Something snapped inside Effie. People could taunt her all they wanted—sure, it hurt, but she expected it. But, someone belittling Zander urged her into action. Clutching her wine glass in one hand, and the ale in another, she whirled around and threw the wine in Trisha’s face, Then, she dumped the ale over her head.
Trisha shrieked.
The crowd around them silenced.
Trisha’s mouth dropped open in utter disbelief. Her hair hung in limp strands around her face. She sputtered like a steam engine and then lunged for Effie, grabbing a handful of her hair.
Effie cried out, trying to free herself from Trisha’s grip.
A few camera flashes went off from a mobile phone or seven.
Oh, great. I’ll be on some tabloid in the m
orning. Effie suddenly felt faint. Zander’s going to kill me.
Zander appeared out of the sea of stunned onlookers. He yanked Trisha’s hands behind her back, restraining her. Then, he focused on Effie and said, “Are you okay?”
Effie nodded, somewhat heartened by his concern.
Bryant barreled through the crowd. “What’s going on here?” he yelled. “What’s the meaning of this, King?”
Effie shook with rage. She pointed at Trisha. “Your bitch girlfriend called me every vile thing she could think of.”
“Who are you calling a bitch?” Trisha screamed in Effie’s direction.
“You.” Effie waved her shaking hand at Trisha. She turned back to Bryant who stood with a red face and eyes intent on killing her.
He made no move in Trisha’s direction, however.
Effie continued. “But then she insulted Zander.” She whirled to face Trisha. “You don’t get to insult Zander, Ms. Banks, no matter how big of a supermodel you are.” She glanced at Zander, hoping he didn’t think her foolish.
His eyes grew wide.
Oh, no. Zander thinks I’m stupid.
She stepped backward.
Trisha wriggled in Zander’s grasp, unable to free her hands. She worked her mouth around and spit a wad of phlegm in Effie’s direction. It landed on Effie’s dress.
“Oh, that’s classy,” Dante said, coming up behind Zander.
Trisha writhed, still struggling to get free. “Get your filthy crippled hand off of me, Zander.”
She shook her head, sending droplets of beer and wine in every direction.
Zander arched his neck and tried to keep from getting sprayed, but several drops splatted against his cheek.
“Trisha,” Bryant said, in a low, menacing voice. “This party is supposed to be a fundraiser, not a free-for-all.”
“How can it be anything if Zander and his whore are getting all the attention?” Trisha wailed.
Bryant stared at Effie. Then, he glared at Zander. His attention slid to the crowd. His inner wheels seemed to be rolling.
Sugar Love Page 22
