He growled in my ear and I couldn’t help but grin from ear to ear. It was definitely a twin thing.
“Hey, gorgeous. We’ve missed you,” he said.
“You’ve been busy,” I answered.
“And loving every delicious minute of it,” Wren said. His suit was just like Ethan’s.
“Well look who’s turning into a little social butterfly,” Sara purred. “Aria, you’re never gonna believe what I just saw? No wait, you will because you’ve… oh my god. Come with me, I have so much to tell you.”
I waved bye to Wren and let my best friend lead me to the hallway.
Sara hurried in her red sequined flapper dress and red headband. Her blonde curls bounced as she walked and her blue eyes sparkled mischievously in the strobe light.
She led me down the north hall toward the in-ground pool area. Dark wood and drapery lined the walls. Gold sconces were dimly lit and spaced evenly down the long hall. I could still hear the mix of trumpets and drums of an old jazz song drifting in from the ballroom. Dim voices and laughter could be heard intermittently.
“Where are you taking me?” I asked.
“I need girl time. I haven’t seen you at all this week,” she said.
We passed the glass double door entrance to the pool where two housegirls were going full on reverse cowgirl on a rock stars’ face and groin when we rounded the corner and Sara stopped abruptly.
“Caitlyn, is this a BDSM scene?” she asked.
I peered around Sara to see Caitlyn handcuffed to the fire extinguisher naked with her head bowed in shame. Her dress was ripped up the side and ice and caviar had been poured over her head and smeared all over her chest and arms. She reeked like a Lake Erie walleye that’s been sitting in the sun too long. Wait, or was that calamari?
I couldn’t help but notice the tears in her eyes as she shook her head. She was trembling and looked cold. Sara reached for the last towel beside the poolside door and draped it over her shoulders.
“I’ll be right back,” Sara said then rushed into pool area for more towels. Was it always like this at Paramore?
“Who did this to you?” I asked.
Caitlyn sighed. “The terror twins. This was their way of paying me back for being mean to them,” her voice shook.
“Who are the terror twins?” I asked.
“You’ll see,” she said in her usual bitchy tone.
“What did I do?” I asked, but she ignored my question as Sara returned with more towels then pulled out a ring of keys from her pocket.
“You have keys?” I inquired.
“Don’t be silly. I just got them from Pierce,” she said as she fished out a handcuff key and quickly unlocked them. Pierce had a universal handcuff key?
Caitlyn rubbed her hands around her wrists, trying to get rid of the burn.
“Don’t make a big deal about this. This is between me and them,” she urged.
Sara and I frowned then nodded hesitantly.
“See you guys later,” she mumbled, and then took off up the back staircase.
“We should really report this to Avery,” I said.
“Do you really want to help Caitlyn?” Sara asked.
“Not really, she probably deserved it,” I countered.
We headed to the back of the main ballroom, passing several couples making out and having sex on the various benches and chairs around the hallways. Sara was talking a mile a minute about Mandy Candylane, whom she had met tonight, while we were walking past the back entrance to the large patio when I looked out the window to see a flustered Avery in front of his security detail with a frown on his face.
He began pacing back and forth on the back deck of the Manor and running his hands through his hair. He wore an all black-vested suit and other than the stress on his face, he looked extremely handsome.
He led everyone down the stone pathway towards the helicopter pad, and out of my line of sight. I had never seen him so out of sorts. What was happening? I filed my question away for later and turned my attention back to the chattering Sara.
We made our way to the back of the ballroom when I focused in on the two women Sara was non-chalantly pointing out named Genevieve and her identical twin Jezebel and I laughed when she told me they were the ‘Terror twins’.
One twin wore a dark gray flapper dress and the other wore silver. They were the blonde girls outside of Dorian’s room yesterday.
“Aria, are you listening?” she said in my ear. “This is important. Colt said those two have been trying to hook up with Avery everyday since they’ve been here. Watch out for them.”
I nodded, feeling uneasy. I never would believe Avery would cheat on me but these women were glamorous and way out of my league.
I tried to reign in my insecurities and pulled Sara over to get a drink. We both needed a night with some heavy drinking to rid some of our stress of school. I had been a terrible friend to her this semester, so much so, that I didn’t even know how her classes were going, and I lived with her.
“Jesus, that’s Bordelle,” Sara said, scanning some of the women standing next to us in luxury lingerie. “That’s Carine Gilson,” she added, handing me a shot.
“Oh, you know her?” I asked taking a shot from my glass at the same time as Sara. Sara spewed the shot out and tried to contain her chuckle.
“She’s a famous designer,” she said wiping her lip. “Take that one over there,” she said pointing at a lady wearing a black silk and lace chemise. “That lingerie starts at five hundred dollars and goes up from there.” I nearly choked on my shot this time.
“But that one over there,” she said, pointing to a young woman wearing a black two piece baby-doll design, “That is Sienna’s design, I think she’s gonna give the big designers a run for their money very soon.”
Kim refilled Sara’s drink, and then she threw back her shot and scuttled off to the restroom while I found a seat at one of the vacant dinner tables for a quieter retreat. I could see that Avery was now across the bar tending to something with Kim and what looked like a liquor delivery. Geez, didn’t he ever stop?
More women were starting to lose their clothes at this point as several beside me started stripping and dancing in their underwear and heels. Looks like luxury lingerie ruled the dance floor tonight.
The atrium of the Manor was humming with new celebrities and house staff doing whatever was expected of them when the terror twins circled around my table like a couple of chicken hawks. I could see that they weren’t here to play nice. They brought out their claws for me. It was like I was staring at Caitlyn – times two.
They looked at me as if I was Princess Fiona from Shrek, while they looked longingly over at Avery as if he was their Prince. Fuck, here we go again, I thought. I leaned back in my chair, sipped on a rum and diet coke, and let a few ice cubes slip into my mouth as they circled me.
“Great dress, Aria. Did you get that at the Goodwill?” Genevieve said. Her words slithered out into the air and made me cringe.
“Avery bought it for me,” I said. That made their stupid grins flat-line. “Have we met?” I continued, looking unenthused by their presence while I finished crunching on the last little piece of ice in my mouth. Jezebel stood at her flank in her tight sequined dress.
“You poor little thing. You don’t get out much do you?” Jezebel snickered. “We’re Dorian’s housegirls.”
I snorted. “And you’re proud of that?” I sucked in another ice cube from my glass and started crunching it between my teeth. I needed to exhaust my nervous energy and this seemed like the most annoying way to do it.
Genevieve with her large breasts leaned over the table towards me in an intimidating manner. “Rumor has it, Dorian has you at the top of his wish list. I just wanted you to know, I plan on making sure that doesn’t happen,” she said.
“Thanks, but I don’t do sloppy seconds,” I said. Her eyes narrowed and she actually looked insulted.
“Listen here, Hicksville. Let’s get one thing c
lear. Dorian’s promised to make us movie stars. You won’t get in our way. We’ll make sure of that.” They said that in unison which was kind of impressive. Then Jezebel continued.
“And don’t waste your time thinking that this Cinderella story with Avery will last. I have Avery’s workshop booked everyday this week and once he sees what I can do, he’ll drop you like a hot potato.” Then Genevieve burst in…
“And Dorian already has us booked for the remainder of his stay here. So take off your cheap dress and go back to your pathetic…”
“Who’s pathetic?” Jenna’s voice cut in. My eyes flashed to her as she sat down next to me at the table. “I was just telling Avery about you two. You have about three seconds before he steps out from behind the bar and finds you tormenting his girl. Go on. Scatter like the bitches you really are,” she said, flicking her hands out at them like they were gnats.
Genevieve huffed and spun on her heels and her twin Jezebel copied her.
I held my composure, but inside, I was seething.
Jenna sat back, crossed her silky legs in her white and black-fringed mini dress, and smiled at me.
“You’re welcome,” she boasted, but I didn’t need her help. If I could handle Caitlyn, I could handle those two.
I soon calmed down and joined Jenna in some rather pointless small talk of who was fucking whom tonight.
After we exhausted that subject, she stood and moved across the room to another small group chatting. They all welcomed her as if they all knew each other. She was in her element here getting to know everybody. It was quickly apparent that if I wanted to know something about someone she’d be the girl to ask.
“What did Jenna want?” Avery pulled out a chair and sat down next to me then leaned in to kiss my temple.
“She was helping me.” Avery’s sexy brows wrinkled with worry.
“Anything you need help with?” I shook my head. “All right then, come fly with me, beautiful.”
I smiled up at him as he stood and held out his hand for me to take as that very song danced out of the piano players fingers.
“This song isn’t from the 1920’s,” I stated.
“I don’t care. I requested it. And what the boss wants, the boss gets.” Avery led me to the dance floor. The piano player sounded just like Sinatra as Avery’s eyes sparkled into mine.
Avery and I were lost in the gentle darkness of the dance floor when my eyes flickered to the corner of the room. The terror twins were sitting next to Dorian. Their backs were toward me but Dorian’s gaze was on me.
Avery held me close to him as if I were in the safest place in the world but the sultry look that Dorian gave made me feel naked and exposed.
Genevieve Glendale turned her head to see what held Dorian’s attention. She scowled when she saw him staring at me.
I closed my eyes then tucked my head against Avery’s chest and let him sway me to the music. Avery’s arms were the only place that I wanted to be.
∞
CHAPTER 9
THE EYES OF A STRANGER
Thursday Evening, October 25th – Weekend Four
Thursday morning I left my Chemistry midterm more frustrated than I’d been at anytime this semester. I knew that I bombed it. I tried to catch up on the reading but time kept slipping away from me. Mostly it was because I kept falling asleep with the mountain of books on my lap and I would wake up in just enough time to get to my next class. Classes were useless if you didn’t study the material. I was learning that the hard way.
A few hours later, I left my Child Psychology class feeling even angrier with myself. We got our midterm back and I barely passed, and that only made my mind wander and I decided to cut my losses and go home and pack. Then I realized I didn’t need anything at all. Avery had everything for me at his place.
I smiled widely and made my way to the car. I texted Sara to tell her I was leaving early. She texted me back to say she’d see me tonight. Sienna wanted off tomorrow, so Sara and Colt were also ditching class on Friday to party at Paramore with Sienna. That place was addictive.
It was a beautiful fall drive and just after five o’clock when Avery escorted me in my dark purple, Louis Vuitton evening gown and my matching five-inch heels toward the bar when a man dressed in black intercepted him.
“Avery, sorry to interrupt but we have a crisis,” the man said in a deep Scottish tone.
“Aria, I’d like you to meet Daegan. He’s the dungeon master in charge of the BDSM floor.”
“Nice to meet you,” I replied, somewhat favoring his Scottish tone. Daegan grinned and nodded then urged Avery to go with him.
I heard Daegan ramble on about rope play and hurried off.
I sat down on the plush bar stool and scanned the room. Normally cocktails were served promptly at seven. Dinner at the restaurant started being served at eight. Classical piano was the ambiance of the evening until the DJ took over around nine.
Friday and Saturday were when the larger parties occurred as most of the guests would fly in for the weekend. So, when I walked into the large atrium the mood was entirely different on a Thursday night. I breathed in a sigh of relief. It was more laid back. Maybe smaller crowds were my thing.
“You looked lost in thought,” Kim said. “The usual?” she asked.
“Yes. Thanks,” I replied.
“You’re good for Avery,” she smiled genuinely at me. I smiled softly at her.
“Thanks,” I replied, nervously sliding my hands up and down the glass. “How long have you worked here, Kim?”
“Four years,” she said. “You must be something special to Avery if he brought you here.”
“Why do you say that?”
“Because he’s never shown this world to anyone else before. And I’ve never seen him look at any one else the way he does you.” I smiled wider feeling a little better. What the hell happened to him that made Avery shut down like he did? He pushed women away for years. I needed to get to the bottom of this.
“Thank you. I think I needed to hear that,” I said, still running my fingers down the perspiration of the crystal glass.
Kim had a kindness in her eyes and I liked her the moment I met her at Camp Jameson.
“Where are you from?” I asked.
She blinked in surprise. “I think you’re the first person who’s ever asked me that. Most people just like to talk about themselves.”
“I’m not like most people,” I said honestly.
She chuckled. “I can see that, Aria,” she smiled. “I’m from Long Island. I came here with a friend of mine and I never left.”
“This place seems to do that to people. It’s like Neverland,” I replied. Kim laughed loudly and I giggled with her.
“You’re right about that one,” she said with a gleam in her brown eyes. She had medium length highlighted hair and was about 5’10” tall.
She studied me. “Don’t worry. Avery will sort it out. He’ll be back in no time.”
My eyes scanned the room and my gaze fell on Dorian. He was flooded with women all around him.
He winked at me and I smiled tightly back. Where did he come from?
He let his grasp go from two women then stepped toward me. The women saw me as he approached and scowled. I sighed inwardly. This pettiness is the last thing I need.
“My dear sweet Aria, where’s Avery?” Dorian asked.
“Dealing with somebody’s drama,” I said as I heard the huffs of the two blondes he just ditched and one elbowed me as she rushed by. Seriously?
“I think you just disappointed your fan club.” Dorian barely glanced back at them and waved them off like they meant nothing. I looked to them to see their glares then turned back to Dorian. “Yep, it’s official, they hate me.”
“They’re just jealous wankers,” he said.
“Jealously and hate walk a fine line together around here,” I said.
“They aren’t the only jealous ones watching us right now,” he said.
I visibly shrun
k when my eyes met Avery’s in the stairwell. He had just climbed to the landing and was talking to Daegan.
Daegan was muscular and tan. He was Scottish with a thick Fu Manchu dressed in a black button up shirt and black dress pants. It was obvious he was a body builder. It looked like they were discussing a situation but his eyes were fixed on me and his arms were crossed.
“He’s not the jealous type,” I said, trying to loosen Dorian’s reserve.
“From the look he’s wearing, I would say you’re wrong,” Dorian said.
Kim approached him and took his order. Dorian ordered a pint of Guinness while barely acknowledging her existence.
“Are you trying to get a rise out of him?” I said, referring to Avery.
“I could care less about your boyfriend’s jealousy. It’s you I fancy,” he said, quickly taking his Guinness from Kim. I smiled crookedly to her and then shifted my eyes back to the balcony.
“And let me guess, you always get what you want,” I said, still watching Avery.
“I do,” he said in a sultry voice.
I clenched my glass trying to ignore the goose bumps that trailed down my spine when he said that. We sat quietly for a minute.
“You know as an actor, I have become a quick study of the human condition. So, let me guess your story. You met him here while you were exploring your ambitious sexual side.”
“I already told you that last time we spoke,” I defended.
“Let me continue before you get wonky. You two fell madly in love and this is your first true test of your relationship.”
I drew my lips into a straight line.
“Don’t answer that. Let me see if I can guess more.”
I took a large sip of my whiskey and diet. Dorian watched my mouth as I unintentionally licked my lips. He swallowed a sip of his beer.
I looked over at Avery and winked. He visibly relaxed some but his eyes were still glued to me as Daegan talked animatedly to him.
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