When we arrive at the house of James and Addison Montgomery, the house that Aidan grew up in, I’m at a loss for words. The sheer size of the house is seriously intimidating. But what is even more evident right now, is the fact that mine and Aidan’s worlds are so far apart.
The way the landscape lighting shines on the house from the ground up like spotlights at the base of the trees, it makes it glow against the night sky, old Hollywood style. We had to pass through a tall, ornate gate that was open for the party, but I am sure closed off any other time. The house itself was wide as it was tall and sat on a piece of land that appeared to go on for miles. There was stone covering the façade of the house with a frosted, glass door beckoning to be walked through. The estate screamed of wealth.
Aidan noticed my leg bouncing up and down in the seat next to him. He gently reached over and placed his hand on my leg. “Relax. Everyone’s going to love you. I’ll be there, by your side, the whole night.”
I smile at him meekly. “Promise?” He leans over and gives me a chaste kiss and presses his forehead to mine. “Promise.”
Chapter 3
Aidan
Even though I had a brave face for Chloe’s sake, I must admit that I too was nervous. It’s not that I think my parents won’t like Chloe, but the sheer fact that this is a huge step for us. I want this night to be perfect, for her. She has been through so much that she deserves a celebration of our love and commitment.
We get out of the car and make our way up to the front door. I have never been ashamed of the house I grew up in, until I see the uncomfortable look on Chloe’s face. She is starting to fidget with her dress, as a telltale sign of just how nervous she is.
“Aidan. I don’t know if I can do this. I feel really out of place. Is this dress ok? How does my hair look? Oh god, I’m rambling. Your parents are going to think I’m some country bumpkin looking to steal your fortune.”
That last comment made me chuckle and she gave me a glare. I took her face in my hands, as I did earlier today, and I felt some of the tension ease. “Chloe, trust me when I say that they’re going to love you. Just like I do.”
“Aidan, you say that will all confidence now. But I’m just warning you. If you see me breaking out in a cold sweat and turning green, make sure I don’t puke all over my shoes!”
An audible sigh escapes me. I am still holding on to the sides of her beautiful, worried face and I kiss the spot between her furrowed brows. “You, my dear, are being a tad dramatic… but oh so cute with that worried look on your face.”
Chloe grabs my wrists, with her thumbs resting on the pulse points of my hands. “I may be acting dramatic, but I truly just want everything to go well. This is a big deal, Aidan. I’m scared.”
I lean forward so that we are eye to eye, and I brush my lips ever so gently on the corner of her mouth, breathing in her intoxicating scent. “My beautiful girl. You have nothing to be afraid of. If once we get in there, and you still don’t feel comfortable, we can leave. Okay?”
I thought we had reached a place where her insecurities were better dealt with. I’m guessing the stress of all the new experiences of late, have triggered some of those old feelings of not being worthy, of not fitting in.
I wasn’t going to give her time to answer me, just in case she wanted to run the other way. I tucked her by my side, and we stepped through the door.
Walking back through the door of a house I grew up in was always nostalgic for me. The house may have had its share of renovation changes over the years, but the overall feeling and a sense of warmth, always made me feel at ease. I was hoping Chloe would feel the same and put her fears aside.
That hope was dashed when the grandeur of the interior foyer of the house came into view. The house was lit bright and several guests were already happily drinking and talking animatedly throughout. All conversation halted, and all eyes were on us as we stepped through the entryway. I could feel Chloe stiffen next to me and almost curl herself deeper into my side.
I spotted and nodded towards our friends Grayson and Crystal Morrison, who were the ones that essentially introduced Chloe and myself, at their club. Club Manhattan was our sanctuary and our home away from home. The place where no one judged us for our lifestyle choices, wealth, or careers. But my mother was the first to approach us. She grabbed two champagne flutes from a passing waiter and headed in our direction. Chloe reluctantly let me remove my arm from her waist long enough to wrap my mother up in a hug and take our drinks.
“Aidan! Darling, it is so great to see you, and this must be your gorgeous fiancé. Chloe, I can’t tell you how nice it is to meet you.” I pass one of the champagne glasses to Chloe and she nearly drains the entire drink in one gulp.
“So very nice to meet you as well, Mrs. Montgomery. You have a lovely home and thank you for inviting me and throwing such a lovely party for Aidan and myself. I can see where Aidan gets his good looks.” Chloe looks adoringly at me and gives my mother a shy smile. She looked a tad bit more relaxed, now that she had a drink in her hand.
My mother, looking so very proud of herself in her party-hosting element, shoots me a wink. “Chloe, please, call me Addison. And might I just say how much I love your accent, as faint as it may be. Aidan tells me you are from Georgia? Where at exactly?” I could see the twinkle in my mother’s eye. I knew she would like her and was warming up to her charms, much as I had when we first met.
“Of course, Mrs.…. I mean Addison. Well, as much as I try to hide my Georgia accent, it slips out every now and again, especially when I’m nervous. I’m from Covington, Georgia. It’s a small town, just outside of Atlanta.” Chloe once again stiffens at my side and I look up to see my father and his business partner John Williams quickly approaches us.
“Hey, Kid!” My father’s business partner was the first to extend his hand in a friendly shake. He and my father have been partners in their real estate development and investment business since I was a little kid. He has seen me grow up right along with his own daughter, Alexandria, who is about the same age as I am. With our parent’s encouragement, Alexandria and I tried our best to date and make a relationship work, but other than our upbringing, we had nothing in common.
Extending my hand to John, he pulled me in for a shoulder hug and a slap on the back. “Good to see you, John. Did you bring your lovely wife with you?” An odd expression passed over his face at the mention of his wife. “No, actually Karen wasn’t feeling well this evening. But Alex is around here somewhere. I am sure she would love to meet your new fiancé.”
I turn to Chloe to see that the color has drained from her face and is staring oddly at John. Her expression looked like fear, and I wasn’t sure if it was her nerves or the champagne that she was drinking that was causing it.
Before I had time to ask Chloe what was wrong, my father swiftly embraced me in a fatherly hug and turning to Chloe to do the same. She was shocked at first by the gesture but warmed into the hug. I knew my father would adore Chloe, even before words were exchanged.
Addressing Chloe and I first and then turning to my mother, “When did you two get here? Addie, dear, why didn’t you come get me when they arrived?”
Before my mother could respond, I jumped in. “Hello, father. We just got here, and I was just introducing mother to Chloe.”
Chloe appeared to give herself a mental shake, realizing that she had zoned out. “Chloe, this is my father, James. Dad, this is my beautiful fiancé. Thank you both for making her feel welcome.”
My mother quickly grabbed Chloe’s hands and held them out in front of her. “Chloe, dear, we are so happy to finally meet you and we are just so excited to have you join our family. You are welcome here anytime.”
Chloe was still a little pale and nervously glancing around the room, and at my father’s friend John, who walked away and was now engaged in a sports conversation with another of the guests. I looked at her with concern on my face and she answered by saying, “Aidan? Can you please show me where the
bathroom is?”
Oh, of course. The champagne is getting to her. She isn’t much of a drinker after all. “Just follow this hallway to the end, and then take a right and it is the first door on the left.”
She mentally mapped out the route in her head and I almost took her there myself, but I think she just needed a moment to herself.
She politely excused herself from the group that we were standing in and followed my directions down the hall. When she was safely out of sight, did my mother then speak. “Is she ok? She looked a bit pale. I hope we didn’t scare her off.”
“No, she’s fine. She just isn’t used to drinking champagne. You know how it is when you don’t drink that often. It goes straight to your head.”
My parents nod in agreement my father says, “Understandable.” Putting an arm around my mother and pulling her in close, he says to me, “Your mother and I are so happy that you found someone that you can share the same interests with. And of course, maybe continue on the Montgomery name with a future generation of children.”
I had to chuckle at that. Chloe and I hadn’t talked about kids yet, but I knew I wouldn’t bring that up today. Seeing her so overwhelmed within just a few minutes of us being her and meeting everyone, I would need time to work that into a later conversation. But first, I needed to check on her and make sure she was okay.
Chapter 4
Chloe
No. No. No. No. No. This can’t be happening! I would have never guessed in a million years that someone from my past life would collide with my life… AGAIN and today of all days. Anyone but not him. John Williams.
“Hey, kid.” Those two words brought back a flood of tainted memories. Memories that I never wanted to revisit. Ever. I felt my entire world turning on its axis and I felt sick. I’m either going to throw up or pass out. For the moment, I felt safe tucked into the opulent bathroom and took the opportunity to splash water on my face.
I peer at myself through the mirror and the reluctantly let the haunted memories take over. The memories of me in the sleazy, dark strip club and the man that I thought I’d never see again.
“Hey, kid!” My back stiffens, and I turn around to see him. I had just finished dancing on stage and was taking a walk around the club, entertaining the patrons with lap dances or giving them my attention. Whatever they paid me for. I tried avoiding him at all costs when he visited the club. The Diamond Club. He was here quite frequently. An out of towner, probably on a business trip, flashing his expensive wealth and money like he didn’t have any sense. He tipped the girls well enough, but he gave off the creepy vibe, and unfortunately, his glare was fixed on me.
I put on a fake smile, adjusted my purple wig, and sauntered over to his table. “Hi John, good to see you tonight.” It was a struggle speaking through gritted teeth and bile that rose in my mouth, but this was the life that I was living.
Calling me by my stage name, he yelled to a passing waitress. “Hey… bring Roxie and me your best whiskey, no ice, two glasses…. And leave the bottle!” Turning his eyes back to me he licked his lips and looked me up and down. With each pass, I felt his dirty thoughts, leaving a stain on my body. “Sit Roxie. I need your company.”
What John needed was to set his sights on someone else, but today was not my lucky day. “John, I really need to mingle with the other customers. How about if I send Jasmine over? You’ve met her before, right?”
John continued to eye fuck me but was taken aback by my suggestion. “How about if I give you five hundred dollars? Do you still want to pawn me off on Jasmine?” As much as I hated my next words, they were spoken none the less. “No. I’ll sit with you.”
“Not with me Roxie, on my lap.” The euphoria of getting the money from this man was replaced by repulsiveness. He wasn’t a bad looking man, but noticeably older than my eighteen years and it felt wrong. Again, I reminded myself…. This is the life that you’re living.
So... I sat on his lap and let the daddy/daughter role play take place. It was his idea. Not mine. I guess that’s why he calls me “kid”.
Shaken from my memories when I hear a knock on the bathroom door. Aidan calls to me on the other side. “Chloe? Babe… are you okay? You have been in here a while. If you need me to take you home, I will.”
I love this man. He is everything that I have ever needed and wanted in a man. A loving, doting, fiancé that would leave our engagement party, just because I didn’t feel well. I’ve come a long way. But the memory still shook me by force, such that I felt myself slipping down a rung on my ladder of progress. The ladder that has been my foothold in life. The ladder that I have used to climb out of my disparaging past.
I opened the door to see a concerned look on his handsome face. A look that I don’t like to see because it means that my drama and past life has once again crept into our current blissful relationship.
“Aidan, I’m fine now. You know that I don’t drink very often. I just felt a little light-headed. Nothing that some cool water on my face couldn’t cure!” I hated lying to him, but I just couldn’t tell him about this detail of my past. He knew enough, for now.
“That’s what I thought. Mother was worried that they scared you off. How are you feeling about all of this? Do you want to take a walk and get some air?”
“You always know the right thing to say. How did I get so lucky?” Now if I could just avoid a certain guest at our party, everything would be fine. It didn’t look like he remembered me. It had been well over 10 years since I saw him last and I looked very different. Changing my appearance was one thing that I did when I moved to New York, five years ago when I got away from Mark. And the purple wig I wore at The Diamond Club was my signature piece. To this day, I hate the color purple!
“Chloe, I am the lucky one. You bring out this side of me. I just want you to be happy and cherished like you deserve. On another note though, Grayson and Crystal are here and want to talk to us. You up for it?”
“Awe. It was sweet of them to come. They have been so supportive and genuinely good friends to us. Other than at the club, we don’t get to see them much. Let’s go find them.”
Chapter 5
Aidan
Chloe and I mingled with our guests until we found Grayson and Crystal Morrison, the owners of Club Manhattan, where Chloe and I met. Since Crystal and Chloe are both attorneys, they socialized in similar circles and became close friends during the legal process that sent Chloe’s ex to prison. We are forever indebted to Crystal for the long hours and tedious legal work that she did to ensure Mark wouldn’t get out of prison for a very long time.
Grayson Morrison and I met when he was looking for contractors to revamp the club. It wasn’t the exclusive and discreet club that it is now, all thanks to Grayson and Crystal’s perseverance in rebranding its reputation, and my help with reshaping the interior. Grayson and I became fast friends and he offered me a VIP membership to what is now, one of the hottest BDSM clubs in New York.
We quickly found them off to the side of the room, looking very much like a newlywed couple but surprisingly are not. I used to envy Grayson for what he found in Crystal, until I met Chloe. Now we just have that much more in common with them.
“Hey, you guys! Sorry we couldn’t talk earlier. We got caught up with the parents. Thanks for coming and sharing this with us.” Grayson and I shared a brotherly hug, while Crystal and Chloe giggled like little girls. The two of them together were trouble, and we wouldn’t have it any other way.
Grayson spoke over Crystal’s head as she was once again nestled at his side. “I haven’t seen you two at the club lately. Your favorite room is always available if you need it.”
I glanced at Chloe as she was looking adoringly up at me and then back at Grayson and Crystal. “I know, it’s been a while. We just have been dealing with the trial shit and everything that went down a few months ago. Thanks again, Crystal, for helping Chloe with her caseload while she was dealing with the trial. It was an amazing coincidence that your friend Dena Mo
nroe was the prosecuting attorney assigned to the case.”
She gives us a little smirk as confirmation. “Yes! It was a coincidence and you wouldn’t have wanted anyone else to handle it. Although Chloe, your clients didn’t need much from me, and it was my honor to be there for you both.”
Chloe spoke up, “Crystal, I really appreciated your support if nothing else. That was a really insane thing to happen. I’m just sorry that I brought that crazy fuck to your club, and that your name and reputation was tarnished.”
Crystal stepped forward and took Chloe by both hands. “Just like I told you before, this was not your fault. Mark was not a stable person. Thanks to him though, we now have tighter vetting procedures with who we let into our club. Given the circumstances, he did us a favor.”
Grayson snaked his hands around his wife’s waist. “Crystal’s right. We should have always had a better process for letting in potential club members, especially since we have had our own fair share of crazy fucks in our lives! One good thing to come out of it all is that we became closer friends.”
I cleared my throat and looked at Chloe for approval. She nodded since she knew what I was going to say. “Speaking of close friends and all of that sappy shit... Chloe and I would like to know if you would stand up for us at our wedding. You know… best man… maid of honor…”
Grayson wrapped me in another bro hug as the girls laughed at us again. “Dude, about fucking time you guys started planning a wedding. Crystal and I would be honored.”
“Well, we haven’t set a specific date yet. But it will be soon. Chloe wanted to make sure we had everything behind us before we could start planning. It’s been a stressful few months. Right babe?”
I looked back at Chloe, who looked like she was a million miles away. Something was weighing on her mind and I don’t think it was the champagne this time. Something else was bothering her. “Chloe? Did you hear me? You still not feeling well?”
Club Manhattan: Parts One and Two Page 13
