by Jenna Jacob
“Don’t worry. I’ll ask Sofia to stick to her like glue. If anyone tries messing with Harmony with Sofia around, they’ll wish they hadn’t. My girl is scary vicious when she’s pissed.”
“Thanks.”
He opened his mouth to say more but simply nodded as Kenny eased the coach to a stop in front of the hotel.
Unwilling to take any chances, I waited for Harmony to descend the stairs, then tucked her in tight against my side and entered the lobby.
“There you are, Rosner. I was about to instruct Bernard to take me back to the penthouse.”
I swung my head toward the sound of my mother’s pretentious voice. As I locked eyes on her, my blood turned to ice. Dread pinged my system. My legs tried to move, but my feet were frozen to the glimmering tile beneath them.
“Afternoon, Mrs. Walker,” Burk greeted with a fake-as-fuck smile, giving me time to pull myself together and shove my shock down. “It’s a pleasure to see you as always.”
Of course, he was lying. Being anywhere near the cold, contemptuous bitch was a fucking nightmare.
Sylvia Rosner Walker arched a sculpted brow, looked down her nose at the singer, and flashed a brittle smile. “Likewise, Burton.”
“My name is Burk,” he corrected, lips straining tightly.
“Who’s that woman?” Harmony whispered.
Dismissing the man with a wave of her hand, Sylvia studied me, or rather my arm banded around Harmony’s waist. My mother’s brittle smile morphed into a cynical sneer as she regarded the girl with the same disdain she did toward her hired help.
The shrieking demand to shield Harmony from my mother’s venomous wrath punched me from my stupor.
But before I could open my mouth to confront her, Sylvia’s eyes slid to my blood-covered shirt.
“Aren’t you a little old for barroom brawls, Rosner?” she tsked.
I clenched my jaw as Harmony darted a visibly confused glance between Sylvia and me.
Holding my mother with an icy glare, I eased Harmony from my side. “Burk, would you and Sofia please escort Har—” I snapped my mouth shut to keep from saying her name. I’d be damned if I was going to hand my mother a silver bullet she could lock and load in her judgmental rifle. “Make sure my girl gets safely back to her room?”
“Don’t send her away yet, Rosner,” Sylvia cooed.
Her softening expression accentuated her stunning beauty, which was nothing but a façade. Much like the delicate orchid mantis, Mother lured her unsuspecting prey in with a blinding smile before the carnivorous bitch devoured them whole.
“I’m very disappointed in you.” When haven’t you been? “You haven’t even introduced me to your little…friend.”
And I didn’t plan to, either.
“What are you doing here, Mother?” I bit out curtly.
Chapter Eight
Harmony
Mother?
That…woman is Ross’s mother?
My eyes grew wide and my jaw nearly hit the floor as shock waves rippled from the tips of my toes to the top of my head and back again. The tall, willowy blonde with flawless skin and glistening ruby-red lips was exquisitely beautiful. Her sophistication commanded the attention of everyone in the lobby. From the outside, she shimmered like the twinkling diamonds adorning her ears, neck, wrists, and fingers. But the black tailored pants, tweed herringbone blazer, and leather clutch gripped in her manicured fingers couldn’t camouflage the pure evil spilling from her soul.
The resentment and anger bleeding off Ross merged with the malevolent darkness of his mother and filled the air with a choking thick, toxic cloud.
“Since you’re habitually unable to carve any time from your busy schedule to visit your own mother when you’re in New York, I rearranged mine to come see you.”
Oh, wow. This explains a lot…a whole lot.
“Now that you’ve seen me, you can leave.” Ross’s tone was flat, void of all emotion.
She let out a catty chuckle. “I see your sense of humor has returned, that or your wit is still pharmaceutically induced.”
A muscle in Ross’s jaw ticked as he turned and started to walk away.
“Rosner Malcom Walker, don’t you dare turn your back on me. I raised you better than that.”
Pausing, he tossed an arctic glare over his shoulder. “You didn’t raise me, Sylvia, the nannies did. Take care, Mom.”
As Ross started to walk away again, Sofia moved in beside me. Her eyes were filled with sadness as she looped her arm through mine.
“Wait,” Sylvia called as she hurried toward Ross and grabbed his arm. “Don’t go. I know you’re still angry with me, but please…let’s have lunch and…talk.”
“I already ate.”
“Then come to the penthouse this evening. I’ll hire Sebastian to make us something decadent for dinner.”
“We have rehearsal tonight.”
“What time?”
“Eight.”
“Then we’ll eat at five. Bernard can pick you up and bring you back to the hotel, and please…bring your girl. I’d love to meet her.” Sylvia darted a glance my way that was anything but inviting.
“You’re inviting the black sheep to dinner? Why? Are you dying or something?”
“Rosner, please. We haven’t spent any time together in years.” As he opened his mouth to respond, she held up her hand. “I know…I know, I’m partially to blame for that. But I’m here to extend an olive branch. Surely you’re not going to toss it back in my face. Or are you?”
“Stop trying to manipulate me,” Ross growled. “It doesn’t work anymore.”
“Fine. Do you need me to beg?”
A humorless scoff rolled off his lips. “You don’t know how.”
“Let’s stop airing our dirty laundry in public.”
“Because you’d rather, what…do that in the privacy of your penthouse?”
“No. I don’t want to rehash the past, Rosner. I just want to spend time with my son. Please…bring your girl and come to dinner.”
“I’ll think about it.” He turned, dismissing his mother
Then locked an icy stare on me as he ate up the distance between us and extended his hand. “Come on, I’ll take you to your room.”
Hand in hand, we walked past his mother, who pinned me with a pleading expression.
“Please, convince him to come.” When I didn’t respond, she turned her desperation on Ross. “Bernard will be waiting outside at five. Please…don’t make him return alone.”
I bit my lips together and remained silent until we were in the elevator, alone. “I’m sorry, Ross.”
Confusion wrinkled his brow. “What the hell are you sorry for?”
“That you had to grow up with a woman like that. She’s not a nice person.”
A humorless chuckle peeled off his lips. “No, she’s not. She’s a raging bitch.”
It probably wasn’t the time to begin chipping at his walls, but if I didn’t start soon, I might never reach him.
“Is she the reason you’re so angry all the time?”
He scowled and frowned. “I’m not angry…all the time.”
His attempt to deflect my question wasn’t a surprise. I fully expected him to tell me to mind my own business. But since he wasn’t completely slamming the door in my face, I pressed forward.
“Are you going to join her for dinner tonight?”
“Don’t you mean we?”
“I didn’t want to assume. I-I didn’t think you’d want me there.”
“I’m sure as fuck never stepping foot in her lair alone.”
The big, strong, proud man was unconsciously asking for my help.
“I’d be honored to go with you.” To support and protect you.
Ross blinked. “Why would you want to do that?”
“So you don’t have to face her alone.”
“I’m not a child or a coward.”
“I wasn’t insinuating you were. I’m simply offering to go with you so you won’t
have to go alone.”
“Why?”
Because I’m trying to save your stubborn, guarded, closed-off soul.
I shrugged and smirked. “Because watching you two spar would be a lot more entertaining than sitting in my room clicking channels on TV.”
Another rusty laugh tore from the back of his throat. “Kenny was right. For a little thing, you got a lot of moxie.”
A sliver of pride slid through me as we reached my room.
“Do you want to come in? We could sit out on the terrace and…talk.”
“No. But I’ll take you up on your offer to join me for dinner with Mommy Dearest. If you’re still willing, that is.”
“I am, but I’m curious about something.”
“What?”
“Are you doing this for her or yourself?”
His lips pressed to a thin, tight line before he exhaled a heavy sigh. “I’ll meet you in the lobby at five.”
“See you then.” As I stepped inside my suite, Ross turned and walked away.
The door was still shutting behind me as I raced to the bedroom. Even before I started eyeing my clothes in the closet, dread swirled. I didn’t own a single stitch of anything that resembled elegant.
Seeds of panic were in full bloom when there was a knock at my door. After hurrying from the bedroom, I peered out the peephole, then invited Sofia and Burk inside.
“We wanted to make sure you were all right.” Sofia studied me intently. “But you look…frazzled.”
“I am.” I didn’t bother trying to hide my anxiety.
“What happened?” Burk scowled. “What did Ross do?”
“Ross?” I blinked. “He didn’t do anything. I’m freaking out because I only have sixty dollars and nothing nice enough to wear to his mom’s place for dinner tonight. Is there a discount clothing store—”
“Wait. He’s actually going to have dinner with that viper?” Burk barked out.
“We are having dinner with that viper,” I corrected, snapping my focus on Sofia. “You wouldn’t happen to have something fancy I could borrow, would you?”
She compared her lush curves to my thinner frame. “Sweetheart, first of all, we’re in New York. Sixty dollars isn’t enough to buy a pair of underwear. Secondly, even if I’d packed a few designer things, they’d fall right off you. I have a better idea, but we’re going to need Mia’s input…and a black card.”
When she sent Burk a sad-puppy dog expression, he simply shook his head and grinned. Then pulled out his wallet and handed her a credit card. “Have fun and make sure to get yourself something…naughty.”
She lifted to her toes and kissed him hard. “I love you.”
“Yeah? I’ll let you show me how much after rehearsal.”
“You’re on, baby.” Sofia sent him a sultry smile and waved as Burk strolled from the suite. “Okay, I’m going to call Mia first, a limo service second, then we’ll hit every boutique in Lower Manhattan.”
“I’ll pay you back, as soon as I—”
“No, you won’t. It’s a gift from Burk and me.”
“I can’t just let you spend—”
“Fine. You want to pay me back?” I nodded. “Then while the guys are rehearsing tonight, tell me every detail about your dinner with Ross and that snag-nasty bitch.”
I cringed. “Ross wouldn’t like me sharing that with anyone.”
“You’re right. Damn.” Sofia sighed. “Okay, then you have to let me and Mia escort you to the lobby when we’re done…creating, so we can see the look on Ross’s face when he sees what a hot, sexy siren we’ve made of you.”
“I’ve never looked hot, let alone sexy, in my life, but okay. If that’s all you want…deal.”
“Don’t underestimate the powers of the sisterhood.”
“All right, but I have to meet Ross at five.”
Sofia checked the time on her phone and gasped. “Oh, shit. We gotta haul ass.”
Twenty minutes later, Mia handed a list of addresses to the driver, then the three of us piled into the back of another glitzy limo. We talked, laughed, and sipped champagne while searching for the perfect outfit.
Ironically, we found it at our second stop. Mia called it a bandage dress. The clingy, black, slit-straps and wide off-the-shoulder collar certainly hugged every curve of my body like a bandage. The black lace bra Sofia picked out for me pushed my breasts up, forming a risqué valley and giving me cleavage for the first time in my life. Though the dress reeked class, it didn’t leave anything to the imagination. I felt more than a little exposed, and not simply because of my newfound cleavage.
While Mia and I were checking out the shoes, Sofia purchased the dress and undergarments, then we piled back into the limo and opened another bottle of champagne.
“When Ross sees you in that dress, his jaw is going to hit the floor.” Sofia grinned.
“And his cock is going to burst through his jeans.” Mia giggled.
I didn’t have the heart to tell her that Ross wasn’t interested in me sexually—though I secretly fantasized him doing all kinds of naughty things to me in bed—and that he simply tolerated me…thus far.
“I love that you’ll be wearing Chanel tonight. It’s such a delicious underhanded dig to that snotty bitch,” Sofia chuckled.
“You got a wicked catty side to you, woman… I like it.” Mia grinned.
“Can’t help it.” She shrugged. “That hateful bitch is messing with Ross. Nobody messes with my family.”
“I like the momma lion side of you.” I laughed. “But back up a minute. What did you mean by a delicious underhanded dig?”
“Sylvia was wearing Chanel at the hotel,” Mia explained. “That little black number you’ll be wearing tonight is also Chanel. And it looks a zillion times better on you than it does that manky bitch.”
“Manky?” I asked.
“It’s a Nigel-ism.” A bittersweet smile tugged her lips. “It’s British for disgusting.”
“What do we have left on the list?” Sofia asked, redirecting what I could tell were heartbreaking memories for Mia.
I made a mental note to do some research on the up-and-coming star’s past while Mia studied her phone.
“Shoes, clutch, and makeup,” she announced.
“Makeup?” I blanched. “I-I’ve never worn makeup in my life.”
“Don’t worry,” she assured. “I can wield a set of brushes like a pro. I love doing makeup. I think I might have been a cosmetologist in a past life.”
Three shops later, we had everything on Mia’s list. When we returned to the hotel, I was feeling a bit buzzed from the champagne, but it definitely kept my angst tempered.
As we entered the lobby, Sofia checked the time on her phone, again. “Yikes. We’ve got an hour and a half to put Cinderella together before she faces off with the Wicked Witch of the West.”
“Piece of cake,” Mia assured. “You two haul ass up to Harmony’s room so she can shower, shampoo, and shave. I’ll swing by my room and grab my blow dryer, flat iron, and makeup bag…in case we forgot something critical.”
“What could you have forgotten?” I grinned. “You bought every cleanser, palette, brush, and blush in the cosmetics store.”
“A girl can never have enough eye shadow palettes.” She winked.
Once in my suite, I stripped and showered while Sofia laid my clothes on the bed and arranged the multitude of beauty products on the nearby desk. After wrapping up in the big fluffy robe the hotel provided, I stepped from the bathroom and found the two women looking as if they were armed for war. Mia gripped a blow dryer in her hand, while Sofia clutched a can of something called root pump.
Sending up a silent prayer, I sat down, and the makeover commenced.
Sofia twisted sections of my hair in hot tongs, called a flat iron, while Mia applied lotions and oils and finally makeup to my face, complementing my flawless skin.
Long minutes later, Mia dragged a wand of shiny red lipstick over my lips as Sofia stuck another bobby p
in in my hair and unleashed a cloud of spray to the curls.
“Shit,” she bit out. “We’ve got six minutes to get her into that dress and downstairs.”
“I’m done,” Mia said, dropping the lipstick and tossing her hands in the air.
“Scooch out of the way. Let me see,” Sofia said, nudging Mia’s hip. Her jaw dropped open. “Oh, holy… You’re right. Ross will definitely be sporting some major wood.”
“Let me see.” Butterflies were fluttering in my stomach.
“Not yet.” Mia shook her head. “Not till we get you in your dress.”
“Let’s go. Let’s go. Let’s go,” Sofia chanted.
Mia tugged off my robe while Sofia tossed me the bra and panties. While Sofia came at me with the dress gathered in her fists, Mia fastened my bra. Together, they drew the soft, stretchy fabric up my body. Mia showed me how to lift and plump my breasts to amplify my cleavage. Then Sofia bent and guided my feet into the pair of classic black stilettos.
“Wait. I need to cover that scrape on your elbow.” Mia dabbed some kind of concealer on the reddened scab, then dusted it with some powder, and it magically disappeared.
Sofia moved in beside her before they both looked me up and down, grinning from ear to ear.
“Damn, we’re good.” Mia giggled.
“Can I see now?”
“Yes. Yes,” they chanted together.
When I stepped in front of the mirrored closet door, my jaw nearly hit the floor. I knew the woman looking back was me, but she didn’t look a thing like me. She looked like a…princess.
Princess.
Ross called me that, a lot…often cynically. Maybe tonight he would call me princess again…and mean it.
“Come on. Grab your clutch. We’ve got three minutes.”
Nerves singing and dread mounting, I rode the elevator with them to the lobby. Sofia and Mia were chattering and placing bets on Ross’s reaction. I prayed he didn’t send me back to my room to change into jeans and a tee. Panic spiked as I realized I’d never even asked him if I was supposed to wear something nice. I’d just assumed… Oh, dear.
“I’m overdressed,” I blurted as the elevator doors opened.
“No. You’re gorgeous,” Sofia assured.
