Descent From Grace: A Luxe Novella Book 1.5 (9 page)

  “Yeah her.” He got off the bed.
  “Is she working out?”
  “Yep.” He had his back to her while he put his suit from the night before on a hanger for the dry cleaner.

  “Is she experienced?”
  “Not at all.” He glanced at her. “But she’s got it down.”

Rolling her eyes and with pessimism, she said, “And what’s her specialty?”
Ian stared at his pants he draped over the hanger in his hand.

  “Innocence.” He ran his hand down his black slacks then hung the hanger on the back of the closet. “Get dressed.”

***

Lilith slept from four the previous afternoon until ten Sunday morning. As much as it concerned Peachey, she could see it was needed. When Lilith woke, the idea was to spend Sunday shopping, but there wasn’t much variety around Peachey so they headed to Chicago.

  “I hate this city,” Peachey muttered as they sat in traffic.
  “Me too.” Lilith giggled.

  “When can I meet Ian, honey?”
Smiling, Lilith said, “Soon.”

Disappointment washed over Peachey’s face and it was clear she wanted to meet him immediately.

  “Set up a dinner with Uncle Rick and maybe Grandma?”
  “What about your grandma?” Peachey asked, referring to Lilith’s mother’s mother.

Having had no contact with the woman since she was fourteen, the idea was absurd.

  “No.” She adamantly shook her head. “Just you guys.”
  “We’ll do a fall barbecue, for Halloween!” Her excitement made Lilith giggle.

  “Might be too cold for a barbecue, mom.”

Four hours of shopping was draining. When Lilith brought her to the condo, Peachey was in awe of what Ian had given her and in such a short time of them knowing each other.

  “Where is he now?”

  “He’s at work,” Lilith blurted, not wanting Peachey to ask to meet him right then.

  “On a Sunday? Where does he work?”
  “One of the skyscrapers,” she muttered, shoving lettuce into her mouth.
  “Okay, well, what does he do?” Peachey rolled her eyes at Lilith’s vagueness.
  “Cosmetics.” Lilith nodded and stared at Peachey.
  “Oh, free makeup. Hmm.” She made an impressed face and Lilith smirked.

Clearing their plates, Lilith asked, “Was dad on depression meds?”
  “Yes, it was called whiskey.” Peachey chuckled. “Your dad didn’t do anything right, honey, you know that. I know you don’t want to be hopped up on drugs, but if you need it, you need it.” She put her arm around Lilith at the sink. “You need to get your life situated and sometimes you need drugs for that.”
  “Maybe I should just smoke pot.” Lilith giggled.

Peachey looked at her shocked, then started to laugh. “Have you?”
  “Oh, come on.” Lilith looked at her like she was clueless, then rolled her eyes.

  “You’re a shocker, Lily.” Peachey continued to laugh. “You’ve really grown these past few months. I think this Ian is having a good effect on you. Not that you should be doing drugs!” She wholeheartedly laugh.
  “He is having a positive effect on me.” Lilith smiled, accepting Peachey’s hug.

  “He seems like he wants you to succeed and be happy in life. I’m not saying Sloan didn’t, but. . . .”
  “Sloan didn’t.” Lilith chuckled. “I’m gonna get you home. It’ll be late by the time I’m back.”

Come back to Her the way She was

I didn’t want to leave my mom. It felt good to spend the weekend with her and away from my problems. Even though she was a little rough on me when I told her my shocking upcoming events, she warmed up and made me feel better. When I left her, she was eager to meet Ian and she was going to start working on a little party so the family can meet him.

He called me last night and I feel guilty not returning his call, but the whole idea was to be away from him this weekend. To force myself, as much as I didn’t want to, but I need it. I need something to take away this angst and if time away from Ian is what’s going to do it, then so be it. The option of not being with him isn’t an option. I love him, I want him, I just need my unclouded mind back.

It’s after eleven and I’m finally home from Peachey’s and I’m tired. Too tired to do anything except crawl into bed.

Obnoxious knocking at the front door wakes me and at first I think it’s the middle of the night, but I see the sun peaking through the thick curtains. Quickly throwing a robe on, I stumble toward the door and can see Ashley through the foggy blue glass.

I pull open the door with a smile. “What the heck?”

  “Pack a fucking bag!” She pushes her way in and I stumble into the wall behind me. “Come on!” she shouts; I jump. “Pack a motherfuckin’ bag right now, biatch! Get on it!”

I have no idea what’s going on, but I close the door then find her in my bedroom, going through my drawers. She’s throwing shorts and tank tops into a pile.

  “What’re you doing?” I finally ask in a stupor.

  “
We
are going to Florida.” She looks at me with the biggest, goofiest smile and I can’t help but laugh.
  “What for?”
  “A shoot. Remember that lady I met at the expo? The one that wants to give me tons of money for paintings of you?”
  “Yeah,” I mutter, barely remembering her; that was a while ago.

  “She has a beach house in Florida and she wants me to take photographs of you there.”
  “What the hell for?”
  “’Cause the bitch likes her house! Fucking pack!”

  “Ashley,” I huff. “I have work Wednesday.”
  “You have work today. Pack right the fuck now.” She sternly points down at the pile of clothes she threw on the floor. “Flights at noon.”
  “What the fuck!” I manage to get out, followed by my hand flying to cover my gaping mouth.

I’m cussing too much. She’s wearing off on me too much. It doesn’t offend me, not at all, but
I
sound ridiculous cussing this much; it’s cute when Ashley does it.

  “A hundred thousand is what the fuck. Please put that shit in a goddamn bag and get in my mom’s car. Please?” She’s standing in front of me pouting and she looks adorable.

  “You’re insane,” I sputter as I’m picking up the clothes, putting them on the bed.

  “I love you, bitch,” she calls out to me, walking into the other room.

***

We’re boarding a flight to Florida and I haven’t even told Ian. He’s going to kill me when I tell him I’m in Florida. How can he kill me though? This
is
my second job; he just has to accept it. Besides, we’ll be back Wednesday afternoon before my date with Robert Tanaka.

I can’t even remember if I brushed my teeth. Ashley got me out of the house so damn fast I haven’t eaten and I’m starving.

  “What do I owe you for the flight?” I mumble while Ashley’s pulling me through Orlando International Airport. We haven’t said much to each other; I was tired and everything was such a rush.
  “A grand.” When she says this, my wide eyes shoot to her. “But Janet’s paid for the tickets already. She emailed me yesterday and I got it late last night. I booked the flight on her credit card at two this morning, then I figured I’d let you sleep and just wake you up at seven in the morning.”
  “Brilliant idea,” I mutter with a yawn.
  “You better wake the fuck up!” She’s really rambunctious this morning. People surrounding us look, and as embarrassed as I should be of her loud, unrefined mouth, I’m not. I chuckle and grab her hand.

  “Oh! I met a girl!” She’s giddy when she says this to me and I look at her skeptically.

  “Are you with Bryan still?” I ask while we’re loading into the back of a taxi.
  “Lilith!” she huffs, annoyed I don’t understand her relationship with Bryan. I don’t know how I can’t understand it, it’s very similar to mine and Ian’s.

  “Me and Bryan will always be together, okay? Get over it. Anyway, it’s not like I’m in love with this girl, she’s just damn sexy and an amazing lay.”

I don’t know how, but my feelings are hurt. I can’t be hurt, I opted for her brother over her. And for another, I would never be in a public relationship with a woman.

  “She’s really cool. I think you’ll like her. Caesar’s fucking her friend. She’s not as cute, kinda fugly, but whatever, he’s desperate. Ian met her briefly.”

Ian! She’s still talking but now all I’m thinking about is calling Ian to tell him I’m in Florida! I get pulled back into what she’s saying when she says they met her at the club.

  “You went to the club?” I ask, wanting to know if Ian was there.
  “Yeah. I ran into Nic. She was there with school friends. Have you talked to her?”
  “No,” I mutter, still wondering if Ian was there.
  “She was nice, but when she started talking about you and, like, askin’ where you were staying, I ditched her.”
  “You and Caesar went?”
  “Yeah, and my friend Camille. You don’t know her. Probably won’t, she’s a fat bitch. We met Ian up there ‘cause he can get us right in.” There was my confirmation.
  “Karen?” It’s out of my mouth, sounding like a pathetic little girl.
  “No,” she says compassionately and puts her hand on my shoulder. “Babe, you know I don’t hang with Karen like that for one. And for two, Ian wouldn’t bring her out. Plus, she’s still laid up in bed.”

I can’t ask Ashley if Ian behaved. I don’t think she’d tell me the truth anyway, but I think she sees it all over my face.

  “Ian was pissed the entire time we were there. He got shitfaced and Caesar had to practically carry him up to his apartment. He sat in the corner booth and drank alone the entire night.”

Even though that’s a sad thought, I feel better and I picture him pouting in the corner and I don’t mean to, but I smirk.

***

We enter Janet’s beach house and it’s more amazing than Mitch’s in Barbados. The all-windows view is surreal. Aggravation is starting to boil in me because I know I’m not going to want to leave this place.

  “I have to call Ian,” I mutter, walking down a hall.

  “Janet said we’ll be alone so pick a room!” Ashley calls out to me.

  “Ian Jacks,” he answers his cellphone and I think that means he’s in a meeting, or in front of someone that can’t know it’s me.

I muster up a sweet voice because I don’t want him to be upset. “Hi, baby. I’m with Ashley.”
  “And where’s that?” His stoic business tone is inalterable.
  “Um.” I look around at the room I’ve secluded myself in and it’s beautiful with the sun beaming through the huge ceiling to floor windows, warming the hollow feeling inside of me. “Florida.”
  “Florida!” That business tone became unsustainable, but only briefly. “Well that’s a feat. How’d you manage that?”

The fact he can’t yell at me because he’s around people has me quietly laughing.

  “We’re doing a job. She’s gonna take some pictures of me.”
  “In Florida,” he says dryly.

  “Her client insisted I be photographed in her beach house in Florida. I’ll be back Wednesday for dinner with Robert Tanaka.”
  “Ohh.” A deep, dark chuckle rumbles from him and I know it’s because he’s more pissed than he was three seconds ago. “That’s amusing. We’ll be in touch.” He hangs up on me.

My racing heart is slowly changing my compunction to anger. Screw him.

LUXE 3

His soul can’t help but connect it

I’m sitting at lunch with my father and three of his work colleagues because he’s drumming up more business for me. My head was in the game before Lily called me. She’s in Florida. She just spent the fucking weekend with her mother, now she’s in Florida for three more days! Six fucking days! I haven’t seen her in six days. She’s trying to leave me. I know it. She’s doing this shit to stay away from me. Fuck! I’ve completely lost my train of thought and I have three men staring at me with an abundance of questions.

When I don’t address Jim Neilson’s concern about confidentiality, my dad uncomfortably chuckles. “Ian?” He clears his throat before fielding the question for me. “I assure you, Jim, all your information is protected and it’s all done in confidence. You won’t meet with anyone other than Ian and the girl of your choice. You may deal with his secretaries occasionally, but these are girls that are daters. You won’t speak with any third parties. Ever.”

I excuse myself from the table. I want to call her back right now, but I can’t. I can’t get into an argument with her in a restaurant. I shouldn’t even be arguing with her. That’ll only push her away more. I need to see her face, I need to look into her eyes when I ask her if she’s going to leave me, then I’ll know.

Lunch was fine up until this point, but now I want to tell them all to fuck off; who gives a fuck about business? I make it through lunch and get rid of my father. He was trying to hang out, get drinks, talk about my life plans with two gold diggers at my side. He assures me he likes them both, but he can see through both of them; they’re both like my mother. Even though my mother was with my father before he had money, he still views her as a gold digger.

I get in my car ready to call Lily, but Caesar’s calling me. “What?” I answer with a huff.

  “Shit,” he growls. “I’m sick of you being a fat fuckin’ cock. Get the fuck out of it.”
I don’t feel like listening to him whine about my attitude.

  “What do you need?”

  “I have someone I want you to meet. Possible new girl.”

  “When.”
  “Now.”
  “Now?” I huff, pinching the bridge of my nose. “Where are you?” My watch says it’s quarter after six and I’m just now leaving work after being here since five a.m.

  “Park Grill.”
  “Yeah, okay,” I mutter and hang up.

Luxe needs another girl and I’d rather get one in sooner than later. Caesar has only ever brought decent girls into the company. They’ve all quit to move onto more conventional jobs, but for the time they were employed through me, they worked out. This is promising.
Caesar waves me over and as I’m approaching the table, I see that woman, the one that was in my apartment Sunday morning. I can’t remember her name, but I have to say I’m relieved it’s her. She’ll work out fine.

  “Ian, this is Renee.” He introduces me to the girl sitting next to him; the one I didn’t even notice when I approached the table.

I shake her hand quickly, then look back at the girl whose name I can’t remember.
  “Heidi,” he says.
  “I met her.” I point, unbuttoning my suit jacket and sit.

  “So Renee is looking for a job.” Caesar says.

Sitting here, I know these girls don’t know what I do, he just mentioned I could possibly get them a job. Subduing the disappointment on my face is tough because it’s not Heidi looking for the job.
I look at Heidi. “You looking for a job too?”
  “No.” She chuckles like it’s an ignorant question. “I’m employed.”
  “By?” I pompously ask.

  “Rebel Beauty,” she arrogantly replies. That means she’s a model. I can see that.

Remaining impassive, I bring my attention back to Caesar before I look at Renee. She locks me with her interesting eyes and I smile. She
will not
work out. I could kill Caesar for this, but it has given me the chance to see Heidi again. I hate that fucking name. Not that I’m interested in this girl, she’s just nice to look at.

  “Where’ve you worked, Renee?” I act interested, but I will, in the future, never allow Caesar to rope me into something like this again.

We order and being I’m not hungry, I don’t eat. I stare at my food, wondering what the fuck Lily’s doing. Heidi starts to talk and I can’t help but watch her and push Lily to the back of my mind. She’s talking about music and I like everything she’s saying; she’s got good taste in music. Nothing like Karen. Karen’s all about radio hits; if it’s not on the radio, she doesn’t know it. I don’t even really know what kind of music Lily likes. Maybe she doesn’t even like music. That’s fucking stupid, why wouldn’t she like music? Why don’t I know what she likes to listen to?

*LUXE*

Karen’s recovery was progressing faster than expected so he let her return to work Wednesday and he was eager to get her moved back into her place. With her up and moving around, it made living with her a hell.

Lilith missed his calls and he missed hers while she unwound with Ashley in Florida.

Ashley had to get her drunk to be able to actually snap the photographs because misery was predominant in Lilith’s facial features.

Wednesday morning, Ashley gave her a pill that would help her relax before they headed down to the beach to get a few shots. Lilith gazed out into the choppy waters while wondering if she’d really be happy living the life she agreed to. The thought of not being with Ian was nauseating, but the thought of never feeling the pang of jealousy was so soothing it almost felt worth leaving Ian over and disappearing.

***

Ashley pulled into the driveway of the condo where Tony was already waiting to take Lilith to her date.
  “Have fun.” Ashley pecked her lips. “This weekend let’s get together. I still want to take the pictures of you at a club.”
  “Yeah, we will. Saturday?”
  “Yeah. Hey, I’ll show you the pics before I frame them.”
  “Are you gonna start painting today?”
  “No this was for actual photographs of you. Why do you think I brought the good camera?” She chuckled.

Lilith huffed; Ashley seemed to leave things out when telling Lilith about her art. Art that Lilith was the center of.

  “Please show me. K?”
  “Yes. Will you please go see a doctor for your depression? You’re depressing me and I’m getting rid of you.”
  “Bye.” Lilith wiggled her fingers at her while getting out of the car.
Tony got out and waited by his car for her. “Hey, Lily. Here’s your outfit.” Holding out a garment bag, he waved to Ashley.

  “Can’t wait,” Lilith muttered. “You wanna come in, have a few drinks? Drive me around?”

He chuckled. “Water’s good. Oh, hey, Ian said to give you these too. This is your bank card, insurance card, and client flash.” He handed her two cards and a flash drive.

  “What do I do with this?” She held up the flash drive.

  “Organize your clients. Right now you only got Dude on there, but you add them as you go and you give it to the recep every update you make. Who you will and won’t want to see again. You’ll see when you open it. Oh shit, and this.” He ran out the door.

Lilith huffed at all the information she couldn’t process in that moment. She walked into the bedroom with the clothes: a short, black skirt and a white button up shirt and a black corset to go over. Lilith looked it over deciding the outfit looked fun. Pulling her flowing dress off, she walked around her room in her underwear.
  “Lily?” Tony called out.
  “In here,” she muttered, not thinking twice about walking around in her modest underwear in front of Tony.

He entered the bedroom with a laptop in hand, continuously looking her up and down to see what he missed in the dark sauna room the one and only night they shared together.

He managed to speak. “So yeah, just plug it into here, it’ll be pretty self explanatory.”

Lilith chuckled, annoyed that Ian wasn’t going over her job with her.

Feeling nauseous, she wrapped her arms around her stomach. “Get out,” she mumbled with the look of sickness twisting her facial expression.

  “Happened?” Tony pointed to the fading slashes across her ribs.
  “I don’t know. Get out. I’m gonna puke on you.” She pushed the door closed and lay back onto the bed. “Tony!” she called out a minute later.
  “Hey, I’m gonna have one of these pops, okay?” He called back.
  “Yeah, will you pour me one into a glass please?” she yelled and got up to dress.

  “Lily.” He knocked on her door.
  “Come in.” She was painting her nails blue. Wearing only the skirt, she had a few more steps to be fully dressed. “Hopefully this helps. Ashley drugged me this morning and it’s making me sick,” she muttered, taking a drink of the carbonated soda.
Watching her paint the nails on her left hand blue, he grimaced and said, “I fucking forgot. Pigtails, black nails, red lips. Sorry.”

  “Dammit, Tony!” she bitched.
  “I’m sorry,” he groaned, walking to the bedroom door.

  “Fucking stupid,” she mumbled, walking into the bathroom for nail polish remover.

Clearly she was irritable, so Tony avoided her until it was time to go.

Getting into the backseat of the car, she answered her ringing phone.

  “Hello?” she snapped as her coat got stuck in the door.
  “Hey, baby,” Ian said softly.
  “Hi,” she grunted, tugging her coat. “Hold on.” It was several minutes before she sighed into the phone again.
  “What’s goin’ on over there?”
  “Almost ripped my coat. What happened to the sweet sixteen look?”
  “This is a combination, I guess.”
  “I look like a whore.”
  “Mmm,” he groaned. “I bet you look delicious.”

  “Cotton candy spray?” she barked.
  “Yeah,” Ian huffed.
  “Hold your breath, Tony,” Lilith said and spritzed herself. Gagging and coughing into her hand, she grumbled, “It’s so bad.”

Laughing at her, Ian asked, “You all right, baby?”
  “No. This smells like a child prostitute!”

He laughed harder and she smiled at his laughter, forgetting about the chemically sweet air in the backseat of the car.

  “I miss you, baby,” she mumbled.
  “God, Lily,” Ian breathed. “I miss you so much, you have no idea.”
  “Come home tonight.” She glanced up at the rearview, seeing Tony’s eyes were focused on the road.

  “Baby,” he breathed. “I want to so much—”
With a huff, she dryly said, “But?”
  “Karen’s back at her place and I told her I’d stay to help her get situated.”
Suddenly her indignation vanished. “When’d that happen?” She was delighted Karen went home.
  “Today’s the first day.”
Their conversation abruptly ended when she said, “I’ve arrived. I’ll try and call you later.”
  “It’s only dinner, no drinks after. He’s paid for three hours.”
Expressing how annoyed his instructions made her, she grumbled, “Good night.”

  “I love you, baby.”
  “You too.” She hung up and glanced at Tony, who stared at her in the rearview.
  “Ready?” he asked and she nodded. “You got yourself a boyfriend?”
  “Something like that.”

He took the hint she wasn’t going to talk about it and got out of the car to retrieve Mr. Tanaka. Robert slid in and kissed Lilith’s cheek, overwhelming her with the smell of strong liquor from his breath.

  “Hello there.”
  “Mr. Tanaka.” Amiably smiling, she asked, “Colleagues or friends tonight?”

  “Neither. Me and you.” His fingers snaked between hers and his gaze dropped to her black fingernails.

Lilith tried to relax, but her body ached for her own bed and promised relaxation when she got there.

Tony opened her door when he stopped in front of the restaurant. Taking her arm, he whispered, “Don’t fucking kill me, but I forgot to tell you you’re supposed to be seductive tonight. I’m sorry I’ve fucked this up, Lily, I usually don’t have to brief the girls, it’s all on the client flash.”
Not having time to be pissed at him, she confirmed, “Is there anything else?”
  “No.”

Lilith walked around and took Robert’s arm before they were brought to a table behind a curtain, shut off from the other restaurant patrons. The seclusion was comforting; she didn’t have to feel as ridiculous about her attempt at being seductive. It was hard for her to get into character because nothing about her felt enticing that night; she felt tired and sick from the pill Ashley gave her that morning.

When she noticed Robert growing increasingly frustrated and check his phone for the third time, she realized she was bombing an easy job. Pulling a complete three-sixty, she started giggling more and added more contact.

  “You’re so funny, Robert.” She batted her lashes. He seemed to be more pleased with her ridiculously girly behavior. “You like my necklace?” Playfully spinning the charm around the chain, she let it fall to her cleavage.
  “Very nice necklace, Lil.”