Chapter 31 #2
She turned me around to face the mirror, and I almost did not recognize the person looking back at me.
My hair, teased and full, really flattered my face, bringing out my eyes and cheekbones, and my makeup was glamorous.
Heavy smokey eyes with a silver shimmer, lightly bronzed cheeks, and lips plumped with a rosy-mauve gloss.
It had been a long time since my face had possessed any color or sign of life.
I had to look away. I’d been given the obligatory surface makeover, but Vallon had unintentionally given me a much greater gift: restoring a little bit of my self-worth by extending her hand in friendship and just a swipe of glitter.
“Wow!” I said.
She laughed hysterically at me. “You are a beautiful person, Rox.”
My face contorted with a mix of emotions, some I didn’t understand, some I was too scared of understanding. Vallon’s fingers gently curled on my upper arm, in a simple show of empathy.
“And I think Konstantine has always seen that,” she said softly.
I still couldn’t bring myself to look at her or back in the mirror. “I’m sure he’s had better things to think about,” I replied cynically.
“Have you picked out an outfit?” Vallon asked, going into the closet and ignoring my self-deprecating pessimism.
“You’d think it was my birthday, not Pen’s, with as much work as you’re putting into me.”
She stuck her head out of the closet and grinned. “How about these together?”
Minutes later, I was headed to Penelope’s room in a pair of skintight black leather pants and a sleeveless, off-the-shoulder black shirt, along with a pair of pointy stiletto black leather booties.
Penelope was standing in the doorway like a diva with a bottle of champagne, striking a pose.
I couldn’t stop staring. She looked flawless in a red leather dress, so tight and short it barely covered her behind, and heels so high they made me dizzy.
There was so much contrast with her white hair, which had been elegantly curled and pinned all to one side, and those eyes of hers. She was a total showstopper.
“It’s my birthday!” she yelled, popping the cork and downing champagne straight from the bottle.
“Happy birthday, babe.” Vallon gave her a big hug.
“Happy twenty-fifth, Pen,” I said, hugging her as well.
She held me at arm’s length, then smirked. “Vallon did all this, didn’t she?”
The three of us walked downstairs together.
The party was in full swing. The side hall doors had been fully opened to the outside, where a band was playing.
People were sprawled out in the lounge areas, and others were gathered at each of the bars.
The poor caterers were struggling to get through to pass out hors d’oeuvres.
It was packed and a bit overwhelming, but I knew it was exactly what Penelope wanted.
I put my arm around her and gave her a squeeze.
“Happy birthday again.”
She squealed. “Oh, Rox, I’m so glad you’re here!”
“Ladies, finally!” Cyrus picked Penelope up by her ass cheeks. “Happy birthday, my love!”
“Baby!” She threw her arms around him as they put on a public display that would give her brother a heart attack.
“Hey, babe.” Jason kissed Vallon lovingly. “You look hot!”
He ogled her for a few seconds, and I realized she probably hadn’t seen much of him today.
“I’m gonna get a drink, guys,” I said, so they could get some alone time.
“We’ll come with you,” Vallon said.
I stopped her. “Spend some time with your man,” I whispered, “and thank you again for everything.”
She smiled. “I think I saw him by that bar,” she whispered mischievously, pointing at the right of the courtyard.
“I’m sure I have no idea what you’re talking about,” I replied, making my way in that direction.
I battled the throng, and just as I was about to reach the bar, I bumped into Drake. He had his arm draped around a pretty girl with big brown eyes and long curly hair.
“Hey, stranger!” he said, giving me a hug.
“Hey back.”
“Rox, this is Ariadne. Ariadne, this is Arax.”
“Hi, nice to meet you,” I told her. “Happy Penelope’s twenty-fifth birthday to you both.”
They laughed. They looked cute together, and Drake looked happy.
Very happy. As he should, I rationalized with myself.
After all, he was the first friend I had made in this place.
He cut down days of loneliness to feel like a few hours.
I wanted him to be happy. And yet I stood there with the two of them, wondering why on earth I was so bothered seeing him on the arm of someone else.
Drake pulled at my elbow, his eyes focused ahead. “Hey, I want you to meet some people.”
He called out names I didn’t know, and a set of identical twin brothers walked toward us—tall, burly, superhero-but-better-looking types with wheat-colored hair and bluish-green eyes. They paled instantly when they saw me.
I glanced up at Drake, who had a mischievous grin on his face. “Torin, Tarin, meet Arax.”
“Hey,” one of them stammered. “Nice to see you again.”
Again? “Hi, have we met?” I asked in confusion.
Drake was struggling to hold back his unexplained laughter, the only one in on the joke.
They didn’t say anything and just stood there fidgeting, jumpy and uncomfortable.
“Answer the question,” Drake said with an authority to his voice I hadn’t heard before.
The twin on the right swallowed with great difficulty and spoke. “No, ma’am, our mistake. Enjoy the party!”
I’d never seen two people hightail it away faster.
“‘Ma’am?’ What was that all about?” I asked Drake, whose grin had taken over his face.
“Nothing.” He laughed and put both of his arms around Ariadne. “They still need socializing.”
“Well…” I sighed, not wanting to be around the pair of them anymore. Fearing the jealousy would rear its ugly head again, I said, “You two kids have fun. I need a drink.”
They waved and then went off in the opposite direction. I was glad Drake and I were sort of speaking normally again, and Ariadne seemed like a nice girl.
“What can I get you?” the bartender asked when I got to the front.
“Bourbon. Neat, please. Better make it a double.” I did not want to struggle through this hoard to get a refill.
“You got it,” she replied.
I hadn’t noticed Konstantine yet and figured he must have bounced by the time I got to the bar.
“Ladies and gentleman, may we have your attention please!” the band leader announced.
I inched through the crowd to get closer to the stage and felt a tap on my shoulder. Vallon and Penelope joined me on either side, Jason and Cyrus not far behind. Drake, I knew, was somewhere in the crowd, but still no…
Konstantine strode on stage, and I swore my stomach did a triple flip.
He looked so handsome. Judging by some of the high-pitched murmurs from the girls and even some of the guys, I wasn’t the only one who thought so.
He was casual, dressed in a simple pair of jeans and a black button-up dress shirt, and a dark-grey jacket that still managed to show off his incredible physique.
He had gotten a fresh haircut, and his dark strands framed his face lightly, exposing a tattoo on one side of his neck.
“Everyone, thank you for being here to celebrate with our family,” he said.
“Penelope is a light in our lives, and it’s been nothing but a joy to have watched her grow up to become a amazing woman and a wonderful mother.
I wish you all the happiness in the world, baby sister. May the moonlight guide you, always.”
It was a beautiful sentiment, even though I didn’t understand the meaning behind it. Penelope seemed to. She blew her a brother a kiss and hugged him tightly once he joined us.
He eyed her and sighed, “Penelope, that dress is too short.”
She rolled her eyes and hugged him again tightly, whispering in his ear. He nodded once.
“Are you having fun, Rox?” she asked, turning away from her brother and leaping into Cyrus’s arms. “You better be!”
“Yeah, I bet she is.” Cyrus winked and eyed my drink. “What’s your poison?”
“Bourbon,” I replied.
Just as the band started again, Konstantine came and stood by my side. I caught his gaze. “Hey,” I said softly.
“Hello, Arax,” he replied, not shifting his eyes. The way he said my name gave me chills, and I wasn’t even cold.
The band was playing a slower song, and soon the group paired off. I saw Cyrus and Penelope in a full make-out session, and I let out an involuntary chuckle.
“They’re a very private couple, aren’t they?” Konstantine’s deep voice said in my ear.
I nodded. “Very low-key.”
He turned to face me. “You look lovely.”
I was surprised and flattered at the unexpected compliment. “So do you,” I replied.
Goddammit.
“I mean, you look hot.”
Fuck! This bourbon must be kicking in, but I definitely wasn’t drunk, so I wasn’t acting like a flustered schoolgirl because of the alcohol.
He smiled and opened his mouth to say something, but an announcement came over the speakers.
“So I had a special request,” the band leader said to the crowd. “She told me we have a talented singer and guitar player with us.”
On cue, Penelope broke away from Cyrus and gave me a devilish smile.
No.
“Pen, what did you do?” I hissed at her.
She only smiled wider and turned away.
“Could we have Arax join us on stage? Is she somewhere here?”
“Yes, she’s right here!” Vallon screamed and a spotlight hit all of us.
“No, no way,” I said in protest as my butt started sweating.
Penelope pouted. “You have to. It’s my birthday!”
I felt a light touch on the small of my back, which sent an electric shock through me. I looked up at Konstantine.
“Go,” he said quietly, only to me.