24. Bang Bang, Jessie J. featuring Ariana Grande & Nicki Minaj
"Bang Bang," Jessie J. featuring Ariana Grande & Nicki Minaj
Cruz
“Cruz! What are you doing here?” Mallory screeched, lifting on her toes to peek into Victoria’s apartment. Kate’s surprise shifted into a teasing grin.
Victoria would be mortified if I shared about the noise complaint, or how she'd been a heartbroken mess.
Or how after she’d thrown up, I guided her to the bathroom and held her hair while she puked. I’d turned on her shower and removed her messy shirt and mine, encouraging her to rinse off while I tossed our clothes in her washer. When I returned to the bathroom, she was slumped over, half passed out on the tile floor in just her lacy bra and her wool trousers.
I’d helped her upright and coaxed her out of the pants, revealing a tiny thong that barely covered anything and … oh, sweet baby Jesus in a manger.
She slurred a threat: “If you call me Firecrotch, I’ll have you murdered.”
I bit my knuckle, meeting her eyes with a vow. “Never.”
Her lids narrowed with a murmured, “No, you wouldn’t, would you?”
I wouldn’t tell them about how she turned around to show me that juicy ass as she climbed in the shower and … just stood there, leaning against the wall. Shit, was she falling asleep?
I took a deep breath, dropped my jeans and climbed in after her, trying my best to stay unaffected as she leaned into my chest to keep herself upright.It wasn’t easy, with her moaning along to every press of my fingers into her scalp, murmuring, “Fuck, maybe I could come just from this.”
“Not now, Cobrita ,” I begged. She was sick, but I would struggle to keep my touch above her neck if her hand dropped below her waist.
I wouldn’t tell them how once I got her safely into bed, I thought maybe I could go back downstairs and jerk off to the R-rated memories playing on a loop: the wet hair down her back, the gentle curve of her tits, the flare of her hips and the plump swell of her ass.
I was ready to leave her alone in bed, a bucket beside her nightstand … until her fingertips touched the inside of my wrist. “Can you stay? Please?”
She pulled back the blankets and patted the sheets until I slid in. She curled up on my chest, made me promise to come back after class and fell asleep.
Nope, I wouldn’t tell Kate and Mallory any of that. But what could I say?
When I turned to the kitchen to gauge Victoria’s reaction, her stool had toppled on the floor in front of her closed bedroom door.
“I think we both know why he’s here,” Kate pressed her index finger into my chest.My bare chest.
Damn, I’d enjoyed Victoria’s not-so-covert ogling, towel-drying my hair during a reverse strip tease. But now this looked way less innocent than it was.
“We know Grace put her in a cab last night after celebrating,” Mallory said, hand on the doorknob.
“We brought provisions,” Kate said, shifting a garment bag in her arms to press a brown paper sack into my hands. I looked inside at the coconut water, ibuprofen and peppermint tea. “She must be up for company if you’re here.”
“Victoria,” I hollered as they pressed in, setting the bag on the counter. “You’ve got visitors.”
“Ho-lee shit,” Mallory said, mouth agape as she walked into the perfectly styled living room. “This place is incredible.”
Kate meandered through the kitchen, stirring my pan on the stove, clearly recognizing my chilaquiles. I avoided the question in her eye, scooping up the cat before she ate the jalapeno Victoria dropped in her escape. I’d cleaned up enough puke, thanks.
“Oh my god, is that Jurisprudence?” Mallory said in shock at the fluffy grey ball that passed for a cat. “She was just a kitten at Alex and Victoria’s law school graduation, right after they adopted her.”
My stomach soured at the idea of Victoria living with that asshole. Mallory made a kissing noise and reached out her palm.
“Gosh, you’re beautiful,” Mallory praised, receiving a tentative sniff of her fingertips. “I wondered what happened to her when they split. How do you think the breakup went? Did they have a relationship contract to rescind?”
“Technically it was a breach of contract,” Victoria’s dry voice answered. The air in the room shifted as we all spun to look at her.
She’d completely morphed. Minutes ago, her cute freckles were on display, her red waves loose past the shoulders of my oversized shirt and her silk pants.
Now makeup covered her freckles and darkened her eyelashes. Her hair was twisted back and she was casually styled in a silk blouse and wool trousers. When she wore that at work, I’d viewed her as polished. But slapping it on in her own home helped me see it for what it was: a tailored shield.
She stood in the doorway with her arms crossed over her chest, reminiscent of the first time I saw her with that commanding expression, power cord dangling from her fingertips.
Then, I thought she felt cold indifference.
Now that I knew her better, I read her simmering discomfort.
Before speaking, she’d placed my folded shirt on the island. I scrambled to pull it on, hoping Kate wouldn’t notice it smelled like Chanel No. 5, or that my hair smelled like her luxury citrus shampoo. Adriana would be pleased, my hair never felt silkier.
Mallory released the cat as Kate faltered with a slotted spoon.
Victoria raised a cool brow. “Mallory, Katherine. To what do I owe the pleasure of this unexpected visit?”
They exchanged a fearful look then both spoke at once. “My brother finally told you—”
“—heard you drank—”
“—thought you might need—”
“—before they decide—”
Victoria held up a hand, and they fell silent.
She glanced between them, tilting her chin at Kate to speak. That was unexpected. She’d known Mallory for a decade versus just meeting Kate three months ago … and now she gave her the floor first. How had Kate earned her respect?
Kate’s breath hitched before she forced out, “We want to join forces for our bridesmaid dress strategy.”
“You know I love Grace,” Mallory added, “but her style can be conservative. We wanted to be a united front about wearing something sexy.”
I saw the gesture for what it was: an offer of friendship. Kate and Mallory would wear whatever they wanted and Grace would never say a word. But would Victoria see their interest as not wanting her to feel awkward and left out, or just as meddling?
Victoria silently assessed their faces and said flatly, “I’m a groomswoman, not a bridesmaid. Nick called this morning to discuss our plans.”
When Kate and Mallory both stiffened, I lowered my arm so Jurisprudence could drop to the floor and inched backwards.
Victoria’s head faced Mallory, but her eyes traveled to me. I hitched my thumb towards the door, a silent request to leave. I saw a flutter of panic and a nearly indiscernible head shake, covered up quickly. I stilled.
Kate noticed and turned, silently pleading for my intercession.
“Well, I vote for sexy dresses, no matter your title,” I said, lifting my hands nonchalantly. “What’s in the bag, Kate?”
Kate unzipped an A-line halter dress. “When Bec and I found it in Rome, we named it lo vestito incantato, the magic dress. Everybody looks amazing in it. I was hoping we could look for this shape, but wanted your input since you tend to go for a more tailored style.”
Victoria’s calculating eyes examined the dress, top to bottom.
“I’ll make more breakfast,” I said in a friendly tone. “I bet Kate would love to check your shoe closet for something to go with that dress.”
War waged behind those silver eyes.
When I nudged Kate’s foot, she said, “I’ve always admired your shoes, but can never find anything in size 11.” She threw an annoyed glance at Mallory. “And that bitch is no help, she could wear Barbie shoes.”
Victoria’s lip quirked. “I special order them.” She turned on a dime and walked back into her bedroom, leaving the door open behind her.
Kate grinned gratefully, mouthed ‘Oh my god’ to Mallory and followed Victoria into the closet.
A moment later I heard her amazed voice, “Is this Heaven?”
Mallory sauntered over to join me in the kitchen … and I knew I was in for it. I gestured with my spatula. “You don’t want to join the closet tour?”
Mallory sat cross-legged on the countertop. “So you and Victoria, huh?”
“I told you, it’s not like that,” I said, shifting a tortilla around the pan. “She hired me for a VIP training package. We were planning our workout schedule when you got here.”
That was true … even if I wouldn't take her money.
Mallory nodded skeptically. “Don’t think I haven’t noticed that the night you met her is the last night we saw you out.”
“I was only out that night for Pike’s going away party. You’re welcome for his enthusiasm, by the way.”
“Just doing my patriotic duty,” she smirked.
“Thank you for your service.” I gave a sarcastic salute, transferring the tortillas to a baking sheet and sliding them into the oven before slicing another tomato. “And since then I’ve been working on my business.”
Mallory arched her brow but decided to give me the out, untying her top knot then finger combing her hair. “What’d they tell you to do?”
I thought back on my conversation with Victoria and Alex after they observed my class, accompanied by 20 pages of detailed, prioritized recommendations. “The full list?”
“Nah, I’ve got dinner plans,” she teased, and I wondered how long her document was. “Give me the top two.”
“YouTube, to build my brand.”
“I got that one too,” she said, and we fist bumped. “They said to upload yoga classes and record guided meditations, but not give away trade secrets. Apparently we’re building a whole recording set-up into the hot yoga studio for live streaming. You can use it to record yours.”
“Thanks,” I said, appreciative of the unexpected offer.
“How would that work for you, if you want people to come to your boot camp instead of just watching online for free?”
I’d wondered the same. “They want me to do self-defense videos, like a public service. They said it shows my teaching style without the boot camp experience.”
I didn’t mention to Mallory how Victoria avoided eye contact during that discussion, and the tips of her ears turned pink while Alex and I debated topics. And her shifting in her chair when I suggested a series on hair pulling.
Mallory nodded. “And the other top suggestion?”
I swallowed. “They want me to open a gym.”
She scraped her hair back into a top knot. “You don’t want to?”
I chose then to turn on Victoria’s Vitamix to make more salsa. I’d found the unopened box last night after she passed out, then this morning I stopped by my apartment for ingredients, knowing she’d need salty sustenance.
Their plan made a strong case for opening a gym, including potential commercial property listings. The report weighed the pros and cons of different locations and sizes … but as she extolled the virtues of a brick and mortar shop for consistent revenue, all I could see was the sign on my stepdad’s vacant storefront: Retail Property Available, contact Sinclair Larsson.
The whirring blades only bought me so much time. When it stopped, I simply said, “It’s such a commitment.”
Mallory’s tooth scraped over her lip as she glanced behind me at the closed bedroom door. “They convinced me to expand, and I’m terrified.” I breathed a sigh of corresponding relief at her confession, spurring her on. “My first lease scared me enough. Now it’s triple the space, more staff to manage and twice the rent. It should be way more, but Victoria’s giving me the space for a bargain. Even with their offices right upstairs, I’m terrified I’ll fuck it up.” Mallory’s gaze shifted towards Victoria’s balcony. “When she’s there walking me through her vision, I have no doubts. I can see everything she wants me to be.” When she spoke again, I had to lean closer to hear. “Then she leaves and I wonder what the fuck I’ve agreed to.”
“Oh my god Mal, you have to see this!” Kate yelled, strutting into the kitchen wearing one of Victoria’s pencil skirts, a tailored blazer over a silk blouse, and sky-high black heels with a bright red sole. Mallory made a twisting motion with her finger. Kate spun in a slow circle like a ballerina in a music box, then pointed at Mallory. “Now ask me for money.”
Mallory didn’t blink, holding out her palm. “May I please have money?”
“No!” Kate exclaimed. “Fuck you, peasant!”
The two of them doubled over as Kate smoothed the fabric over her hips. “She said I can borrow it if I ever need to meet with investors. A power suit to intimidate them.”
“Powers suits aren’t for intimidating others into giving you what you want,” Victoria leaned in the door frame as she watched Kate’s strut. “They're for giving you enough confidence to take it for yourself.”
Mallory made an hourglass hand motion as she sang the opening lines to ‘Bang Bang’—or tried to sing, but holy crap, she couldn’t carry a tune in a bucket. Kate was delighted with the song choice, but looked to me to save her ears. I took over seamlessly, singing the next line about a booty like a Cadillac as Mallory hopped down from the counter to smack Kate’s ass.
“Respect the dress,” Victoria said from the doorway, lips pursed to hide her amusement.
I pulled up the song on my phone, and Mallory smirked when it automatically connected to Victoria’s Bluetooth speaker. Kate grabbed my hand and we danced around Victoria’s kitchen like it was a big band song, spinning her out and flipping her under my arm. Mallory grabbed Kate during a twirl and nudged me towards Victoria as the song promised that a good girl could blow your mind.
I stood in front of Victoria, palm outstretched. She hesitated, glancing past me to Mallory and Kate. When I mouthed, ‘Friends?’ she slipped her fingertips into mine.
I closed my hand around hers, letting the flow of the song guide our rhythm. I kept a few inches between our bodies, knowing two gossipy busybodies watched every movement … but I wouldn’t miss the opportunity to dance with her again. Not when she finally let me in.
By the final verse she’d shifted closer, sliding her hands from their respectable grip in my hands up my shoulders to hold around my neck. When the song ended I spun her to her comfort zone near her bedroom door. She smoothed a flyaway, then flicked her gaze to Kate. “Yes to that dress, let’s try another.”
“Next!” Kate yelled like a diva, strutting back to the closet. Victoria caught my gaze, laughter shining behind her eyes before pivoting to find Kate’s next outfit.
After the door shut, Mallory let out a low whistle. “She likes you.”
I shrugged, pulling the tortillas out of the oven and sliding them into the simmering salsa.
“That face, like you’re in on a joke? I’ve only seen her give that look to my brother.”
I rolled my eyes. “Well they dated for like a million years, so—”
“No, not Alex. They’re so competitive, she never truly lets her guard down. The only time I’ve seen her goof around is with Nick.” She smiled fondly. “I always thought she picked the wrong brother.”
She’d kicked me out of her bed this morning when he called. Was he also a douchebag, but fluent in Greek? Last night she’d mentioned another pretentious guy I’d hate, so that seemed to be her type.
“I was only 17 when I met her, she seemed so fucking grown up at 26. I think I fell in love with her when she made Alex shut up with a single look.” I couldn’t restrain my laugh, and she smirked back, pulling her knee up to her chest. “I didn’t know women were allowed to be that smart, hot, and powerful. I wanted to be her when I grew up. Then Skidmore kindly asked me not to return for a second semester …” Mallory laughed before her face took on an awe-filled expression. “And now she’s here and I don’t get it. Saratoga’s small potatoes, why isn’t she taking over Tokyo like Godzilla?”
Remembering Victoria’s drunken melancholy about her disappointed family, and her firm resolve this morning calling Alex her best friend—even though she sounded full of shit—I quietly shared my theory: “I think your brother might be the closest thing she has to family.”
Her eyes softened as she wrapped an arm around her knee. And I thought about the way her voice cracked when she mentioned Nick, the excited look on her face when she saw his name on her phone… and through a pang of jealousy, I added, “Brothers. She seems close to Nick too.”
Mallory bit her lip cautiously. “Did she tell you what Nick does for a living?”
Kate’s holler echoed. “Cruz! Get your ass over here, we need a man’s opinion.”
“No, we don’t,” Victoria countered, but I’d already shifted the skillet to the back burner and turned the corner …
Holy shit.
Victoria always looked beautiful—even covered in puke, her stumbling steps still felt regal—but normally it was in a buttoned-up way, like a sexy librarian who would rap my knuckles as punishment for being too rowdy.
But I’d never seen her look like this.
The dress had a plunging neckline, showing off her long neck and ample cleavage. It cinched at the waist, flaring to showcase her curvy hips and round ass, and beneath the flirty hem, her legs looked a million miles long.
When I stopped in my tracks in the doorway, she looked up from beneath her eyelashes, those silver eyes tinged with vulnerability.
Mallory grabbed her hand. “Please join Team Sexy Bridesmaids dresses, Victoria?”
Kate tapped my chin. “Watch out, you’re catching flies.”
“I told you, it’s too much boob,” Victoria said, shifting the cups so those luscious tits bounced, and I averted my eyes to the ceiling and recited the Mets starting lineup to not get hard in this small closet. Jesus, I would never hear the end of that from Kate and Mal.
“And I told you, there’s no such thing as too much boob,” Kate said, pressing a palm between Victoria’s shoulder blades. “You want that third date to go well? Tits up, buttercup.”