Chapter 18
Daisy
“I’m glad you’re finally getting use out of this.” I turned my head to see Max standing at the door of my dance studio, arms crossed, smirking. “Took long enough.”
I continued to dance, ignoring his snark. Used to my attitude, he stepped into the room, shoving his hands into his pockets. “How is schmoozing the owner of that opera house going?”
I slowed and then stopped dancing altogether. “I didn’t realize you took an interest in my comings and goings.”
He shrugged. “The renovation is big news. My colleagues are watching it with great interest. I was hoping you’d have some information about the man behind it.”
Ah, so that was why he sought me out. It wasn’t genuine interest. I rolled my eyes and went to the wall for my towel. “I don’t. I haven’t actually met the man.”
“What have you been doing, then?” His tone turned sharp.
I shrugged. “I dance.” It wasn’t entirely a lie. I had, in fact, danced both times I’d been there .
“Just danced? So what, he’s a fan? Some pervert needing a private show? I don’t like the sound of that.”
“He’s not a pervert,” I countered.
I had no idea if he was or wasn’t, but I didn’t like Max treating him like... like the criminal he was.
He’d never told me what he’d gone to prison for, or how he’d ended up Gatsby’s cellmate.
“He’s just a fine art snob. I assume, anyway.” I wiped the sweat from my face, arms, and neck, and dropped the towel in the bin. “Is there something you wanted from me?”
“Actually, yes. I am having dinner in the city. I need you to attend. Get showered and put on one of the dresses I bought for you.”
I bit down on my lip as I walked past him. I wanted to say no, but I knew the more things I said no about, the harder he’d push for things I refused to give him.
Sex.
“Is there a color you’d prefer to see me in?” I paused at the doorway, listening to the click of his expensive shoes on the wood as he came toward me. I shivered with disgust as he ran his hand along my collarbone and leaned in, his lips on my ear.
“You look ravishing in red.”
I swallowed and stepped away.
“Red it is.”
I went through the motions, showering, painting my face and curling my hair, and getting dressed. I chose a mini dress with a high collar that clasped around my neck, with a cutout in the back that went down to my behind. I chose tall heels to match, then went downstairs to join Max.
While we drove to the restaurant, he rattled on about who we’d be dining with.
“They love your work. They actually only agreed to take dinner with me if you came. ”
“Is that so?” I said with mild interest. This wasn’t the first time he’d said that to me. Beyond his conventional good looks, Max had little else to offer. His charm was surface level, and he needed something to give him an edge, to make him interesting. It was why he’d approached me that day, courted me publicly, proposed publicly, and why he didn’t push when I made him go to bed alone every night.
“All in good time.” He finished whatever he’d been going on about, and I realized I’d zoned out.
“Pardon?”
“Us, combining rooms. I was thinking after this summer, we set a date for the wedding. I’d like to live a little more… traditionally.” He reached for my hand across the seat, and I forced myself not to jerk away. He ran his thumb over my engagement ring. “Wouldn’t you?”
“Our lives are far from traditional,” I said. “I don’t think I was meant for a life so simple.”
“Well, you might want to reconsider.” His voice changed from one filled with excitement to bitterness. “Things will change once we’re married. We will be sharing a bed every night, finally.”
“If we’re sharing a bed, then who will share one with Skye? Will her husband finally get a turn?” I shot back and instantly flinched, bracing for payback.
He snickered. “You know, she could go away if you just stopped holding out on me.”
“She’ll never go away.” Even before she took Max as her lover, she’d been obsessed with mimicking me. I doubt me becoming his sex slave would change things.
His grip on me was strong as we walked into the restaurant and were directed to a private room. Two men and their female dates stood and greeted us. I painted a smile on my lips, and for the next few hours, I played the role of doting fiancée to the next big face in investments.
“I saw you in The Nutcracker . It was a beautiful show. I wanted to be a ballerina when I was a little girl,” one of the women, Jacklyn, a beautiful Black woman with a dazzling smile and gorgeous long black hair said to me. She laughed. “Now I just go see them.”
“I told her to take those stripper classes, but she doesn’t want to do them,” her husband interrupted us, and she rolled her eyes.
“I don’t want to do them alone.” She turned back to me. “All of my friends live in Nashville. Carl brought me up here, and I’m struggling to find people like... us.” She exchanged nods with Dove, the other woman at the table.
“Like us?” I asked.
“Oh, you know…” Dove, a White woman with long blonde hair and giant blue eyes, picked apart a dinner roll before ultimately abandoning it on her plate. “Accustomed to wealth. My father is a TV producer. I grew up knowing how to behave in polite company. And your father, Jacklyn?”
“He established a bank chain.” Jacklyn nodded. “See what I’m saying?”
I bit back my sarcastic comment. “I think so.” I wanted to fight against their opinions, but I didn’t grow up in poverty. I had generational wealth, just like them. I knew basic etiquette and was able to hold polite conversations, but beyond that, I wasn’t proud of my wealth and status like everyone else.
While the two women chatted about places around the city they wanted to try, I began to spiral into my own thoughts. What about me drew Max’s attention in the first place? I was nothing like these women, and actively fought against their lifestyle. Had he found the idea of ‘breaking me’ a challenge? All of it was disgusting, and by the time coffee and dessert were served, I was disgusted with myself. It truly felt like there was no winning. Being rich and snobby was contradictory to my being, but being humble and kind attracted the worst kind of men.
Not all of them.
My mind drifted to the blindfolded kiss I’d had just two nights ago. He wasn’t like these men, despite having the wealth. Or maybe he was. I had no idea who he was.
I just knew how his lips tasted.
“Daisy?” Max interrupted my thoughts.
“Mm?” I turned my attention to him.
“The Tennant. You’ve been inside. How does it compare to the original?”
“Yes. It’s actually impressive how they are taking great effort to restore it, just as it was.”
The conversation moved to the speed of the renovations and the merits of it. Would it pay off for the owner? Was the massive overtime and extra crew worth it to get it done fast? Time would tell.
Dinner eventually ended, and only once we were in the car, alone, and on the way home, could I let out a breath.
“You did well,” Max complimented. “The wives seemed to find you entertaining. Perhaps we can take them to a show sometime, or maybe you can show them your home studio.”
I didn’t say anything, still lost in thoughts about the dilemma of being born into wealth I appreciated but didn’t need.
I could live a happy life without the money. All I truly needed was...
“Daisy!” Max shouted.
I blinked and turned to him.
“What?”
“You’ve been doing this all night. What has your attention so rapt that you can’t listen to me for even a few moments?”
When I didn’t reply, he pulled over to the side of the empty road and took his seat belt off. My eyes widened, and I pressed my back to the door. In one swift movement, he raised his hand and slapped me across the face.
I flinched back, covering my face with my hands and shrinking down into my seat as he pulled back.
“I don’t know what’s going on with you lately, but I’m losing patience, Daisy. September 23rd, we are setting a wedding date, and you’ll be giving your notice to your ballet company.” He put his seat belt on and got back on the road.
I cried silently, refusing to give him a big show.
“Why September 23rd? What is so special about that date?” I asked when we got home and I’d stopped crying.
A slow, evil grin spread across his lips.
“That’s when Lydia comes home from school. It’s time to be a mother, Daisy.”