37. Gage
Gage
T here are four renowned restaurants at the Quintus Hotel.
Lily and I aren’t eating at any of them.
After we step out of the elevator, we trail hand in hand down a maze of corridors.
“I must’ve been out of my mind when I agreed to your demand,” Lily says in a whisper.
“You’ll get a nice reward for obeying.”
“I feel so exposed.”
“Other than you and me, no one knows your wet panties are safely tucked inside the pocket of my suit jacket.”
“There’s so much wind blowing up there, I’m sure I’m walking funny.”
I meet her freaked out gaze. “You’re walking fine by me.”
She narrows her eyes at me. “It’s not fair. If I go commando, so should you.”
“Who says I’m not?”
Her eyes drop to the vicinity of my cock. “Are you?”
“You pretend to be holier than thou, but your mind is as filthy as mine.”
She shakes her head. “No one is as kinky as you are.”
She’s right. No point in arguing.
We turn a corner as the first lines of a popular song that always had the crowd dancing to exhaustion during my days as a DJ, plays.
Lily points an animated finger at the ceiling. “I love this song.”
“Armand Van Helden’s My My My is old school, but like any classic house music, it’ll never die.”
“It’s on my LA playlist. Is there a club on the upper floors?”
“No.” I keep it brief.
“Someone’s having a party. And a good one at that,” she says, shaking her little body to the beat of the song. “Too bad we aren’t invited.”
I chuckle.
As we approach the room where the music is blaring from, two waiters exit. They give us a courteous bow, before scurrying off.
“Oh, there’s a party at the restaurant. Got it.”
I don’t correct her.
“If they keep playing this type of music all night long. Sign. Me. Up. Although, it’s quite unusual for music to be playing that loud in a restaurant.”
“Give me a sec.” I tug on her hand to halt her dancing.
“Okay.”
I pull out my phone and type a quick text with one hand.
Another popular tune blares.
She resumes dancing. “Did someone hack my playlist?”
Not quite, but close. “Wolf Story’s Waiting for You is pure house music gold.”
“I couldn’t agree more.” Lily is dancing as if we were at a nightclub, hands above her head and hips shaking. “Dance with me.” She takes my hands into hers.
I oblige for a few beats.
The elated expression on her face is priceless. I’d pay good money to freeze frame it forever.
“Let’s go inside,” I say.
“Good idea. I worked up an appetite dancing.”
I open the door and extend a hand. “Ladies first.”
“This is going to be a great evening,” she says from over her shoulder.
You have no idea.
Lily steps inside.
“Happy Birthday! Happy Twenty-First!” A chorus of voices greets her.
She shuffles back, startled.
I catch her in my arms. “It’s okay, angel. You’re among friends.”
She turns in my arms.
Her long, dark eyelashes are fluttering so fast, I swear she’s about to take flight. “What’s this?” She points a finger over her shoulder.
“A proper celebration for your twenty-first birthday.”
She stares at me, unblinking.
I didn’t only ask Lily to extend her trip because I wanted to spend more time with her. I wanted to celebrate her birthday. I can’t make up for Fisher Edgington’s shortcomings. This is the best I could do.
Her selfish, asshole father wasn’t even willing to make it here today, stating Lily’s birthday came and went. Granted he’s on a business trip in Washington DC, and this birthday party is last minute. Still, if he wanted to be here, he would’ve.
I didn’t bother tracking down her half-brothers. I’d rather poke my eyes with steak knives than waste any time with those assholes.
“No one should go through a milestone birthday without it being a big fucking deal.” I won’t allow these lowlives, who share her DNA, to rob her from something this important.
She jumps into my arms. “You’re a wonderful man.”
With that, she bursts into tears.