Chapter 15
CHAPTER 15
HUDSON
W here the hell is she? I wonder, searching for Juliette. Phillipa is with her sister, who is in a corner, watching all that is happening. I walk over to the pair of them.
“Hey, Elizabeth. Do you know where Juliette is?”
“What’s this? I’m supposed to dog-sit your little bitch now?”
I think about walking away but then I change my mind. I move closer to Elizabeth, my body language threatening. She gets the hint and moves away, but I follow her until she runs into the wall. She looks around her for a way to escape, but I move my body in the way, so she doesn’t move. I don’t care that people are watching us now.
“You’ll show Juliette respect,” I tell her.
She nods.
“What is that?” I ask, even further closing the space between us.
“I’ll respect your girlfriend,” she repeats
“Good,” I say and walk away.
I can’t believe I just did that, threatening Elizabeth Dubois for Juliette. It was dangerous and spontaneous, but it felt right. I won’t have anyone disrespecting Juliette.
I get out my phone, planning to place a call to her, only just to realize I don’t have her cell number. How careless of me. I have nothing else to do but wait. I sit in the corner, not interested in any of the shenanigans going on around me. Not the party, music, or even ladies who seem particular in making eye contact with me. I just want to see Juliette and make sure she’s alright. I made a decision to wait just ten more minutes, and then I’ll go out there to look for her. I don’t think they could have done anything to her, not with so many people around, but I also can’t put it beyond the Dubois to get so desperate for what they want.
I check the time consistently, and with just about a minute left for the designated waiting period to run out, the door opens, and she comes in. She has Frank alongside her. Without thinking much about it, I’m at her side immediately.
“Where did you take her?” I demand from Frank, who looks at me, shocked at my outburst.
I need to get myself back in order. Why do I feel so protective of Juliette?
“We were just talking,” he says with a smile. “What? Are you worried I’ll hurt your little toy? Come on, Hudson. I’m not a savage.”
I do not know. I’ve folded my hands into fists until I relax them, and Frank chuckles as he walks away from me.
“Come here,” I say, pulling at Juliette, who comes willing. When we are far from the family, I let her go.
“Jeez, don’t you think that was too much acting?” she says flexing her wrist. “You would have bruised me if we stayed any longer.”
Acting? I scoff out loud. She thinks I’m acting. Of course, she thinks I’m acting. And was I really not? Was I worried something had happened to her? Do I care so much about her welfare that I’m filled with trepidation just at the thought of something terrible happening to her? No, that wasn’t it. I was just acting.
“Well, you were gone a long time,” I say. “I’ve been known to be a little possessive of my women.”
“Please,” she says with a roll of her eyes. I get my phone out and hand it to her. “I need your cell number.”
She eyes me. “What for?”
“So you don’t disappear on me like that again,” I blurt out, saying what seems ridiculously obvious.
“You were really worried about me,” she says, sounding chirpy.
“Just put your number in there.”
“Macho Hudson can’t admit that he was worried about anyone, so he doesn’t appear weak, huh.”
“I was just fulfilling my part of the contract,” I hiss. “Now tell me, what was he saying to you.”
Before she can answer, one of the butlers walks up to us.
“Mr. Dubois has asked me to show you to your quarters, Miss, Sir. Unless, of course, you still want to hang around for more partying?”
“Nope, that’s enough partying for me for the day,” Juliette says and turns around, eager to leave. But then she internalizes what the butler said and blurts out: “Are we staying in the same room?”
“Yes, Mr. Dubois assumed so, seeing as how you are engaged,” the butler informs us. “If you want separate quarters, I’ll have to consult with Mr. Dubois.”
“Don’t worry about that. We’d love to sleep in the same room,” I say, smiling, but Juliette frowns. “Contract,” I whisper to her, and she scoffs.
The butler leads up the stairs to a suite at the far end of the hallway. Stepping into the suite, we are welcomed by a luxurious display. The suite is a haven of luxury, a testament to Frank’s proclivity to show off. The living area is about half the size of the hall we just left, and every inch of the floor is laid with a plush dark green rug, which softness I can attest to even through my shoes. The large velvet drapes that line the windows tell me that during the day, the room will be flooded with bright light, but now, at night, there is a cascade of soft night lights with a yellowish-to-orange ambiance that weaves themselves into the night. It feels like we’ve walked into a palace.
“Thank you,” I say to the butler who steps out and leaves us alone.
“What about our clothes?” Juliette says suddenly.
“I’ll have Alison retrieve them from the hotel room.”
“But I don’t have any clothes to wear tonight.”
“We’ll have to make do tonight,” I say with a shrug.
“Make do. How do you suggest we do that?”
“Huh,” I look around. “Okay, you take the bed, I’ll take the couch. You can sleep naked in the bedroom, can’t you?”
“And risk you snooping around to take a peek in the middle of the night,” she says maintaining a straight face, but I can tell she’s joking.
“Lock the door.”
“Look at that, you’re not even saying you won’t take a peek.”
“Will that change anything?”
“No.”
“So, lock your door. I promise not to pick the lock. If you don’t feel safe enough, put a chair behind the door, alright?”
“I don’t like this arrangement. None of it at all.”
“Sorry about that,” I say not really feeling sorry. I am secretly having a good time with all of this.
“You’re loving this, aren’t you?”
“Caught in the same room as you? God, no.”
I walk past her to check the bedroom. I check all the utilities to ensure they are working well and check to see if the door can be locked.
“It’s all safe for you to use now,” I tell her. “But before you retire for the night, you must tell me what you and Frank talked about.”
She looks reluctant. “I think I’d rather just have a shower. It’s been a long night. I really need to sleep.
“No, you’re telling me about it now. I need to know if it’s something I can use against him.”
“No, it’s not something you can use against him.”
“Alright, But I still want to know what it is.”
“He was telling me about your father,” she says softly.
“Oh…” I say, not sure how to proceed. “I, huh, what did he say?”
“He told me how he died.”
“Did he tell you he was the reason he died? I mean, my father went down the path of drug abuse and alcoholism, and that’s on him. He made terrible decisions with his life. But Frank refusing to give him the money he needed and making him chase his own tail was the push that led him down that terrible path.”
“Yes, he mentioned it. He didn’t look contrite about it, though.”
“Frank is never contrite about anything,” I hiss. I don’t want to get angry, but I’m working up towards it already and I feel no inclination to put a leash on it. “My mother hates him because of it. She blames him for all the misfortune in our lives, and here he is again and at the forefront of it.”
“I don’t want to tell you what to do or how to react, but…”
“Then don’t,” I cut her off. “I know exactly what you’ll say. Is this healthy for me? Am I not worried about going down the same path as my father.”
She nods.
“I have done something my father couldn’t. I made it work,” I tell her. “I have that to rely on. I can’t make the same mistake that he did.”
“But it’s Frank Dubois. I don’t know that much about him, but what I’ve learned in the last two days tells me he isn’t someone to be messed with.”
“Yes, but I’ll show him I’m not one to be messed with either.”
She still doesn’t look satisfied.
“What?” I joke. “You suddenly care about me now?”
“You just had to say that didn’t you?” she says and hisses. “I’m going to take my shower.”
I watch her walk away from me. For a moment, I feel like reaching out to her, pulling her back by the fingertips, and kissing her. I want to be the one to get her out of that gown. I had imagined what it’d look like all night. I let her go, though, and the door slams in my face soon enough.
I turn away from there and find the liquor cabinet. Frank was sure to provide one. He wants to impress. He might hate my ass now, but he would hate it even more if the word got out that he didn’t treat his guests to the best.
The liquor cabinet is beside the fireplace, which I keep myself busy with. After a swig of rum, I finally start the fire. I stand by it for a while and watch it; the gentle warmth wafting out from it is lovely. I take another swig of the rum, and I feel it sweep all my worries away. For now, I’m just a boy wondering at the wonders of the flame. It feels good to let it all go, to surrender in entirety to nothingness.