Chapter 52
Fifty-Two
LULU
“I’m not paying more than a thousand dollars for a pair of shoes.” I shake my head, and Scarlett laughs at me. “I’m serious.”
“Rome gave you his black card,” she reminds me as she tries on a pair of Dior sneakers. They’re so cute. And I love them.
I want them.
But I don’t like the idea of spending this much of Rome’s money.
“Our men have more money than God,” Scarlett adds with a grin. “They said we should go out and spoil ourselves today, and that’s what we’re doing. I’m excited for the spa after dinner. I so need another massage.”
“Is your back healed enough for a massage?” I ask her, and she nods.
“Yep. Just scars now. The massage should help that, too. Now, you’re getting those shoes. And the bag. You’re helping me celebrate, remember?”
I bite my lip, looking longingly at both.
I want them.
Scarlett is officially the new playroom manager at Rapture. Rome offered her the job yesterday, and she jumped at it. She doesn’t want to have sex with anyone but Luke, and this way, she gets to stay at the club that she loves so much. I’m so excited for her.
But I still don’t love the idea of dropping this much of Rome’s money.
Suddenly, Scarlett has her phone in her hand, tapping on the screen. She has it on speaker, holding it between us, when Luke answers on the second ring.
“Hey, baby. What’s up? Everything okay?”
“Everything’s great, and we’re having so much fun. Is Mr. Alexander with you?”
“He’s right here,” Luke says. I can hear the frown in his voice.
“It’s okay,” I say, not wanting to bring Rome into this. “Hang up.”
“Do not hang up on me,” Rome says through the speaker, and that hard tone makes my core clench as heat moves through me. “What’s wrong, firefly?”
“Nothing’s wrong.”
“She’s afraid to spend too much money on shoes and bags,” Scarlett interjects. “And I told her to buy them, but you’re the boss, so—”
“Buy whatever you want, Eloise. Buy the whole fucking store, I don’t care. There’s no limit on the card. I told you to have fun.”
“See?” Scarlett looks smug as fuck. “Told you.”
“I have my own money to spend—”
“Scarlett, take me off speaker and pass the phone to my woman.”
Scarlett lifts an eyebrow and does as she’s told, and I press the phone to my ear.
“Hi.”
“Baby, spend the money.”
God, I go all gooey when he talks to me like this. Like I’m the most precious thing in his world.
“It feels weird.”
“Are you spending ten million dollars on a house or something? Not that you can’t. I’d just like to be in on real estate decisions, if possible.”
I scoff at that, and I can almost picture the smile on his face. “No, of course not. It’s probably less than ten thousand altogether.”
“Spend fifty.”
“Fifty dollars? I can do that.”
“Fifty thousand, and not a penny less.”
I frown at Scarlett, who’s still listening in unabashedly.
“I can’t spend fifty thousand dollars.”
“Yes, she can,” Scarlett says into the phone. “I’ll help. We’ve got this, and we’ll make you proud, Mr. Alexander.”
“I’m not kidding, firefly. Fifty grand, or you don’t get to come for a week.”
“Rome—”
“I love you.”
And with that, he hangs up, and I’m left staring at my best friend, my mouth wide open.
“I like that man,” Scarlett says as she tosses her phone into her handbag. “I think you should try those heels on, too. The blue ones. And then you’re going to try on some ready-to-wear.”
“There’s no way I can fit in any of the clothing they sell here.”
“Psh, yes, you can. And you will.”
My phone dings with an incoming text, and I take a breath when I see that it’s my man.
Rome: Spend the money. No less than $50k. I mean it.
Me: You’re so bossy.
Rome: And you love it.
Me: …
Rome: Eloise…
Me: …
Rome: ELOISE.
Me: I love you. And your bossiness. I’ll spend a bunch of your money, sugar daddy.
Rome: I will spank you.
Me: Promises, promises. *kiss emoji* *heart emoji*
“You have such a goofy grin on your face,” Scarlett says with a giggle. “You’re so in love.”
“Yeah. I am.” I shrug a shoulder and nod at the saleswoman hovering nearby. “I’ll take these for sure.”
“And we want to look at your ready-to-wear,” Scarlett says.
“Right this way.”