Chapter 24
TWENTY-FOUR
When I leave Sophia in the restroom, she’s a fucking mess. Her dress is wrinkled, her makeup smudged all over the place, and her hair messy. It brings me almost too much joy to see her in such a state.
I return to stand next to Astrid, and Kenzo appears out of nowhere. He looks pissed, and that’s a rare occurrence. I can count on one hand how many times he’s been truly angry, and it causes both of my brows to skyrocket to my hairline.
“What the fuck happened to you?”
Kenzo swallows down the entirety of his whiskey in one go, then turns to look at me with stormy eyes. “I was supposed to have an exhibit next week,” he explains, jaw clenched. “But my painting is ruined.”
I quirk an amused brow. “Ruined, how, exactly?”
“I did a nude portrait of Grace. And the bitch quite literally burned the piece to a crisp when she heard I was going to exhibit it.”
“I mean, yeah,” Astrid snorts. “I’d react the same way if a man wanted to display my nude painting for everyone to see. Besides, don’t you always have a backup?”
“Whose side are you on?” Kenzo snaps, and Astrid raises her hands in surrender. “I do have a backup, but that painting was the best one I’ve ever done.”
“Is the exhibit a competition or something? Is that why you’re mad?”
“It’s not a competition,” Kenzo takes a deep breath. “But I worked on it for fucking days. And she ruined it without a care in the world.”
“Well, what did you expect?” Astrid scoffs. “Grace, Sophia, and the rest of that group are like that. They have no concept of caring for other people’s feelings. They’re bitches, plain and simple.”
“You seem like you know a lot about them,” I point out, though it’s more to tease Astrid. One of the things I hate about Sophia is how dismissive of Astrid she is. Once upon a time, Astrid wanted to be her friend, and all she did was laugh in her face, then walk off.
“That’s because I pay attention to details,” Astrid shrugs.
“Avalon’s the kindest of them all, probably because she’s the only one that doesn’t come from money.
Lila’s reserved, but very snappy if you run into her while she’s having a bad day.
Grace will laugh in your face for the littlest things and make you feel so small if you so much as look at her the wrong way. ”
“And Sophia?” I press.
“Sophia’s in the league of her own,” Astrid scoffs.
“She’ll smile to your face, help if you ask, but she’ll stab you in the back the moment you’re no longer useful.
If you can’t help her climb the social ladder, she won’t look at you twice.
Which is why it’s surprising that Avalon is her friend, given that Avalon isn’t really in our world. ”
“Double standards, as always,” I chuckle. “Sophia’s always been like that. She’ll condemn you for something, then go and do the same thing and find a way to justify it.”
“She’s two-faced,” Astrid says, sipping on her champagne. “But she can be. Because unfortunately, money does run the world, and she likes to spend a lot.”
“Sophia? No, never,” Kenzo says, tongue dripping with sarcasm.
“I heard she threw a fit when she couldn’t find a ring she wanted.”
I lift a brow. “What kind of a ring is the princess unable to have in her possession?”
“It’s a seven-carat pink sapphire,” Astrid rolls her eyes. “It costs forty-two grand, and not even I can justify spending that amount of money on a ring.”
“Could it be possible that daddy dearest said no to such an extravagant purchase?”
“As if,” Astrid responds. “She has her father wrapped around her finger. The man bought her an island last year.”
Just as she says the words, Sophia reemerges from the elevator. She’s wearing a different dress, in a maroon shade. It’s short — almost too short for my liking, ending just above her mid-thigh. Those damned legs of hers are getting me hard all over again.
Her makeup is perfect all over again, and instead of the ponytail, her hair’s braided in a loose French braid, pulled over her shoulder. She’s smiling, laughing when she sits back down next to her little group of friends.
My jaw clenches, and I’m trying not to break a tooth when I see her taking the rose Damien brought for her. He’s a fucking millionaire; he could’ve afforded something better.
“Hey, Astrid?” I turn to my sister.
“Yes?”
“Do you know which ring Sophia wanted?”
“Yeah, I can send you the link. Why, though?”
I shrug. “I’m curious.”
Astrid blinks, and even Kenzo looks baffled. “Uh, if you say so.”
My sister’s reaction is immediate. My phone buzzes the moment she sends me the link, and although I cannot see what’s so special about the stones, I immediately purchase the ring, then tuck my phone in my back pocket.
There’s no way she’ll appreciate the fucking rose more than a sapphire ring, right?
“Hey, Soren?” Kenzo pulls his phone out, his face paling a shade. “Um, are you aware that elevators have security cameras?”
Just as the words leave his mouth, my phone buzzes again. My hand reaches for it, and blood drains from my body when I get the fucking email. My heart sinks to my feet, and I can’t even comprehend the words that are on the screen.
The banner of Sinners & Saints is staring right back at me, my finger hovering over the email. With a deep breath, I swallow down the pure rage that starts to burst through my veins, and open it with a single click.
Uh-oh…looks like the pair who claim to hate each other have found some common ground… inside of an elevator, no less.
And it’s a picture taken from the security cameras, with Sophia on her knees, with my cock in her mouth.