Chapter 30
CHAPTER THIRTY
ALORA
“Leave. Right now,” he tells Thomas.
“Edward.” I put my hands on my hips. “Where are your manners?”
“If you think for one minute that we are taking your male escort to a fucking party, you have another thing coming,” he growls.
“Shh,” I whisper as I close the door. “Keep your voice down.”
“I will not keep my fucking voice down,” he fumes.
“Hey, I can just leave.” Thomas points to the door with his thumb. “It’s fine.” He widens his eyes in an are you trying to get me killed gesture.
“Don’t you dare leave.” I turn to Edward and poke him hard in the chest. “Listen here, you.” I poke him again. “If you want me to live in and accept this ridiculous over-the-top world of yours. I’m allowed to choose my own friends. You told me to bring my friendliest friend.”
“Him.” Edward’s eyes nearly bulge from the sockets. “Out of all the people in the world…. He is who you choose?”
“Yeah.” I throw up my hands. “Helene is away and Thomas is friendly, he gets on well with both men and women. He knows these type of women like the back of his hand, but most of all, he has my back.”
“Oh, I’m sure he does, your back isn’t all he wants.”
“With all due respect.” Thomas interrupts. “Alora and I are just friends. There is no way in hell I would risk getting killed for her.”
Edward narrows his eyes at Thomas. “Wise.”
“But seriously, you’re a little over the top, am I right?” Thomas replies.
“Over the fucking top,” Edward fires back. “I’ll tell you what’s over the fucking top. You thinking that a male escort is coming to a party with me and my girl as I introduce her to the world.”
“He can be my cousin.” I try to think on my feet.
“Your cousin?” Edward fumes.
“Yeah, good idea,” Thomas replies. “This way I can innocently come and blend in but then disappear when you two are spending time together. But if you need me to step up and talk to either men or women, I can do that too.”
“No.” Edward straightens his cufflinks.
Time to bring out the big guns.
“Edward, I’m not coming unless you let me bring him.” I put my hands on my hips.
“Why are you intent on ruining our night?” Edward barks.
“Because I need backup and I know I only have one friend who can hold his own at a party like this.”
Edward’s eyes meet Thomas’s and I can see his brain ticking.
“Completely innocent, I swear.” Thomas holds his hands up. “If you want me to leave at any time you just have to say the word.”
Edward runs the backs of his fingers through his stubble as he thinks and I can feel his fury, simmering dangerously close to the surface.
“What about if he just came for an hour.” I try to sweeten the deal. “Until I’m comfortable and then he can go.”
“I don’t like this,” Edward replies.
I slide my arms around him and go up on my toes to kiss him. “I know, but you’ll do it for me.”
“Alora,” he sighs with an eye roll, and I know that I’ve won.
He turns to Thomas. “You even look at her the wrong way and I will kill you with a smile on my face.”
“Well…. That’s great.” Thomas widens his eyes at me and I bubble up a giggle.
Poor Thomas.
“Are we going to have a drink before we leave?” I try to lighten the mood.
“I don’t know, am I allowed to drink?” Thomas teases.
“No,” Edward snaps. “You are not.”
Have you ever had a moment in your life that is so surreal that it just doesn’t seem real?
I’m in one, right now.
Walking toward the front gates of the Prince of Monaco’s private residence.
Holding the love of my life’s hand, who I anonymously met at a kink club three years ago and also happens to be a billionaire.
I’m dripping head to toe in vintage Chanel, and my stilettos cost more than my car.
The man walking beside us: a gorgeous male escort who somehow has become a trusted friend.
Shit like this just doesn’t happen, but whoever’s recently taken over as my guardian angel is doing a mighty fine job up there.
We walk along the pathway that leads around to a private road and a huge set of gates.
There’s a giant twenty-foot stone fence covered in vines, and lanterns strategically light up the space.
Guards are standing around, laughing and shaking hands when they see each other as if seeing long-lost friends.
My god….
It never even occurred to me that the guards of the rich and famous have their own social clique; they meet at these events regularly. I wonder if they ever exchange information about each other’s bosses…. Of course they would.
People stop talking and turn their attention to us as we approach. “Good evening, Mr. Prescott.”
“Good evening.” He nods.
Their eyes linger on me as they watch us walk by.
Edward squeezes my hand in his, as if reading my thoughts.
“Wiggle that ass, girlfriend,” Thomas mutters under his breath. “Give them something to talk about.”
A trace of a smile crosses Edward’s face as we walk, and I smile too, hopeful that in time Edward will come to like Thomas. They have a lot in common, sarcastic wit. One grumpy and one sunshine…opposite sides of a similar coin.
Though not the same.
We get to the front gates and the three guards standing in front of it, there’s three women in front of us, scantily dressed and hot as hell. “Identification and phones, ladies,” one of the men asks them.
“Of course.” The girls show them their licenses and their names are ticked off a list, they fill out a piece of paper and pass their phones over to a woman, she gives them a ticket and they walk inside.
I watch the woman put them into a giant numbered shelving unit.
They then walk through a metal detector.
Jeez….
Thomas and I exchange looks, a silent what the fuck?
The guards glance up and see us and move to the side. “Good evening, Mr. Prescott.”
“Good evening.” He walks straight through the metal detector, leading me by the hand.
“Ahh,” Thomas says from behind us. “I’m going to leave my phone too.” I glance back as he hands it over.
I pull Edward’s hand to make him wait for Thomas. “Wait,” I whisper. Edward subtly rolls his eyes. Thomas fills out the paperwork, hands his phone over, shows his license and then catches up with us.
“Why did you do that?” I ask.
“Because I’m not being the only fucker in a party with a phone.”
“Why not?”
“Because if something gets leaked I don’t want to be blamed.”
“Ah, smart.”
“Come.” Edward pulls me forward. “Are you my date or his?”
“So hostile,” Thomas mouths behind his back and I get the giggles.
As we walk through the private courtyard and around the large circular water feature, people stop mid-conversation to watch us.
All eyes on me.
The mystery woman with Edward Prescott.
I have never been so grateful to have a friend by my side, if I had to do this alone I would already be hiding in the bathroom.
Fairy lights twinkle in the trees above us, and waiters are carrying silver trays of cocktails up on their shoulders.
Jeez….
“Are there fish in there?” Thomas squints into the water feature. “Yes, there are. Giant fucking fish.”
“You might be swimming with them by the end of the night,” Edward mutters matter-of-factly.
I giggle and we walk up the split stone staircase that leads into the house, even the handrail is carved from stone. Once inside, my eyes widen.
“Fucking hell,” Thomas whispers as he looks through wide eyes too. “This is….”
Wall-to-wall marble, giant archways and painted ornate ceilings that would give the Sistine Chapel a run for its money.
Glamorous beautiful people, with waiters and staff everywhere catering to their every need.
Edward looks over the crowd, not even noticing the splendor. “This way.” He leads us through the people and as the crowd dissipates I see Prince Theodore standing in the corner with another man.
My stomach flutters with nerves.
“Hello.” Edward smiles as we approach and they shake hands, happy to see each other, before he turns to me. “You remember my Alora.”
My Alora.
“Alora, you met Theodore Chapelle and Sinclair Montague at your store that night, two of my best friends in the world.”
“Hello.” I smile nervously.
“Hello, Alora, good to see you again.” They both smile warmly and kiss my cheek. Their eyes linger on my face as if memorizing every freckle.
“This is Thomas,” Edward says as if an afterthought. “He’s Alora’s cousin.”
“Hello.” They smile as they shake his hand.
“Nice to meet you.” Thomas smiles, I can tell that he’s a little nervous too.
Theodore lifts his hand and a waitress immediately appears from nowhere. “What would you like to drink, Alora?” he asks me.
Tequila…. All of it.
“I’ll have….” I glance around at what other people are drinking.
“She’d like a top-shelf margarita.” Edward slides his hand around my waist and pulls me close.
“That would be amazing, thank you.” I smile, embarrassed. I turn to ask Thomas what he would like but he’s gone. “Where did he go?” I whisper to Edward.
“Who fucking cares,” he whispers back.
“Prescott,” a man says from the side, and Edward turns and laughs as he shakes his hand.
“So.” Theodore comes to stand beside me. “You are responsible for our friend missing of late.”
“Haha.” I smile shyly. “That’s on him, don’t blame me.”
Theodore smiles warmly. “I’ve never seen him so happy.”
“I’m very happy too.” I beam, jeez this man is hot as hell. Sandy brown hair and big brown eyes, tall and well built, he has the whole Theo James vibe going on, which is ironic because his name is Theo too.
Say something…. And quick.
“Thank you for having us, your house is incredible.” I smile, that was lame but anyway, at least I said something.
His eyes float around the room as if trying to see it through my eyes. “It is. A little big if I’m being honest. That’s the problem when you inherit things, you don’t get to choose.” He widens his eyes with a cheeky smile.
Oh…he’s nice. Not at all what I imagined.