12. Khaleya
My heart was going crazy in my chest. I didn’t know what the hell I was walking into. But I’m glad I was able to step in when he needed me. I felt useful, and not just like a woman on his arm for looks.
Even though that was exactly what I was.
“How did you know how to do that?” Myheir asked.
I shrugged and kept facing forward.
“I’ve experienced my fair share of panic attacks in my day. Not to mention, my sister is very prone to them. Sometimes I have to get to her house and talk her through it. So I guess I have some sort of experience with it. Life isn’t always easy on people.”
He nodded and continued to lead me back to the ballroom, when his parents came into view. My smile widened the moment Meredith saw me. I rushed over, leaving Myheir behind, as if these were my parents. His father had a smirk on his face, one that Myheir sported more often than not.
I wrapped my arms around Meredith, and we did a little rock as if we were long-lost friends.
I stepped back and waved my hand over her dress.
She had on a lace black dress that hugged her figure but still kept it demure.
She was beautiful. Her pepper-gray hair was styled in a cute updo that only she could do, because she had the best facial structure.
“You look so good! I love this dress on you,” I complimented her.
She blushed at my compliment, then waved me off. Then she waved her hand over me.
“No, you look beautiful. This dress looks like it was made just for you. How have you been enjoying yourself?” she asked.
“Thank you so much. You know, handling a crisis here and there. I don’t know what your son would do without me.”
I glanced over at Myheir, who was shaking his head with a smile.
“Am I wrong?” I asked him.
“Doll, you fixed one problem, but I’ll let you rock,” he added.
I held up my finger and turned back to face his mother.
“A big problem, might I add, but I’m not going to toot my own horn.”
His father chuckled. “It’s a bit too late for that, Julia.”
“Ha-ha, I didn’t know we had Cedric the Entertainer in here tonight.”
Darren’s eyes widened, then he released one of the loudest chuckles I’d heard in a while. At least for him—he didn’t give me the impression that he laughed at many things, which was why this one was coming from deep down.
“I like that. You do look beautiful, dear,” he said, after clearing his throat from the many stares we were now getting.
“Did you two pick a table yet?” Meredith asked.
Myheir reached around me to point in the direction of the table upfront with a sign on it.
“You know I reserved a table for you. Actually, take Khaleya with you for a moment. I have one more thing to do, and I’ll be right there,” he told them.
I glanced in his direction with a lift of my brow.
“I’m good. The other problem is small, go relax. You aren’t here to work. Have a glass of wine and a few of these expensive-ass hors d’oeuvres being offered. I don’t need a thing to go to waste.”
I nodded with a tight smile and turned to head for the table with his parents. He said I wasn’t working, but wasn’t I? This was part of my responsibilities, to appear as the doting girlfriend. I hated that any time he wasn’t near me, this is where my mind went.
“You alright, honey?” Meredith asked.
I nodded and gave her a tight-lipped smile. Then I took the seat next to her as his father talked to a few people at nearby tables. Clearly, a few people from the bank were here.
Soon Simone and Jace made their way to the table. Simone took the seat beside me, knowing once Myheir got there she would have to move down. We talked for a little while until he made his presence known on stage.
I stood up a little straighter as I watched him stroll onstage like he owned it, and he did. This man was everything and then some. The bad part about it was every chance he got, he’d been putting those lips on me. The sad part was I missed it, and he hadn’t been gone for more than fifteen minutes.
“Welcome to the Blackwell Brilliance Benefit. I hope everyone has been having a good time, and that you’ve made your way over to the bidding hall.
Every donation will change another kid’s life and lead them down a path that one day will bring joy into your lives.
I always say a gem is the stepping stone to brilliance.
” He paused and allowed the crowd to give applause.
The man knew how to work a room.
“Second, I want to thank my love for being the most beautiful woman in this room. Sorry, Mom,” he said, winking in my direction.
The crowd seemed to zero in on our table. For the first time in forever, I was sure I was blushing as I waved him off.
“You wish, son,” Darren said aloud, causing the crowd to laugh, including me.
Darren leaned over and kissed Meredith’s cheek.
Myheir held his hands up in mock surrender, then continued with his speech, introducing Jamieson. He was far from the boy in the back. Now he was a confident young man ready to make a difference for the program.
Myheir patted his back and gave him the stage. He stepped back, not leaving him alone. I knew that wasn’t supposed to happen, but he took the boy’s feelings into consideration. I groaned. Here he was, yet again, showing me a layer I didn’t expect to see.
Jamieson went through his speech, sharing his experiences with the program and how it changed his life. I knew Myheir was a jeweler, but being able to see his side quests made me admire him even more. But it made me think—was I a side quest too?
I tried to shake those negative feelings off as the speeches ended and Myheir gave the servers the okay to bring out the main entrees to each table. Then he announced that the raffles from the donations would begin in the next thirty minutes.
He practically sprinted from the stage to get back to my side at the table. Simone had already moved over to sit next to Jace, so he could slip into his seat easily. Then he placed his arm behind my chair before leaning in to whisper in my ear.
“Are you enjoying yourself?” he asked.
I nodded with a tight smile.
“Why?”
He shrugged.
“When I was on stage, I noticed your expression change a few times. So when we leave, we’re going to talk about that. I don’t know what’s going on in your head, but I prefer to get in front of it before it gets too out of control.”
I turned in my seat to face him, and his lips were close to mine. I’m sure he hadn’t expected me to turn around.
“You just think you know everything, huh?” I asked.
Myheir took that moment to kiss me a few times before tilting his head to whisper in my ear.
“Give me some credit, Doll. I’m starting to learn you too, and the way you’re deflecting right now lets me know it may be deeper than I thought.”
I rolled my eyes because he was too close to the truth.
“If you say so, Big. Oh, and keep your lips off me. I don’t recall giving you permission,” I smirked.
He chuckled and kissed my jaw.
“Yet, you haven’t pulled away. You like it just as much as I do. I think pretending to dislike it isn’t your style, so don’t wear it.”
I lifted a brow.
“Isn’t it, though? Isn’t that exactly what I am supposed to be doing?”
Myheir pulled back to search my eyes. I knew he would see how much I was bullshitting, so I looked away from him, only to see everyone at the table smiling in our direction.
“Do you two need some privacy? If so, I think they have a few rooms around here somewhere,” Darren said.
Meredith nudged his shoulder with a frown.
“Pops, you can’t help it but to hate.”
I chuckled as the servers made it to our table, placing dishes in front of us with filet and a lobster tail. He didn’t spare a single expense when it came to this. I was beyond impressed.
The rest of the night, we laughed and joked while enjoying the food. The raffles even went off without a hitch. Myheir raised over 500,000 dollars for the students.
I was beyond impressed.
Myheir had a few people he needed to speak to before we left for the night. Jace and Simone hung around for a bit before heading home.
I laid my head on Myheir’s shoulder as he talked to a few of the investors. I was tired as hell, and I knew if I was, he had to be. He glanced down at me and kissed my forehead.
“You ready to go?”
“Only whenever you are, but I’m tired. I can push through.”
“Nah, we heading out. These muthafuckas just like to talk. So I’m going to use you as an excuse to leave.”
I chuckled and popped his shoulder.
“Don’t use me. You want to leave too, Big.”
“Yeah, but they don’t know that,” he responded with a smirk.
I cracked up as he told everyone that he needed to get me tucked in and thanked them for being a vital part of the event. I thought we had made it through this event successfully until the last couple approached us.
I could tell before they opened their mouths that they thought I wasn’t good enough to be here. Little did they know, if they tried me, I wouldn’t back down.
The man reached out a hand and shook Myheir’s.
“The event was amazing. We heard you’re heading out and just wanted to tell you that,” he announced.
Myheir nodded. “I appreciate that, Bishop. I have to get my girl tucked in, this event took it out of her.”
The couple gave the fakest laugh I’d ever heard.
“I don’t think I had the chance to meet your girl. I didn’t expect to see you with someone else so soon after, Mia. She was definitely a hard woman to replace, clearly.”
I chuckled, and they looked at me like I was crazy. I pointed my finger in her direction.
“So that’s why you had to make sure you caught us before you left. Mia must be your friend, Press-On. Well, don’t let blind loyalty get you into some shit you can’t get out of. Find someone else to play with. Now, you have an amazing night. Ready, babe?”
I turned to Myheir, who was sporting a grin. He nodded, then leaned down to peck my lips a few times. Then he wrapped his arm around my waist and led me out of the ballroom.
“Who in the hell was that? You fucked her before?” I asked with a scowl.