33. Dani #3
“Okay, we cannot talk about that here.” I look around nervously.
“Really?” An eyebrow arches. “The dick pic is a bridge too far for you?”
“It falls in the online-dating category, which my mom does not approve of. Also, I admit I may have a sordid history of sexting people. And getting burned by it.”
His mouth twitches into a grin.
“So that’s why you play fast and loose with nudes. I’m learning so much about you.”
“Okay, look, you can’t be talking about my poor teenage decision-making skills. Watch it, mister. I will find a different sexy kidnapper.”
“How? You don’t just find one wandering the streets like a stray cat.” He nuzzles the top of my head. “Besides, you let another man touch you and I’ll kill him.” His grip tightens on my waist.
“You can’t be that obsessed with me. You don’t even like me.”
“I took your virginity. Remember? That makes you mine.”
I feel woozy.
“Or do I need to take you home and remind you?”
I stumble against him.
“I think I need to find you something to eat.” He takes the glass of wine someone’s nicely offered me before I can sip it.
“That’s mine.”
He smirks and sips it. “No, you’re mine. That makes this mine.”
“Did you kidnap it?” I say, maybe a little too loud.
“Shh!” He holds a finger up to my mouth. “Dani, how are you this drunk?” A smile plays around his lips.
I zip my mouth and give him a thumbs-up. “You didn’t kidnap me when we met at… at sex club… wait, no—at McDonald’s. You stole my order. Oh gosh, what’s our origin story again?”
Graham shoves me onto a bench.
“Sit. I’m getting you food.”
“Carbs, please.”
“I’m going to find you a coffee.”
My head’s pounding.
There’s a ton of people here I don’t really want to see, but now I see my mom giving me the death stare across the room. I can practically hear her say, “Go be social. Don’t embarrass me.”
“I’m sober, I’m sober, I’m sober,” I chant to myself as I go to greet the Girl Squad, who are talking to Colette’s cousins.
“Graham must have good taste.” The matron of honor blinks at me. “You’ve really upped your style.”
“It’s Graham’s credit card.”
“That’s so generous of him,” Hannah adds.
“Colette says you two are superserious.” Greta smirks. “She’s so jelly.”
“I mean, same, honestly,” Nora adds.
“Nothing wrong with that.” The cousin nods in Graham’s direction. “Lots of money, good in bed.”
The girls giggle.
“Girls, there you are!” Maya’s mom swans over, a glass of wine in her hand. “Danielle, Reta Manfred showed me that photo. My word. Sweetie, you need to put a ring on that immediately.”
“Oh, ha ha! Yeah, I’m working on it.”
“Have you seen this picture, Catherine?” She shows Hannah’s mom, who gasps.
“What, um… What photo are you…” I clear my throat. I need another glass of wine. Maybe just shots of vodka.
“Oh, you know,” Maya’s mom says then coyly flashes the phone at me.
There’s Graham’s junk, displayed for everyone.
Fuck.
Just… fuck.
“I’m just going to get a drink. Does anyone want anything?”
“Actually, I was supposed to get Colette something,” Maya calls after me.
“On it.” I almost collide with Piper.
“I thought you were just going to show it to Colette’s cousin?” I hiss. “That photo!”
“I didn’t show it to anyone! You said Graham didn’t want it passed around,” she promises.
“It’s all over the party!” I shriek.
“Vivienne must have taken a photo of the photo before I tore it up.” She shakes her head. “Too late now. You know that photo’s all over the Upper East Side.”
“Oh my God,” I moan. “Graham’s going to dump me when he figures out the photo’s been spread around. Oh my God, this is awful.”
I see Graham—a head taller than the rest of the guests—searching around the ballroom. He looks angry. He knows about the picture.
“Oh crap.” I rush to the bathroom. Not the main one. I helped plan this party, so I know about the one down the hall near the gardens that no one’s going to use because it’s cold—but that Colette insisted we set up with ice sculptures anyway.
The bathroom is thankfully empty, and I lean over the marble counter, hyperventilating. The light from the sconce is dull and yellow. The air is perfumed with flowers.
“Why did I drink so much?”
Also, what was I thinking with that photo? Graham’s going to kill me. Actually, no, worse, he’s going to break up with me.
“Your relationship is not real,” I remind my reflection.
But it’s too late. I’m already falling for him.
It’s addictive, being that special someone for a man like Graham. Lost in the fantasy that I’m special, that I’m the one he wants—the only one. That all the girls I went to private school with are finally envious of me. Me! Dani!
The door opens, and I straighten up hurriedly.
“Kraig!” I yelp when the man steps in and shoves the door closed behind him. “What… um… I didn’t know you were coming.”
“Was invited.”
There’s an awkward pause.
“Well, welcome.” I clasp my hands.
“You’re not seriously going to believe that shit, are you?”
“The what?”
“That Graham Richmond”—he spits out the name—“actually loves you. That he wants a future with you. I heard them all in there talking about how your marriage was next, how Graham’s gonna blow ten million dollars on a wedding with you.”
“I don’t think that’s entirely accurate,” I mumble, but Kraig keeps talking over me.
“He would not be a good husband. He’s sure as shit not going to be a good father.”
“He says he wants kids.”
“He doesn’t.” Kraig grabs my arm. “He just wants to get you pregnant like a trophy. He just wants that power over you. He wants you as his brood mare or something. He’s going to impregnate you and make more evil clones.”
“That’s twisted. Graham’s not like that. He’s sweet.” I feel defensive of him.
Kraig barks out a laugh. “He’s not. He’s a monster. And if you have any sense of self-respect or self-preservation, you’ll leave him.”
“And why is that?”
I gasp.
Graham’s standing in the doorway.
Kraig scowls at his stepbrother.
“So she can get with you, Kraig?” Graham steps into the room. “You want your own Upper East Side princess, don’t you?”
Not breaking eye contact, Graham takes my hand and presses a kiss to the back of my fingers that sends butterflies swirling in my stomach.
“You seem to have a real problem not touching what’s mine, Kraig.”
“If Dad knows you’re talking like this, he’ll—”
“What? Dani’s mine. She wants to take my cum.
She wants to have my children.” His fingers trail down my back, catching on the chains.
“You’re just mad because you know a woman will never do this for you.
” I feel his hand pull then slide under the low cut back of the dress. “Especially not one like Dani.”
“You’re sick,” Kraig whispers.
“And you’re envious.” Graham kisses me under my jaw where it meets my throat.
“See? I can get a woman like Dani to do anything for me. She wants to please me. Don’t you, Dani?” He nips my earlobe. “Are you going to be good for me, Dani?”
His thick fingers spread me then stroke my slit. He can’t get enough room to stroke my clit so he’s just teasing me, making me remember how it felt to be fucked by that cock.
“Yeah,” I whimper. “I want to be good for you.”
Kraig’s face is twisted in fury.
I’m too drunk and horny to care that Kraig is watching Graham pleasuring me. Graham’s hand is tight in my hair while the other works between my legs while I pant.
“This what you want, Kraig? You want to watch her come?”
“Fuck you.”
Graham’s hand slides out from under my dress to wrap possessively around my waist. I grab his wrist as he pulls me off-balance to crash against him.
He smirks at Kraig over the top of my head.
“You want to see what you could have if you have the balls to just take it. Not ask, just take it. I could tie her up in my house and fuck her all night whenever I want, and that would be my right.”
“I’m not like you. I’d never—”
“Of course you’d never,” Graham barks. “Because you’re weak. Just like your father.”
“Don’t forget who put Stuart in prison,” Kraig retorts.
Graham’s face goes stone-cold.
“And you should go to prison for—”
“For what? Fucking my own girlfriend? And yes, Kraig, she is my girlfriend. She belongs to me. That means those panties of hers you stole? Mine. Now give them to me.” Graham steps in front of me. Menacing. Dangerous.
Kraig hesitates then scowls as he reaches into his jacket.
“You’re carrying those around?!” I shriek.
“He’s sick, isn’t he? Just like his father,” Graham mocks.
“Fuck you.” Kraig jerks in Graham’s direction.
Graham just laughs. Then stops abruptly. “Get the fuck out. I don’t want to see you at this party again.”
Graham shoves me against the door after Kraig scuttles out with one last ugly look at us.
“Sorry—”
“He’s right,” Graham whispers. “I am a monster. You really should have just taken the money, Dani.”
“I don’t want the money. I want you.”
Our lips almost touch. I feel the words on my mouth.
“I want you.” I whisper the words. “Take me—you know how ready I am for you.”
Wait. I can’t have sex with him. I’m taped up. He’ll realize I’m a fraud, that I’m not good enough for him.
I hold my breath for a second as I try to come up with a funny, flirty, sexy excuse for all the tape all over my chest.
He hums against the side of my hair.
“I think I’d rather have you on my arm.”
Oh, thank God.
His eyes are dark.
“I like knowing you’re dripping wet and insane thinking about my cock. I want you silently begging me to use your pussy.”