Chapter 3
Chapter Three
Daphne
I wake up early, groggy with an aching head. I roll over and see proof on the nightstand that last night wasn’t a dream. I grab the glass, swallow the two pills, then roll back over and sleep another hour before my girls let me know they need to go out.
This time I slip on a pair of sweatpants and a hoodie over my cropped shirt.
I stare into the bathroom mirror. My lips are swollen, but it’s the faint hickey on my neck below my ear that shocks me.
I don’t remember him doing that. Then the spanking he gave me fills my mind, and it all comes back to me.
I can’t believe my reaction to him. I want to blame it on the wine, but I didn’t drink much.
My phone pings, drawing me back to the bedroom. I don’t remember putting it on the nightstand. Lifting it up, I look at the message and shake my head. I remember giving him a nickname, and I guess he’s okay with it.
Dare
Morning, beautiful. Get dressed before you walk the girls. I’ll message you later for dinner.
Me
I’m dressed. I have plans for the day. Maybe it wouldn’t be best if we see each other.
My phone starts ringing, and his name flashes on the screen. Biting my lip, I contemplate ignoring it before I answer.
“Hello?”
“Little girl, don’t make me punish you again. We both know you liked it. Dinner is at seven. The driver will pick you up. I’m heading into a meeting, so don’t piss me off, or I’ll cancel on him again to come see you.”
“Fine.” I huff. I’m completely overwhelmed by Darrell, but I don’t dislike it.
Grabbing the dogs’ leashes, I take them for a walk, then come back and gulp down heavily doctored coffee.
My sister texts me the time I’m supposed to be at the shop and the name of the person I’m supposed to ask for.
She’s picked an upscale boutique I wouldn’t normally set foot in, but I do need something for the gala.
I have the money. I just don’t like spending it on over-the-top clothes.
I’m a khaki, denim, hiking boots, and sweaters kind of girl. I like pink, but I hate dressing up too much. Why should I? I only wear dresses for special occasions.
After I feed the dogs and take them for another walk, I put them in their kennels before heading out.
Walking through the parking lot to my Jeep, I feel like I’m being watched.
I pause at my door and look around, taking in the cars around me.
I don’t see anyone in particular, but I can’t shake the feeling.
I drive downtown to the boutique and park a block away.
Crossbody bag over my shoulder, I weave through the lunch crowd in safari pants rolled at the cuff and open-toe strappy heels.
The heels are for the dresses I’ll be trying on; otherwise I’d be in my comfortable flats.
My white blouse sits open at the collar, showing just a hint of cleavage, and a leather belt cinches my waist.
A bell rings as I step inside, and a woman takes me in. I feel the moment she’s about to judge me as less than, and before she can dismiss me, I lift my hand.
“I have an appointment. I’m Daphne Placer. My sister, Delphi, arranged it.”
The woman checks her computer, then pastes on a fake smile. I do the same because I know she doesn’t want to deal with me.
I hate that I instantly think the worst of myself, or assume others are judging me, but it’s happened so often in the past that I can’t shut the feeling off.
Between the social media barrage I went through with my last job and the merciless bullying I suffered in college and high school, my confidence is shot.
The clerk directs me to a private room, and I stand there fidgeting until another woman walks in. She has a warm smile on her face, and I soften just a bit.
“Daphne?”
“Yes.” I return her smile.
“I’m Nelly. I’m going to help you today. Delphi had some brilliant ideas for you, but now that I see you, I have some thoughts too.”
“Okay.”
“Go ahead and put your bag here. I’ll grab you a bottle of water, then we can get started.”
I set my bag on the sofa and walk to the rack waiting for me.
The dresses are all slinky and black, some definitely my sister’s style.
One catches my eye. It has a halter neckline with a long satin ribbon trailing from the bow that ties at the back of the neck.
I like it and decide that’s the one I’m getting.
Nelly returns with another black dress with what looks like cutouts at the hips, and I’m not sure about it. I don’t want to draw too much attention to myself wearing something overtly sexy.
“I’m not sure about that one,” I say, but she just smiles at me.
“Wait until you see it on yourself. You have the perfect body for this.”
“Um, okay.”
Stepping behind the curtain, I undress down to my strapless bra and panties.
Nelly helps me into the dress, and it’s worse than I thought.
It’s not cutouts at the sides but open, with only a strip of fabric across my mid-back, exposing my waist and most of my back.
The dress sits low on my hips. I immediately shake my head.
“No. This is too much.” I spin to look at myself in the mirror.
“Step out here.” I hear my sister’s voice and can’t believe Nelly called her to video chat.
I step out from behind the curtain and see the tablet Nelly set up. My sister’s face fills the screen.
“OMG, Daphy, that’s it. That’s the one right there.”
“No. This is a formal black-tie fundraising event for the aquarium. I can’t embarrass my boss or my employer. This is too much.” I turn back toward the dressing room.
“Wait,” Delly says, and I stop before stepping off the platform. “Nelly, grab a pair of black pumps.”
“Got them.” She holds up an expensive pair of heels, and I keep shaking my head.
“I don’t want to spend that much money on shoes I’ll only wear once in a while.”
“You’ll love them.”
I slip the shoes on and take in the full effect.
I’m stunning. The slit on the left side exposes my leg to mid-thigh.
The heels lift me from my five-foot-three height by over four inches, making my legs look longer.
I’m lean from mountain biking, yoga, and hiking, so I knew the dress would look good on my body, but I stare into the mirror in shock. This isn’t me.
“Go ahead and try on the one you want, but that’s your dress,” Delly says, and I return to the dressing room.
I keep the heels on as Nelly helps me into the satin dress. It’s also open-backed, but the large ribbon gives the illusion of more coverage. This one is a simple, floor-length design with no slit. Like the other dress, my shoulders are exposed, showing the lean muscle from all my working out.
I step out from behind the curtain and glide to the platform in the sexy black heels I’m beginning to like, even though I know it would be useless for me to purchase them.
“Now this one I like,” I tell Nelly and my sister, but they both shake their heads.
“It’s pretty and you wear it well, but the other dress was made for your body. Your back looks amazing in it, and your leg. This one is just nice,” Nelly says.
“Ugh, you guys, this one is more me.”
“Yeah, but like Nelly said, Daphy, the other one is perfect. Come on, get it.”
“No. I think I’m going to get this one, but not the shoes.” I lift the hem of the dress and admire them. The red soles are the perfect pop of color.
“I’ll make a deal with you. You buy that one for another occasion, but get the other one for the Regents Gala.”
“I don’t want to spend the money.”
“Nelly, can you put it on a twenty-four-hour hold? She’ll come back for it, and the shoes too. Every girl needs at least one pair of Louboutins. Granny and Mom would agree.”
“Fine.”
I head back into the dressing room and change into my street clothes, slipping the other heels back on. My feet don’t feel as comfortable as they did in the fancy ones, but I won’t tell my sister.
When I step out, the dresses are already bagged up. I say goodbye to my sister, who tells me I’ll be back tomorrow to get the other dress.
“You know the Regents Gala is one of the city’s biggest events. Women have been coming in for months now to get gowns. You won’t be overdressed in the first dress,” Nelly tries to assure me, but I just nod as I hand over my platinum card.
Nelly says she’ll hold the dress for the time frame, and I walk out.
My phone buzzes with a text from my sister.
Delly
Make an appointment for your hair and makeup. I know you.
Me
Okay, I’ll do that soon.
Again, that chill of being watched raises the hair on the back of my neck, and I decide to head to the gym to work off some of the stress. I head to the club I belong to just in time for the next spin session.
Darrell
I look at the picture again of my girl and groan with need. The dress and heels are exquisite on her. I love the second dress too, but that first one is the one she should be wearing.
I send a quick text to my assistant as I slide out of the back of the Range Rover.
“Give me an hour or so. He’s going to be pissed that I canceled on him last night,” I say to Totten as I close the door.
“Yes, sir.”
He pulls away from the curb while I walk into the restaurant. The hostess tries to stop me.
“I see my party,” I say, waving her off as I head toward Cronus.
He looks up from his phone, and his brown eyes lock onto me. He rises from the booth and holds out his hand. Like me, he’s dressed in a three-piece suit, but some days he’s in biker boots, jeans, T-shirts, and a leather jacket. He’s comfortable in either.
Most of the people around us have no idea he’s the most dangerous man in the building or that he made sure I was trained to be a close second.
“Hey, brother,” he says in his deep, gruff voice as he thumps me on the back. “You better have a good reason for canceling on me last night. I had to endure dinner by myself and getting eye fucked by every single woman.”
I can’t stop the guffaw that bursts out of me. “Like that bothers you. I bet they gave you plenty of suggestions for companionship.”
“Not happening.”
I slide into the booth across from him and cock my head to the side as I contemplate what he’s saying.
“You’re still hung up on Maisy?”
Only a few of us know how he really feels about her, and I knew about her years ago before it was legal for him to care about her. He went crazy when she disappeared. Now that he’s found her, I’m shocked he let her get away again. I’ll never let Daphne get away from me.
“Yeah. She’s still in Alaska, and neither Titan nor Hermes will tell me how she’s doing. It’s so bad that Titan blocks anyone from getting eyes on her.”
“He’s not into her. He has his own woman.”
“I didn’t say that, but it’s starting to bother me.”
He reaches for the tumbler of whiskey, and it tells me just how off balance my best friend is. He never drinks this early. He says alcohol dulls his reflexes and he always needs to be on.
“Go get her. If she’s yours, go fucking get her back and lock her the fuck down.”
“Look who’s talking. Titan told me about the dig you had him do yesterday, then you canceled on me. Did you lock her down?” He chuckles darkly.
“Not yet, but I will have control of her soon enough. I’m giving her some time to get used to the idea.”
My phone vibrates, and I look down at the message from Jethro.
Jethro
Done. All reservations made too.
Me
Good.
I smile, thinking about Daphne getting my note and invitation.
“See, right there is why I don’t know if I want to settle down. You’re an idiot already.”
“It’s the best feeling. It’s been just over twenty-four hours since I saw her, and I knew with one look she was mine. She’s perfect. Now I need your help to protect her. I want a close protection operative as good as Krystal.”
“Damn, dude. Krystal is the best, a rare find.” He pauses for a moment, thoughtful. “But I have another I can get a hold of. How soon do you need her?”
“As soon as possible. I want Daphne to have protection at all times.”
“Okay.”
We continue lunch, talking business while also planning my trip up to Chapelville, where his clubhouse and team are.
I might get a chance to see Lydia and the kids.
Krystal is their nanny, but she’s also a trained close protection bodyguard.
My sister has a clue who she is, but her flake of a husband does not.
He doesn’t care unless he has to pay the bills. I told Lydia it was my gift to her.
I just worry that someday Krystal will be needed for real, and if that day comes, I’ll have to kill Colton if he hurts one hair on my sister’s or my niece or nephew’s head.
By the time I leave, I have a couple of hours of work at the office before dinner reservations. I still haven’t heard from Daphne, but her bodyguard for the day said she was at the gym working out instead of just running errands. That explains why she hasn’t seen my invitation yet.