Broken (The Broken Series Book 1) (16 page)

Lauren and I entertained ourselves by trying to spot the most expensive jewels. Of course, most of them probably came from Alexander’s company, as he dealt in precious stones.
 

When we approached the tables, we saw that they had been lined with white linen and beautifully decorated with green vines snaking in and out of candelabras. Apparently it was a ‘Midsummer’s Night’s Dream’ theme. I kept expecting Puck to turn up.
 

The first part of the dinner passed fine. I tried my best to keep up a conversation with the man on my right, but he was hard of hearing, and I kept having to repeat myself. He asked where I came from, and when I told him the United States, for some reason he thought I said the United Kingdom and he launched into a great debate about the political situation in England. I hadn’t got a clue what he was talking about, so I just nodded politely and murmured a word in agreement now and again.
 

The champagne was delicious and definitely helped ease the earache I was getting from the gentleman next to me.
 

At one point, I caught Lauren’s eye. She was sitting at the opposite side of the table. She seemed to have lucked out. She had a dark-haired man next to her. He couldn’t have been more than forty, and he was talking to Lauren quite animatedly. It seemed to me that she’d got the better end of the deal.
 

At that moment the man Lauren had been talking to looked up and caught me studying him. He looked at me and then at the elderly gentleman beside me and gave me a small knowing smile.
 

I quickly looked away. I felt really rude, and I doubled my efforts to talk to the gentleman on my right, not that it helped much. He didn’t really need my replies. He was quite happy just to talk.

After the tables were cleared, everyone got up and moved into the next room which was equally beautifully decorated. There was a bandstand at the other end where an orchestra with strings had been set up. I’d heard live music before, but never classical, and it blew my mind.

Lauren had gone off to the restrooms, but I didn’t mind being alone. I was so impressed with the orchestra. I’d only been standing there absorbing the music for a moment when I felt a hand on my waist.
 

I turned and noticed the man who had been sitting next to Lauren at dinner. There was something in the over familiarity of the gesture that creeped me out. We hadn’t even been introduced and it made me feel uncomfortable.

I took a step backwards, so that his hand slipped from my waist. But he took that as an excuse to trail his hand over my backside. He had a distinctly flirtatious look in his eye so I knew I didn’t imagine it.

I turned away, determined to ignore him.
 

He didn’t get the hint. “You didn’t look like you were having much fun at dinner.” He had a French accent and quite a high-pitched voice for a man.

“Actually, I was,” I said. “I had a fascinating conversation about English politics.” I put on my best posh voice.

It didn’t seem to fool him. He laughed. “If you say so, but I could show you some fun if you’re interested.”
 

His hands sneaked up and snaked around my waist again, but this time he pulled me towards him so that my hip bumped against his.
 

I pushed backwards on his chest. “Cut it out,” I said.
 

I was no longer concerned with sounding posh. If this guy didn’t watch out, I was going to punch him; to hell with propriety.

“Ah, come on. Don’t be like that. I know you American girls like your fun, and after being cooped up with that cripple, you must be dying to spend some time with a real man.”

My jaw dropped open. I was momentarily speechless. Did this jerk really just say that?

“I’ve got a Lamborghini outside,” he said. As if that was something that would impress me. “We could take a drive.”

“No way,” I said.
 

But he was persistent. His fingers reached out and he stroked my arm, making me shudder. I brushed off his hand.
 

“Quit touching me,” I said. “You’re a sleaze.”

His eyes darkened and his face took on a nasty look. “Don’t be a tease, I saw you making eyes at me over the table.”
 

I gaped at him. Making eyes at him? What planet was this guy on?

“Making eyes at you? You’re crazy. I was just looking around the table. You’ve got some issues you need to sort out,” I said to him and tried to walk away.
 

He grasped my wrist and pulled me to him, roughly. I couldn’t believe this was happening in a busy ballroom. There were people dancing just to my right. I tried to yank my hand away but he wouldn’t let me. He pulled me closer, “Don’t be such a prick tease,” he said in a low dangerous voice.
 

I could scream. But I didn’t want to make a scene and embarrass Alexander. I looked around wildly for Lauren as I tried to pry my hand from his grip but I didn’t see her.
 

I twisted my body around, getting into position, then brought my knee up hard, right between his legs. His face turn purple and the look he gave me was murderous. I tried to get away, but he still gripped my wrist.

Just as I thought I would have no other choice than to scream the place down, a tall blonde-haired man stepped up to us. “I think you should let the lady go.”

The man dropped my hand like a stone. “She’s a waste of time, a pretty tease. She’s all yours,” he said and stalked off.
 

I couldn’t even gather my thoughts to form a coherent sentence, not even to thank my savior. I blinked up at him.

“Sorry about that,” he said. “I hope you don’t think he’s a good example of Monaco’s men. He’s a nasty piece of work. I don’t know why he keeps getting invited to these things.” Then he shrugged. “What am I saying? Of course I know why he gets invited. He gets invited because he’s one of the richest men in Monaco.”
 

He seemed to notice that I hadn’t uttered a word since he rescued me. “Are you okay? He didn’t actually hurt you, did he?”
 

I shook my head. “No, just shook me up a little. What a sleaze bag.”
 

“That’s certainly a good word for him,” he said. “Why don’t you come over and meet my sister. Perhaps we can convince you Monaco isn’t full of sleazebags.” He grinned at me, then looked over a crowd of people and waved. He was tall enough to look over their heads, but I couldn’t see anyone who might be his sister.

I followed him and we made our way through crowds of people. I felt cold and shivery. That guy really shook me up. What a creep.

Then I saw Lauren.

“I see you’ve met Roger,” Lauren said, gesturing towards my savior, and I realized how rude I had been. I hadn’t even asked his name.
 

I smiled up at him. “Nice to meet you, Roger. Thanks for saving me.”

He smiled back. “Anytime,” he said and winked at me.

“Saved you?” Lauren frowned.

“Just some jerk trying it on,” I said. “The one you were sitting next to at dinner.”

Lauren pulled a face. “Yeah, he was a bit of a sleazeball. He’s called Nathan Bryant. Definitely someone to avoid. Are you okay?”

I nodded and told Lauren I was fine, even though my wrist still burned where the creep had bruised my skin.

Then Lauren introduced me to the woman standing next to her. She had dark auburn hair in a soft wave pushed back from her face. “This is Lilly, Roger’s sister. We got talking in the restrooms. I managed to rip the back of my dress and Lilly performed a magic repair job for me.” Lauren gave me a twirl. “You can’t see any holes, can you?”

I studied the back of her dress. “No, it looks fine. I can’t see any hole at all. She did a great repair job.”

Lauren sighed with relief. “Oh, thank goodness. I was having heart palpitations thinking I was going to have to walk out here with my panties on show!”

Everyone laughed and Lauren flushed with embarrassment.
 

“So how are you finding Monaco?” Lilly asked me with a bright smile.
 

“Well, I had been enjoying it up until five minutes ago.”

“I hope you don’t let the incident with Nathan ruin the rest of your stay.”

I shrugged. “No, there was no real harm done,” I said, although I hated to think what might have happened if we hadn’t been in a public place.

“What do you say we get out of here?” Roger said looking at his sister. “Let’s go back to our place and have a few drinks. You’re both welcome to come,” he said, looking at me and then at Lauren.
 

Lauren happily agreed and I looked at her in shock. We’d only just met them. What was she thinking?
 

Roger obviously saw the doubt on my face. “It’s okay,” he said, “I’m not a complete stranger. I work for Alexander.”

Lauren nodded. “Roger has visited the house a few times. I guess you never saw him because you’re usually in Jack’s wing of the house. Look, I’ll be back in a bit. I want to ask Alexander if he wants to come, too. Will you wait a minute?”
 

“Sure.”

As Lauren disappeared into the crowds, I felt a little awkward talking to two people I didn’t really know.
 

“So what do you do with Alexander?” I asked Roger. “Are you into gemstones too?”

Roger smiled. “I’m on his sales team.”
 

Lilly nudged her brother in the ribs. “He’s too modest. He’s head of sales. He’s doing really well.”
 

Before I have a chance to ask another question, Lauren was at my elbow looking decidedly less happy.
 

“I think I’ll stay here for a while, if you guys don’t mind. But when Alexander is finished, we will both come over.”
 

She leaned her head close to mine. “But you can go now if you’d like.”
 

Over Lauren’s shoulder I saw Nathan nursing a glass of champagne and looking at me angrily from the other side of the room. It sent a shiver down my spine. Right now, more than anything, I wanted to get out of here.
 

So I turned to Roger and Lilly. “Thank you. I’d love to come back to your house.”

Roger and Lilly’s house was only a short distance along the cliff road from Alexander Harding’s home.

Roger gave me a lift in his dark, green convertible sports car. There were only two seats, and I had no idea where Lilly had disappeared to and how she was going to get back. He drove fast along the winding road, causing me to grip the sides of my seat. I guess he was very familiar with the roads around here, but I couldn’t help feeling nervous as the wind whipped my hair around my face.

When Roger noticed how tense I was he slowed down.

“How is Lilly going to get home?” I asked, shouting above the roar of the engine.

“She’s getting a lift.”

Roger didn’t explain who she was getting a lift with, and it wasn’t easy to hold a conversation over the noise from the car.

When we arrived, it seemed like everyone else had got there before us. I hadn’t realized how many people Roger and Lilly had invited back to their house. There must have been a least twenty people milling around the entrance.
 

I was surprised at myself for not being more excited. This was my idea of a good time. Throw together a bunch of people I didn’t know, mix it with free alcohol and I was in heaven. I used to be a party animal. I loved the anonymity, the freedom, but today I just kind of wanted to go home. Back to Jack.
 

Roger’s family home was beautiful, though. It was made from pale stone and it seemed to almost glow in the moonlight. I could hear the sounds of clinking glasses and people laughing. The party had already started and obviously quite a few people were already inside.

After Roger had pushed a drink in my hand — a strangely colored cocktail — he left me sipping the drink, feeling very conspicuous. Everyone else seemed to be having a good time, laughing and joking. But as I sipped my drink, I felt out of place. I shouldn’t have come without Lauren, but I had just wanted to get away from that creep Nathan.

I had definitely changed. I used to love parties like this. And I really loved it when I didn’t know anyone, so nobody would know anything about my past and judge me.
 

But my priorities had changed; now all this stuff seemed false. True friends knew all about your secrets and mistakes and they were there for you no matter what. And I had been lucky to find a friend like that in Lauren.

I took another sip of my drink and grimaced. It was really sweet and had given me a sugar rush.

I was actually starting to feel a bit dizzy; I thought maybe I’d had too much champagne at the dinner dance. It had been just so easy and free, and I had never been one to turn down a freebie.
 

Still, at least Roger and Lilly’s house wasn’t in the middle of nowhere. It wouldn’t be hard to walk home from here, so at least I wouldn’t have to wait for a lift or try and call for a taxi. If Alexander and Lauren didn’t arrive in the next half an hour, I decided I would head home. Half an hour would be long enough to finish my drink. I didn’t want to appear rude by leaving straightaway, but I couldn’t wait to get home.