Descent From Grace: A Luxe Novella Book 1.5 (19 page)

Grinning, Ashley looked at Ian and he knew she intentionally dressed Lilith that way. She knew what kind of attention it would bring her and she wanted to watch him kiss Lilith’s ass all night while fighting off men, all the while being discreet about their affair.

With raised eyebrows, Heidi asked, “I’m sorry, who’s she?”
  “That’s my best friend I told you about. Lilith.”
  “That’s Lilith?” The shock in her voice was a little too demeaning.
  “Lily,” Ian muttered, hating when Ashley called her Lilith. He walked into the kitchen where Lilith was hiding with a beer in hand. “Fuck me,” he breathed, looking her over.
  “Is that a request or? . . .”
  “Both. Christ, baby, you’re gonna kill me tonight.” He grabbed his bulging erection through his pants.
  “Good,” she whispered, sliding her hand over his cock. “Mmm.”
  “Lilith, I want you to meet my friends!” Ashley called out, startling both of them while Lilith groped him.

  “Don’t forget to be discreet.” She bit his bottom lip softly. “The lipstick I just left on your face isn’t discreet.”

He grabbed the dishtowel and wiped his bottom lip, trying to mentally talk down his erection.

Lilith put on a fake smile and shook Renee’s hand first. “Hi.”

Heidi looked her over and forced a smile, trying to conceal her competitive cattiness, but there was no competition. Even she knew that.

  “Nice to meet you. Ashley talks about you a lot. This is your place?”
  “Yes.” Lilith’s smile was still sweet, but with a hint of salty.
Heidi pointed to Ian’s picture of Chicago. “Wasn’t that picture in Ian’s apartment?”
Lilith’s eyes shot to her, wondering when she was in Ian’s apartment and why. “He gave it to me.”
  “Oh! Are you the fiancée?” Heidi grinned, hiding her discontent, but there was something in her voice.

Glancing at Ashley, then over her shoulder as Ian came from the kitchen, she wanted to know when the hell that woman was in his apartment and why she knew Lilith was
the fiancée.

All eyes were locked on Ian.

  “Did you eat?” he asked her, a bit confused.

With a smirk, she crossed the room toward the bedroom.

  “I’m not hungry.”

Feeling the tension, Ashley tautly smiled at Heidi.
Caesar sensed it too and quickly asked, “You girls want some pizza?”
  “No. Thank you.” Heidi replied with a smile aimed at Ian.

  “I do.” Renee went with Caesar and Ashley left Heidi alone with Ian while she went to talk to Lilith.

As if there was something between her and Ian, and Lilith was the competition, Heidi said, “She’s beautiful.”
  “I know.” He nodded.

Painting her long nails black, Lilith mumbled, “I’ll be ready in a minute.”
  “That was awkward,” Ashley said, feeling a bit nervous.

Recalling Ashley telling her Heidi was interested in a man and that was why Ashley hadn’t bedded her again, Lilith said, “Let me guess.” She cleared her throat and turned toward her. “The guy she’s interested in is Ian?”
  “I didn’t know. I swear to you. I’m hoping I’m wrong.” Ashley cringed. “I’m sorry, babe. You know I would never have her come if I knew. I just wanted you two to meet because you’re my best friend and she’s become a good friend. I swear if it’s Ian she’s trying to fuck I’ll tell her off for you.”
  “Don’t bother.” Lilith went back to painting her nails. “I’ll claw her fucking eyes out and wear them as earrings.”

It was music to Ashley’s ears. Lilith sounded sexier, meaner, and at the brim with confidence.

Turned on, Ashley began to laugh. “I love when you talk dirty to me.” She bit Lilith’s shoulder before leaving the bedroom.

In an attempt to avoid Heidi’s penetrating glare, Ian was focused on Caesar, and Ashley discretely observed them for a minute.

When Heidi noticed her, she smiled. “Ready?”
  “As soon as Lilith is.” There was an undertone of anger in her voice. When in the kitchen for a drink, she barked, “Ian!”

Annoyed by her outburst, he walked into the kitchen and snapped, “What?”
  “Where’s your liquor?” She scowled at him. “You’re a royal fuck up, but I swear to you if you fucked Heidi behind Lilith’s back I will castrate you.”
  “I didn’t fuck her!” he quietly snapped and pulled liquor from the freezer. “We had a few words, but I didn’t fuck her. I wouldn’t.”
  “Words?” she scoffed with disgust. “And you would,” she snarled.
  “Maybe if I weren’t with Lily.” He seemed to be considering it, but quickly changed his mind. “I wouldn’t even then! She’s an attractive woman—”
  “So is Lily!”
  “Hands down Lily’s more attractive. I’m not going to fuck Heidi. I don’t want to fuck her. Now, if my wife wants to fuck her, I’ll watch.” He grinned and Ashley shot him an icy look.
  “Your
wife
is going to claw her eyes out and wear them as earrings. Her words exactly.” She took the shot of vodka and let a heavy breath out from the burn.
  “Really?” A smirk pulled at his lips. “Let’s just keep them apart tonight. I think Heidi thought I might fuck her, but it’s not happening. I’m not a cheater—”
“Oh god!” Ashley blurted and it rang through the house. “You’re! You’re! Gah!” She pushed past him with the bottle of vodka. “Shot?” She offered Caesar like a sixties housewife on speed.

Lilith wasn’t seen, but her heals could be heard clicking toward the front door before she called out, “Ready?”
  “I wanted to drink more,” Ashley called back with fear of what the night had in store.
  “Bring it. Ian’s driving and staying sober,” Lilith loudly announced, grabbing a red sweater from the coatrack at the door.

Ian rushed down the narrow hall to assist her outside.

  “We have to take your car,” he mumbled and she shot him a look. “No fighting,” he whispered, getting her into the front seat and kissing the side of her mouth.

With not enough room for them all to ride together, Caesar drove separate with Renee.

  “Nice car, Ian,” Heidi said, sliding in behind him.
  “It’s Lily’s.” He reached his hand out, putting it on Lilith’s knee.
  “What do you get this up to, Lily?”
  “Chicago traffic doesn’t really open up to a racetrack.” She glanced back, flashing Heidi a cocky grin.

To conceal her smirk, Ashley had to turn her head and look out the window; she liked sassy Lilith. Hoping they’d stop talking, Ian turned on the music.

  “Your music, Lily?” Heidi asked over Lana Del Rey.

  “Ian’s iPod,” Lilith muttered.
  “Good choice, Ian.” Heidi leaned onto the back of his seat with her hand curled over the top, touching his shoulder.

  “I always make good choices.” He smirked.

  “Eh, you’ve been rather stupid lately, are you on drugs? Crack maybe?” Ashley piped up.
  “You’d know, you deal it,” Ian retorted, making Heidi laugh. The laugh turned Lilith’s stomach and she wished she didn’t have those few sips of beer before she left.

When Ian had to brake quickly, Lilith put her hands to her stomach.

Reaching out, he grabbed her arm. “You all right?”
She grunted, nodding her head and rolled her window down. Reaching forward, Ashley rubbed Lilith’s shoulder softly and Heidi jealously watched.

  “Ian, can I look through your iPod? Looks like we’ll be in traffic awhile.”

Ian held the plugged in iPod between the seats, causing her to lean forward to scroll. The smell of her perfume wafted to Lilith’s nose, making her stomach bubble more, and Heidi’s flirty giggles while she complimented his music selection made Lilith want to hold true to the eyeball earrings comment.

Pulling into valet, Ian waited for the girls to get out of the back before he grabbed Lilith’s hand as a valet attendant opened her door.

  “Hey. You want to go home? You feeling okay?”
  “I’m fine.” She got out and pulled her creeping dress down.

  “Lily, that dress is divine,” Heidi snobbishly announced, wanting to draw attention to her entourage.
  “It’s—”

  “It’s Marc Robert’s,” Ashley interrupted, not wanting Lilith to tell Heidi she didn’t dress herself.

  “Excellent.” Nodding, Heidi looked her over again. “Coming?” She smiled at Ian.

With an awkward grin, Ian grabbed Lilith’s hand. She didn’t want the bitch talking to him, but she couldn’t enter the club hand and hand with Ian, so she pulled away and jogged ahead to catch up to Ashley.

  “You cool?” Ashley asked her.

  “Mm,” Lilith muttered with a nod and smile.

Ian talked briefly to the doorman before they were let in. The pounding music vibrated Lilith’s body and the flashing lights blinded her.
  “Bathroom?” she asked, trying not to look sick, but Ashley saw it.
  “We’ll be right back.” She quickly walked Lilith to a bathroom closest to the bar.

They pushed their way around people and Lilith cut in front of a woman to get to a stall. When the woman went to protest, Ashley stopped her by pushing her hand to the girl’s abdomen.
  “She’s sick,” Ashley snippily said, lowering her hand. After the wicked look Ashley gave her, the woman left the bathroom without using it.

Lilith heaved up the few gulps of beer and after walking out of the stall, she went to the sink for water. She sloshed, she spit, then touched up her lipstick.
  “Cool?” Ashley asked concernedly.

  “Cool.” Lilith nodded, adjusting her dress.
  “If you want to go, we can. I know you hate her. I wish you didn’t.”
  “She wants to fuck my man,” Lilith retorted like Ashley was ignorant.
  “A lot of women do.”
  “But she’s competing with me!”
  “And you know she doesn’t stand a chance. Lighten up a little, please. If you guys want to throw down after tonight, fine, but not here.”
  “I don’t plan on causing a scene.” Lilith cleared her burning throat.

Ian stood by the bathroom doors with Heidi at his side laughing. He looked at Lilith concerned and she smiled, silently telling him she was okay.

He leaned into her ear. “Did you?”

  “I’m fine,” she mumbled, annoyed he didn’t just accept her reassuring smile. “I need some water. Make it look like a drink please.”
He nodded, then turned to Ashley and Heidi. “Drinks?” he asked.
  “Shots,” Ashley called to him. “We’re going to the booth.” She took Lilith’s hand while Heidi took Ashley’s other arm.

As they made their way back toward the booth, eyes were on them, more so on Lilith’s revealing dress. A hand reached out, softly grabbing her elbow and she nonchalantly turned her head. There stood Justin, grinning like the devil just accepted his invitation to the party. Involuntarily, her lips curled up.

Leaning into her ear, he said, “I need a drink Miss.”
  “Do you see a tray in my hand?” She grinned.

Justin looked familiar, but Ashley couldn’t place him and she stared confused, wondering who the hot man was.

  “You working tonight?” He glanced around for a man she may be with.
  “I’m out with friends.”

  “Ahh. I’m going to admit I knew you’d be here tonight.”
  “That’s a little alarming.” Not alarming enough to stop her beguiled smile.

  “Mm.” He let out a laugh and a nod of his head. “I called for a date but was informed you had prior engagements, so I had my father do some digging. I actually jumped through a few hoops to find all this out. And I’d be lying if I said I didn’t alarm myself. I’ve never been one to stalk.”
  “There’s a first for everything, right?”

Relieved she didn’t seem turned off, he grinned. “What’re you drinking?”
  “I’m with my fian—” She abruptly stopped. “Ends. My friends, and apparently I’ve drank too much.” She giggled. “Actually my boss is here tonight. This is his sister.” Lilith turned to Ashley, who was enticingly undressing Justin with her eyes.
  “Hi.” Justin pushed his hand out.

Lilith’s eyes flashed to his exposed flesh from his wrist to his rolled up sleeve that stopped just under his elbow; not one inch of that flesh wasn’t covered in tattoo.

  “Justin.”
  “Ashley.” She shook his hand, her eyes locked on his glowing blues. “You two are friends?”

  “Client,” Lilith whispered at the same time Justin said, “Potentially.”

  “Hmmm, this will be fun,” Ashley discreetly mumbled with a devious grin.

  “We have to get a seat,” Lilith quickly said, wanting to get away before Ian approached.

Justin softly grabbed Lilith’s elbow. “You didn’t tell me what you’re drinking.”
  “Actually my boss just—” She stopped as Ian approached.
  “Justin Borg.” With a grin, Ian pushed his hand out, not yet realizing what was going on.
  “Ian Jacks.” Justin returned the grin, shaking his hand. “I just met your sister.” He looked at Ashley. “Thank god she looks nothing like you.”

Ian chuckled. “You with Barry?”

  “Yeah, he’s here somewhere. Let me buy you all a drink.”
  “We just ordered, but you’re more than welcome to join us.” Ian gestured toward the booth then put his hand to the small of Lilith’s back to guide her. She spun away from his hand and headed in the opposite direction.