ROME
Jess was best at his job. The tux fit perfectly. I put on my cufflinks and then looked at myself in the mirror.
I trimmed my stubble, and the hairstylist did something to my hair, and now I looked like a well-cleaned-up human. But I was more excited to see the person in the guest room of the penthouse.
The renovation of the living was still ongoing, but the rooms were finished.
“Mr. Langston, she’s done,” the makeup artist I hired called out from upstairs.
“Thanks.” I climbed up. “Are you sure you didn’t put too much color on her face?”
“Her skin is gorgeous, Mr. Langston, and she’s already beautiful. All I did is polished up.”
“Thanks.” I knocked on the door. “Storm, are you ready?” I couldn’t wait to see the dress on her. More likely, I couldn’t wait to see her. I knew without a doubt she would be perfect whatever she put on herself.
“Yeah. I think so.” She sounded unsure.
“Can I come in?” I already twisted the knob, pushing the door open. I suddenly felt nervous.
My deep breath was sharp and loud. My steps were terribly calculated the moment I saw her back in a white gown that I personally chose. It was a one-shoulder chiffon thigh-high split evening dress. But it would not even matter. What I wanted was to see the whole package, and my tongue was already stuck in my mouth.
I stood there with my dry mouth and pounding heart. I wanted to say something as I was already behind her in front of the wall-sized mirror.
“Is the dress okay?” She was checking herself out in the mirror as she met my gaze. “Are you sure you want me to come with you? You can still go, you know. I don’t wanna embarrass you in front of hundreds of people.”
I held her arms, silently asking her to turn around. Then I met her worried beautiful eyes. The makeup was not overdone, but the color made her eyes stand out. Her lips were blood red and just accentuated by her ivory skin. And the dress was perfectly made for her body.
I wondered what she did three years ago because she could pass a fashion model or pose for a magazine cover and a perfect subject for a painting.
“You look disappointed?” Really? Couldn’t she read the look on my face?
I shook my head. My hand shook slightly as I raised and ran the back of my finger on her flawless, exposed arm. Then I leaned down to kiss her on her cheek.
“Turn around.”
Confusion was plastered on her face before she did as I asked. “Always bossy.”
I opened a jewelry box. The emerald diamond necklace would complete her look. I put it on around her neck and clasped it to lock.
“It’s beautiful.” She ran her fingers through stones. “I’ll make sure to protect this with my life and return to you after the party.”
“Or I will call the entire security firm to search for you.” Those were the longest words I had said since I entered the room.
She smiled as she put on the earrings. “Do you still want me to come with you?”
“We have a deal, remember?”
“Of course, my thirty.”
“Twenty-five. Let’s go.” I grabbed her purse and offered my arm, and she hooked her hand around.
“Last chance, Carly,” she talked to herself.
Once we reached the living room, the photographer signaled us for a post. I instantly felt her uneasiness.
I looked at her. “Trust me. The photographs are for personal keeping. And I will sue their asses if they leak it online.”
“Thank you.” She nodded.
“Closer, please,” the photographer said. “Mr. Langston, hand on her waist and smile, please?” We did as he said.
I sighed before carefully placing my hand because I knew that area was not covered with her dress. As much as I wanted to feel her skin under my fingertips, that could wait.
“It’s okay.” She started posing and leaned over to me. Her face was close to mine.
“Perfect. I want to see a full-blown smile.” Click. “A sweet and lovely smile.”
“How many do you need? We’re gonna be late,” I said in annoyance.
“Just pretend we like each other very much, Langston.” She clapped her hand on my chest.
“I like you very much, just fine.” My words came out strong.
“That’s great. Place your arm around me to get this over with.”
I stared at her.
“What?”
I blinked it off and did as she asked. My other hand started to sweat as I felt her soft skin. My heart began to thump wildly the more I got ourselves close, and we pressed each other.
I smiled as I could muster.
Click. Click. Click.
“Thank you very much.”
I pulled my hand before I got myself used to it. Don’t get me wrong, there was nothing I would ever want than to press myself into her, but the scary part was if she felt the same. Or maybe she was just doing this as part of a job or the comfort of a companion she sought.
“You okay?” I asked.
“Yeah.”
The car drove smoothly toward our destination, and she started to draw deep breaths.
“If it would be too much, all you have to do is tell me, okay?”
“It’s been a while since I last attended a gala, and I was with my family.” So she did this frequently. I was more intrigued as to who Carly really was.
“I forgot to thank you for doing this.” I placed my hand on hers.
“I’m getting a bonus.” She smirked, squeezing my hand.
I couldn’t help but smile, and it was hard to look away from her sometimes. She looked ethereal tonight.
For the last couple of days, I was itching to search her name online, but I followed Linden’s advice to get the truth out of her in person. And social media made it difficult to find the fact.
I was still bothered about what Linden’s advice was all about.
“We’re here, boss.” Zee parked the car.
I quickly climbed out and ran toward Carly’s side. I offered my hand, and she squeezed it as she helped herself out of the car.
“Ready?”
“Yeah.” She nodded, but her action was betraying her. “Let’s get this over with before I change my mind.” She grew pretty uneasy. And I felt like an asshole, forcing her to do something that reminded her of her painful past. But she did her best to be at her best tonight.
I placed my hand on her back. Then we reached the backdrop. “Just one pose, okay?”
“I know the drill.” Of course, she did.
“To your left, Mr. Langston!”
Flash.
“Right over here, please?”
Flash.
“Mr. Langston, who’s your date tonight?” More flashes started to blind me.
“Who’s the lovely lady?”
“Let’s go.” I pulled Carly closer to me. I felt like she was holding her breath the entire time.
When we got to the door, I cupped her face. “Breath, Storm.”
She blew a breath and blinked. “I’m fine.”
“I’m sorry for putting you through this.”
“Think of the bigger picture, Langston. If my father and my grandfather could only see this, they would be proud of me.” I felt the sarcasm in her words.
The venue was decorated in white and gold. The ballroom was already packed. The live band played a classic piece, and guests, old wealthy personalities, mingled, and at the corner were young entrepreneurs.
“Look who finally showed up.”
“Creed.” I shook his hand.
“Aren’t you going to introduce me to the beautiful lady?”
“I thought I was the only beautiful in your eyes, babe.” Adley showed up. “Good to see you again, Carly.” They did this cheek-to-cheek kiss.
“Me too, Adley.”
“So, the infamous Carly Storm.” Mykel smiled meaningfully that I wished I could shut it off. “I’m Mykel.”
“Mykel Creed. Self-made billionaire, one of the pioneers to fund renewable energy, ocean energy. I love your project.”
Mykel’s face lit up. “She knows me.”
Adley and I rolled our eyes.
“Your face is in the magazine on top of your wife’s coffee table in her office, Mr. Creed.”
“Sorry, babe.” Adley giggled while Mykel and I laughed.
“And here I thought you were a fan.”
“A fun of your work. That’s true.”
“I like her already. It’s a pleasure meeting you, Carly.”
“Pleasure is all mine.”
“Knox’s gonna like her, right, baby?” He winked at his wife.
“She already likes somebody else, Mykel.” She snatched a glass of champagne. “Glad you come with her, Romare. I’m proud of you.”
I did, too, and offered one to Carly.
“Guys.” Cenric joined us with his wife. “Bro.” We did a brotherly hug. “Good to see you with a date.”
“She’s not my date.”
“Hi. I’m Carly Storm. I’m his-”
“My partner in crime,” I quickly butt in.
Cenric and Mykel looked confused.
“Guys, don’t be so dumb. Males always get confused about relationship status, especially when they like women but chicken out to ask them out.”
We just stared at Adley in surprise, and so as Carly beside me.
“What? Do you think I’m blind? Don’t tell me you all disagree?” She just sipped her champagne with confidence.
“I don’t,” Sadie said.
“See?”
“Sometimes I love your bluntness,” Mykel told his wife.
“You love my mouth more,” she replied, grinning.
“Hi. I’m Sadie.” Sadie stared at Carly longer with somewhat recognition in her eyes.
“Carly Storm.”
“I thought you looked very familiar, but I couldn’t remember where I saw you.”
“Not on porn sites. I can guarantee you,” she joked, making Sadie break out to smile.
“Definitely not. You’re not porn star material.”
“Okay. Enough talking about porn, wife.” Cenric kissed the top of his wife’s head. “You two should dance. We’re giving you space before my wife says something more about porn.”
“See you around, Cenric.”
“I’m gonna dance with my wife.” Mykel held his wife’s hand, kissing it. “May I have the honor, my love?”
“Aren’t they perfect?”
“She went out on a date with Knox before Mykel met her the same night.”
“You’re kidding, right?”
“I wish I was.” I looked at Carly, smiling at the couple before they went to the dance floor. “Let’s donate some bucks.”
We went to the donation area. The staff gave me the tablet.
“I want to donate my thirty.” Carly nudged me.
I looked at her. “Are you sure?”
“Yup. It’s for mental health advocacy.”
I entered the amount and hit the donate button. Then I typed the amount that I thought was more than her bonus. Then I showed it to her.
Her eyes lit up. One thing I was sure of, Carly used to do this back then. Otherwise, she would not even think of giving away her bonus. And one thing was clear to me-she had a good heart with humility and compassion.
“Thanks.”
“You’re welcome.”
I held her hand and took her to the dance floor. “Dance with me.”
“A thank you dance for the generosity, Langston.” She made her accent thicker, and I thought it was sexy.
We started dancing to the live band.
“You look stunning.”
Her lips spread into a smile. “Really? Why haven’t you said a word back at your penthouse?”
“I was speechless.”
She rolled her eyes. “You? Speechless? Since when? Your job is literally barking around.”
I smiled. “Barking around, huh? You said it yourself. It’s part of my job.”
“You need to give yourself a break. You’ve done quite enough for a short time. You’re making your dad proud, Langston.”
“I hope so.” I pulled her closer to me so I could see the golden specks in her eyes.
“What?”
“Who really are you, Storm?”
She swallowed. Her face went pale when she broke eye contact as if she’d seen a ghost. She stared at someone behind me that she might recognize.