Tangled Beauty Page 9

  “Maybe I should try and help her out?”

  “God forbid, don’t even offer. This is her show and she won’t even appreciate your offer. Just relax, go for a walk, or stay in the room until I get back.”

  I sighed. “Okay.”

  “Sin, I’m sorry about taking off like this,” he said.

  “No, it’s okay,” I said. “I get it. Really I do.”

  “Thanks sweetie, I’ll see you in a few.”

  After hanging up, I couldn’t help but agonize over the horrible scene in the sauna. When it was all said and done, I decided to talk to Reed, since it was his right to know about Sela. If it was me, I would certainly want to know.

  I left the bedroom and walked down the hallway towards his bedroom. As I raised my hand to knock, I heard someone clear their throat and turned my head.

  “Miss me already?” asked Reed, coming towards me, holding a tray of food.

  I blushed. “Um, no I just needed to talk to you.”

  “Okay. I have to take this salad back to Sela’s room, first.”

  Before I could answer, Sela walked out of her bedroom. “Oh, there you are…”

  He handed her the tray of food. “I’ll be right back, Sinclair needs to talk.”

  Sela turned and glared at me. “You need to talk? Where’s Jesse?”

  “He had to check in at work,” I said. “But he should be back, soon.”

  “Well, I’m sure you two can talk in front of me,” she said, her lips thinned. “Reed and I have no secrets.”

  Right.

  He stared at me and must have noticed something in my expression. He turned back to Sela. “I’m sure it’s about Jesse. Why don’t you finish your lunch and I’ll be back as soon as I can?”

  She frowned. “Make it quick. We’ve had hardly any time to ourselves.”

  “It won’t take long,” I said.

  She glared at me one last time, then turned and slammed the bedroom door.

  Reed winced. “Sorry about that. She’s a little sensitive.”

  “That’s a nice way to put it.”

  He walked over to me and smiled. “So, your bedroom or mine?”

  “How about by the pool?” I said.

  “The pool?”

  I nodded.

  Yes, near the scene of the crime.

  ***

  Reed

  I followed Sinclair out to the pool, staring in awe at the way her ass moved in her shorts. It seemed to taunt me with every step.

  “So,” she said, sitting down at one of the poolside tables. “I don’t even know how to tell you this…”

  I sat down across from her. “Don’t worry, I hear it all the time.”

  She looked at me, shocked. “What?”

  “You can’t stop thinking about me,” I said, grinning broadly. “I know, it’s tough.”

  She sat back in the chair and sighed. “Somehow I think you’re going to get through this just fine.”

  I raised my eyebrows. “Get through what?”

  “Reed!” hollered Jack, waving from patio. “Mimi needs you!”

  “Can it wait?” I yelled.

  He shook his head. “No, she needs you right now.”

  “Shit,” I said, standing up. “I’ll be right back. Don’t move.”

  “Okay,” she said.

  I walked back towards the house. “What does she need?”

  “Go and find out,” he said, taking a sip of brandy or whatever the fuck he was drinking, now. “She’s in the dining room.”

  “Fine.”

  Jack rubbed the side of his moustache and motioned towards Sinclair. “Where’s Jesse?”

  “I’m not sure.”

  “Huh. Well, I’ll keep Sinclair busy until you get back,” he said, stepping off of the deck.

  I glance back towards Sinclair, who looked less than pleased to see Jack walking towards her.

  ***

  Sinclair

  Crap, what in the hell does he want? I thought, watching as Jack approached.

  “Mind if I join you?” he asked.

  “Go ahead,” I said, wishing he’d just go away.

  Instead, he sat down right next to me.

  He raised his glass. “Would you care for a drink?”

  “No thanks,” I said, looking towards the house.

  He drank the rest of his and set it down on the table. “So…”

  I looked back at him and tried to hide my revulsion. He repelled me, made my skin crawl.

  Jack glanced back towards the house and then his eyes shifted back to me. He licked his lips. “So, Sinnn…did you enjoy the show in the sauna?”

  My eyes widened in shock.

  “You could have joined us, you know,” he said with a wolfish grin.

  I stood up, totally appalled. “That’s sick.”

  “Sit down,” he demanded, sharply.

  Stunned by the acid in his tone, I obeyed, like a small child.

  “Now,” he said, his eyes pinning me to the chair. “You’re going to keep your mouth shut. If you say one word to anyone, you’ll regret it. I have connections everywhere and trust me- you don’t want to fuck with me. You got that, sweetheart?”

  I opened my mouth but couldn’t speak.

  “You got that?” he growled. “I’m not fucking around here. Answer me!”

  I nodded, vehemently.

  He relaxed, his entire demeanor changed and I wondered if he was psychotic.

  “Good,” he said, grinning like a Cheshire cat. “Because I can also make things very good for you, too. You’re a beautiful girl and as you witnessed, earlier, I enjoy beautiful girls.”

  Bile rose in the back of my throat as his eyes raked over my body.

  “You’re not from around here, so I’m sure you have no idea how powerful I am. But,” he smiled, smugly. “I’m a fucking king in these parts, so, having me as a friend is to your benefit. You need a favor- anything, you come to Jack. A small loan, some financial advice, a little company…”

  “Never,” I whispered, hoarsely.

  His face darkened. “Well, I can see that you need some time to understand the gravity of this situation. While you do that,” he said, standing up. “I’m going to go and mix myself another drink. Would you like one?”

  I shook my head.

  “Fine,” he said, swaying slightly. “Your loss.”

  As he walked back towards the house, I looked down at my hands and noticed they were trembling. I stood up and went inside to my room, not wanting to be around when the sociopath returned.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Reed

  When I located Mimi, she was still with Pastor Richie.

  “Hello, mother. Jack said you needed me for something?”

  She looked confused. “No, I don’t think so.”

  “Huh, well, okay. Sorry for the interruption,” I said, turning to leave.

  “Wait, Reed,” she said, patting the cushion next to her on the sofa. “Come and introduce yourself to Pastor Richie.”

  “We met outside,” said Pastor Richie, smiling.

  I nodded. “Yes, we did. So, I hear you’re going to be renewing your vows tonight, mother.”

  “Yes. At exactly ten o’clock tonight, under the moonlight,” she sighed, dreamily. “The same exact time we were married in Vegas.”

  “Does Jack know he’s getting married again?” I asked. As far as I was concerned, he was unaware that he was married now.

  “I mentioned it to him, yes,” she said.

  “Well, I’m very happy for the both of you,” I said. “I’m sorry I can’t stay, I’ve got some things to do. Please excuse me.”

  “Of course,” said Mimi.

  “It was nice meeting you, Pastor,” I said. “I’m sure we’ll have a chance to talk later.”

  “Indeed,” said the Pastor.

  I left them and went back outside to find Sinclair, who, unfortunately, was no longer sitting by the pool. As I turned to go back into the house and find her, Jack ste
pped back outside, his glass refilled.

  “Do you know where Sinclair is?” I asked.

  He shrugged. “Not sure. Maybe she’s already preparing for tonight’s party?”

  I stared at him, wondering if he’d somehow scared her off. “So, getting your vows renewed this evening, huh, Jack?”

  He smiled. “Yes, I guess we are.”

  “Hopefully you’ll honor them a little better, this time around.”

  His face darkened. “What in the hell is that supposed to mean?”

  I smiled, coldly. “I think you know very well what it means.”

  “You don’t know shit,” he said. “You just wait until you’re married and then we’ll talk.”

  “I may not be married, yet, but I know that when you are, you keep your dick in your pants around other women.”

  He stared at me for a minute and then sighed. “Do you honestly think that I’m the only one who has strayed?”

  “What is that supposed to mean?”

  “Mimi,” he answered. “She’s had her share of flings over the years.”

  “Right.”

  “Listen, you can believe what you want, but let me tell you something, your mother isn’t a Saint, either.”

  “As far as I’m concerned, anyone who has put up with your shit, all of these years, is a Saint.”

  He took a sip of his drink but didn’t respond.

  Sighing, I left him on the deck and went back into the house, to search for Sinclair.

  ***

  Sinclair

  I was pacing in my room, wondering if I should stay or call a cab, when there was a soft tap on my door. I opened it.

  Reed.

  “Can I come in?”

  “Sure,” I said, stepping aside.

  “You okay?” he asked, turning to face me.

  “I’m fine,” I said, wondering what I was going to say to him now that Jack had basically threatened my future. I wasn’t sure if he really had that much power, but I decided quickly that it wasn’t worth finding out.

  He sat down at the edge of my bed and grinned up at me. “So, now that you have me alone, what can I do for you?”

  “I, um…”

  His icy blue eyes slid down my body, giving me goose-bumps. “What did you want to tell me?” he asked, softly.

  I sighed. “It was nothing. I was concerned about Jesse, but now he’s on his way back. Everything’s fine.”

  “Oh, okay, that’s good news.”

  “It is.”

  He stood up and moved towards me. “Question for you…”

  “What?” I asked, looking up into his eyes.

  He raised his fingers to my lips and gently lifted away a strand of my hair. “Christ,” he whispered, staring at my mouth.

  “What?” I asked, hardly able to breath.

  He was so close I could feel the warmth of his breath on my cheek. His eyes darkened and for a second, I thought he was going to kiss me. Instead, he sighed and took a step backwards. “Did Jack make any moves on you?”

  I cleared my throat. “No. Why do you ask?”

  “Because he does shit like that. In fact, he’s hit on almost every woman I’ve brought home.”

  “That’s despicable,” I said. As far as I was concerned, Jack was a parasite.

  He nodded. “Yes. So, if he does anything to make you uncomfortable, make sure that you tell me.”

  “Okay.”

  “I’m serious, especially tonight. Once he’s had a few, you’ll want to avoid him.”

  “I will,” I said.

  “I suppose I should get back to Sela. I’m glad to hear that Jesse is doing better now. That’s a relief.”

  “Yeah, it is. He should be back in a couple of hours.”

  “Okay,” said Reed, walking towards the door. “If you need anything before Jesse gets home, come and find me.”

  “Thanks, Reed.”

  He stared at me for a few seconds longer, then turned and walked out of the bedroom.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Sinclair

  “I’m sorry I took off, the way I did, Sin,” said Jesse, arriving in my room with a flourish, a couple of hours later. He held up the shopping bags. “Here are your new clothes, by the way.”

  “Thanks. So how did everything go?” I asked.

  Jesse sighed. “Well, he’s still pressuring me but I did a lot of thinking on my way back and have decided to just end it with him.”

  I raised my eyebrows. “Really? What about your job?”

  “I’ll find another one. At least I still have the money coming in every month from my parents.”

  “Yeah, lucky you.”

  “So,” he sat down on the bed. “Any problems when I was gone?”

  Knowing that he’d cause a scene if I told him about Sela, I decided not to confide in anyone about what I’d witnessed. “No problems.”

  “Cool. Look, I’m going to take a shower and change.”

  “When does the party start?” I asked.

  “Eight. Most of the guests won’t arrive until later.

  “Okay.”

  “Thanks again for helping me out, Sin,” he said, kissing the top of my head. “I owe you, big.”

  I smiled. “Damn right you do.”

  “Seriously, though…tonight should be quite the show. It’ll be fun.”

  “Okay.”

  As far as I was concerned, however, this night wouldn’t go by fast enough. I’d had quite enough of Huntington Beach.

  ***

  Less than two hours later, Jesse walked back into my bedroom, dressed in a long-sleeved white-collared Dior shirt and black dress pants.

  “Ready to tie one on before the party?” he asked, holding out two bottles of white wine. “I grabbed these two from the cellar; the old man will never even notice they’re missing.”

  “I’ll have a glass,” I said, smoothing down my dress. “And go from there.”

  He put the bottles down on the dresser and turned to me. “Looking glamorous, Sin.”

  I smiled. “Thank you. You look pretty dashing yourself.”

  He kissed my cheek. “Thanks.”

  As he poured each of us a glass, I made one final inspection in the mirror. My hair was swept into a loose up-do, I’d applied extra makeup to my eyes, and the red dress fit like a glove. Personally, I did think I’d looked this nice at my senior prom.

  “Toast- to the sexiest couple at the party,” he said raising his glass. “May we piss off the bitches and raise some cocks a few inches.”

  I smiled as we clinked our glasses together, still secretly hoping that one in particular would be raised, even if it wasn’t mine to enjoy.

  ***

  Reed

  “Jesus, don’t start this now, woman,” I said to Sela, who was having a conniption because the heel of her right Jimmy Choo was, somehow, cracked. “You have four other pairs of shoes to choose from.”

  “But these go with my dress,” she pouted. “None of the other pairs will work.”

  “Look at this,” I said, pulling a pair of black high-heels from the bottom of her suitcase. “Why won’t these work?”

  “You just don’t understand,” she said, snatching them from me. “My dress is the color of champagne and the black shoes would never look right.”

  “So, what are you saying?” I asked.

  Her lips curled under in disgust. “I’m just going to have to wear the blue and black dress, now, I guess, which was supposed to be my back-up.”

  “I’m sure you’ll look gorgeous in either dress.”

  “Shit, shit, shit! This night is already ruined,” she hollered, throwing the broken-heeled shoe across the room.

  “Calm down, Sela. It will be fine,” I said. “You’ll still look beautiful and nobody will care if your dress is gold, black or even pea-green.”

  “You just don’t understand,” she said. “I’ve worn the blue dress, before. I’ve never worn the champagne one.”

  I sighed. “Look, I’m go
ing back to change into my suit. The one I have worn in the past and will definitely wear in the future, and frankly my dear, I don’t give a fuck if anyone notices.”

  She scowled at me, grabbed her blue dress, and slammed the bathroom door, for the umpteenth time.

  I shook my head. If this was how she acted in the beginning of a relationship, I couldn’t imagine what it would be like when the honeymoon was over. Thankfully, I wouldn’t be the unfortunate guy to find out.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Michael

  The party was well on its way by the time I arrived. I handed over my keys to the valet, who must not have thought I could see his smirk as he got into the driver’s seat. But, I didn’t care because I knew that I would be the one enjoying myself inside while he spent the rest of the evening, parking cars- ones he would never own. Not only that, but I would be leaving tonight with the most beautiful girl at the party. My cock was already twitching as I fantasized about all of the glorious things we would do together once she was in my bed.

  No more waiting.

  Half-hard, I stepped into the house and through the crowd. As I scanned the bodies of people, I was quite amazed at the turnout. Although the Eddingtons are older, most of the guests appeared to be in their twenties and thirties. Many even celebrities.

  “Oh, excuse me,” I said to a tall, blonde woman with short spikey hair as my hand brushed against her cute little ass.

  When she turned to look at me, she obviously believed it was an accident and flashed me one of her famous smiles. “No problem,” she said in a familiar, husky voice.

  I thought back to her last movie and the scene where she was naked, in bed. Although she was quite lovely herself, she still didn’t hold a candle to my beautiful, sexy, Sinclair.

  Thinking of Sinclair, I quickly looked through the crowd for my lovely goddess, but she was nowhere to be found. As I finagled my way through the many guests, I noticed that most were already drinking booze or openly indulging in other forms of mood-enhancing paraphernalia. One young musician stared at me in horror as he tried to wipe away a dusting of white powder from his nose. I pretended not to notice and continued moving.