Destructive Luxe_A Luxe Novel Book 2 Page 2

  The singing has stopped and everyone is standing around us while Peachey cuts the cake. There are a lot of women here. I've only seen maybe seven or eight men and two are Rick and Rich. Every time one of these broads takes a piece of cake they turn to me smiling, some even touch me. There are a lot of congratulations being thrown around and I don't even know where they're coming from anymore. I want all of these people at the wedding so they can watch me marry the love of my life and I can rub it in their faces how unconventionally happy we are. Of course they don't know about the unconventional part.

  I'm tightly holding Lily's hand because I can feel her shaking. I think she's cold though. As I let go to take off my coat and give it to her, someone pulls her to her feet, kissing and hugging her. This better be an uncle or cousin. I stare at the dude hugging my girl for way too long if he's not a family member.

  She pulls away with a grin and grabs his arms. "How have you been?"

  I'm still waiting to find out if he's related.

  "Better." He nods then turns to me, shoving his hand out militant like. I stand to shake his hand.

  "Ian, this is Jeremy, Peachey's son."

  "Nice to meet you." I'm relieved it's her brother.

  "He's been overseas in the army for, god, what? Eleven years?"

  "Roughly." He nods, staring at her again. I immediately notice it's not a brotherly stare. I know, I stare at women like this too. If he's been gone overseas for eleven years that means he'd only lived with Lily a few years prior to departing.

  "We've really only gotten to know each other through letters and pictures." Lily smiles at me, her hand still on his arm.

  "I was in boarding school when her dad and my mom met. I've only seen Lily in person maybe five times." He puts his arm around her.

  I know dude is sporting a boner for his step sister right now and it's pissing me off.

  "Ian." Someone touches my arm but I don't want to look away from Lily, who's clueless to this perv. "You're eyes are so amazing, what's that called? Hero, heri-"

  "Heterochromia," I interrupt the woman I've already been introduced to but don't remember who she is.

  I keep an eye on this guy that's supposed to be her brother and he's a little too hands on for my liking. Luckily he walks away and Lily pulls me into the house.

  She leans into my ear. "I want to leave."

  "As soon as you're ready, baby."

  "I want to let Peachey finish talking to Jeremy then we'll go. Okay?" She smiles up at me.

  "Yeah." I nod and kiss her forehead, ready to get the fuck out of this shit-show and back to our real lives.

  "Get a room." Joanna giggled, making Lilith give a contemptuous smile.

  Catching her insolent response, Lilith tried to redeem herself. "So what've you been doing? You still seeing that one guy?"

  "Which one? There's so many." Joanna laughed, then it dawned on her what she insinuated. "I mean, not a lot. Not like that." Her eyes shifted to Ian. "I'm currently single. Focusing on school. I graduate next year. You still in school, Lily?" Her beet red cheeks almost made Lilith laugh.

  "Yep." There was no way she was going to out her own educational failure.

  "How often do you model? What do you model for?"

  "A private artist. We get together when she's feeling inspired or has a job. She takes my picture and sometimes paints it or sculpts it." She shrugged. "I don't work very often."

  "How do you afford things?" Joanna scoffed with jealousy but played it off with a laugh.

  "I'm paid well. One picture of me sells for thousands," Lilith exaggerated, but it did what it was intended.

  Joanna raised her eyebrows. "Holy shit."

  "Are you working?"

  "Drug store and school." Her feeling of insignificance showed on her face.

  "Good. Stay focused."

  In a melancholy tone she asked, "How's Chicago?"

  "Boring." Lilith shrugged neutrally.

  Ian chuckled. "Boring?" He cocked his eyebrow at her.

  "It's not Barbados." She grinned at him.

  With a low, lusting chuckle he leaned in, kissing her quickly. Joanna enviously watched, coming off pathetic. Getting them away from her, Lilith took her opportunity to say goodbye to Peachy.

  Not wanting them to leave, Peachey held Lilith for a few minutes. "Call, text, something."

  "I will. I'll keep you posted about the wedding."

  "Let me know what I can do. When are you thinking? Next summer?" She looked between Ian and Lilith.

  Lilith looked at Ian, not wanting to be the one to tell her.

  "Next month," he responded and Peachey's eyes went round.

  The memory of telling Peachey she was engaged came to mind and Lilith quickly grabbed her arm. "Peachey, don't faint."

  "I'm not going to faint." She brushed her off. "So soon!"

  "We move quickly." Lilith smiled, unable to gauge her response.

  "God, you'll be having babies by January."

  "No!" Lilith quickly said. "No, no. No babies for a really long time, if ever." Smiling, Lilith leaned in and kissed her cheek. "Thank you for today."

  Ian hugged her. "Thank you, it was all really nice."

  "Thank you two for the beautiful plate! I can't wait to hang it in the kitchen." She grinned with sincerity.

  Pointing her finger at Ian, Lilith smiled and said, "All Ian," before she walked out the door.

  The ride home was silent. She turned up the music and stared out the window, recapping her younger years and how mislead she was by Jeremy. At the barbecue when he hugged her too long, kissed her on the mouth too lingeringly, rubbed his hands over her curves to provocatively, she picked up on how misguided her youth had been. He'd always been her step-brother, but thinking back to things he would write her in letters while he was in the army, they were far from as innocent as she deemed them as a teenager. It turned her stomach to think of how he tried to take advantage of her naivety. It made her sicker that she neglected so many key parts to growing up because she didn't want to be away from her father to experience the things kids around her were. Ian was her savior and the thought she could have possibly still been with Sloan, still been so naive and lost, made her shudder.

  In the morning Ian didn't want to get up; he skipped his workout to lay with her longer.

  "You're going to be late," she said pushing him from the bed. Not letting go, he pulled her to the ground with him.

  While they were in the shower he wanted confirmation about his mother's birthday party because he knew the cop from Barbados was coming in.

  "Are you going to be at my mom's this weekend?"

  "I don't know, Ian," she huffed. "Karen's going to be there. I mean, why would I even come?"

  "Because my mom likes you. Because my mom knows you're mine and Ashley's good friend."

  Looking away, she carefully responded with, "I'll see. I'm busy this weekend."

  Knowing it was the cop that would be keeping her busy he said, "I'd like it if you were there."

  "I'd like a lot of things." She smirked getting out of the shower.

  "Name it and you got it."

  "I want a pony." She dried off.

  "The house is a little small for a pony, but consider it done." He rinsed the soap from his body.

  While inhaling his enticingly spicy, sweet body wash she chuckled and said, "I want a Lincoln."

  "A Lincoln? The car?"

  "Yes."

  "Done."

  Lilith grinned rolling her eyes. "I want an apartment." She stood stagnant and intimidated, waiting for a response. When she got none she turned to the sink to brush her teeth; he remained silent.

  That night Ian wasn't at the condo, but he called her before going to sleep. "What're you doing?" he muttered into the phone.

  "In bed." She yawned.

  "I miss you," he whispered.

  "I miss you, baby. How was today?"

  "Long. Justin Borg called. Are you available Friday?" He hoped that'd ruin plans with
Shaun.

  "Yes, what time?"

  "Four."

  "In the afternoon?"

  "Well not in the morning, baby." He chuckled.

  Lilith's heart began to race because he was no longer whispering. "Where's Karen right now?"

  "Shower. I'm sorry I couldn't be home with you."

  "It's fine. I expect you at least two nights this week though."

  "Three, maybe four."

  "Ian." She rolled her eyes. "It's not nice to get my hopes up. What's the deal with Justin Borg? What's the date?"

  "It's a golf thing."

  "What the hell do I wear for that?" she muttered.

  "I'll get you an outfit. I need you to come in before Friday so Tash can set up your flash."

  "Yeah," she huffed. Going into Luxe made her nervous. She didn't want to be around the other girls, let alone Karen. Her conscience made her worry they all knew what she was doing.

  "I'm going to get our marriage license in the next week."

  "So soon?"

  "Waiting on something?"

  "No." She chuckled.

  "Lily, I gotta go, baby. I love you."

  "Love you," she sighed knowing Karen was the reason for his abrupt disconnect.

  She put off Luxe until Thursday when Ian implored that she needed to be there and started to question that maybe she didn't want the job.

  Walking around the corner, Karen looked up from the desk, staring her dead in the eyes. "Lily." She politely smiled.

  "Hi." Lilith confidently approached. "Is Tash in today? I need to set up my drive." She held up the little white box.

  Karen snatched it from her hand. "I can do it. After all, I did invent the app."

  Lilith subdued her irritation and asked, "Is Ian in? I have a job tomorrow that I'm clueless about."

  "I think he's in his office." Her noncommittal shrug was intimidating.

  Of course Lilith took it as a test, and not falling for Karen's bait by going into Ian's office, she tucked her hands in front of her and silently waited.

  "Here, look."

  Walking around the desk, she stayed tight to herself not to touch Karen while being shown where and how to set up her appointments and clients.

  "I'll call Ian out," Karen finally said after thirty agonizing minutes. "Ian, Lily Tudor is here."

  "Send her in. I'm busy," he barked.

  "He said go in. You remember where it is?"

  "I think so. Around the corner, right?"

  While nodding her head, the discontent with Lilith going to his office was all over her face.

  "Thanks for the help." Lilith wiggled the flash drive and headed toward the hallway.

  After she knocked she pushed the door open and he held his finger up while on the phone. Stepping in, she closed the door behind her. Patiently waiting, she sat in the chair in front of his desk and he glanced at her. His call seemed never-ending and she was growing impatient. To liven up her wait, she slid her hand up her inner thigh. He amorously watched while stuck on the phone call Karen had given him right before Lilith made it into his office.

  As she reached between her legs she clamped her lips shut, dropping her head back. The last sexual contact they had was six days prior when he went down on her at the party. Ian was ramped because Karen wasn't doing it for him. Lilith was like a fine wine and going back to the cheap stuff didn't intoxicate the blood stream in a pleasurable high.

  After propping her right leg over the arm of the chair she slowly rubbed her clit. Keeping his eyes fixed on her slowly circling hand, he bit on the end of a pen while listening to mindless jabber over the phone. Five minutes later she inhaled quickly and he slid to the edge of his chair, watching her silent orgasm rip through her in vibrations. His hand cupped his hard cock through his too-tight pants while he watched her muscles tense before releasing as she rode out her silent unravel. After a minute, she lifted her head and looked at him. A few beads of sweat across his forehead glinted in the light and he loosened his tie before trying to adjust the strangled bulge through his fitted slacks. Lilith straightened her dress and locked eyes with him just as the office door opened at her back. She forgot to lock it. Her gaze drifted over her shoulder to Karen.

  "Alright, Bill, listen, I have two women standing in my office. Let me get back with you, okay?" Ian finally cut the yapper off. "You too, take care." He hung up and his glare shot to Karen.

  "I'm going for lunch," she informed him. It was clear he didn't understand why she was disrupting him. "You were on the phone so I couldn't get through. What do you want?"

  With his stare never leaving her, he responded, "I don't," and her hindrance was expressed through his snippy tone. "Make sure someone's on the desk."

  "You sure you don't want anything to eat?"

  "No. I'll be getting lunch soon. Is someone on the desk now?"

  Karen knew how much he hated her uninvited entrance through his closed door.

  "Bye, Lily."

  "Bye, Karen." Lilith smiled at her then watched her walk out. "Oh god." Pinching the bridge of her nose she whispered, "I forgot to lock the door."

  The look he had fixed on Lilith was a warm bath compared to the frigid glare he'd been giving Karen.

  With a lustful grin he replied, "Yeah you did. I want to fuck you so hard right now."

  Hopeful and eager, she leaned forward. "Fuck me. It's been days. Fuck me, baby. Please." Her eyes burned into his and a slow smile spread across his face while he watched her need for him build up on her begging expression.

  "Let's go get lunch." When he stood, she fixated on his taunting bulge.

  Walking through the condo toward her bedroom she eagerly pulled her clothes off, leaving a trail from the front door.

  "Wait, baby." Ian laughed.

  "Come on! I've been waiting too long. You're still using condoms with Karen, right?"

  "Lily," he huffed. "Don't ruin this. You know I am."

  Lilith got on the bed with her legs open and he kissed her stomach. Hurriedly, she begged him, "Oh, baby, I love you and I want to taste and feel all of you, but I really need you inside me right now."

  Enjoying her painstaking need, he laughed, but being he too had been waiting too long to be between her legs, he didn't argue and slowly eased himself inside.

  "Fuck," she breathed.

  Kissing her jaw to her ear he whispered, "You feel amazing."

  It was only three minutes before she was orgasming; she didn't even bother trying to hold back. A deep kiss initiated by her was what sent him over, orgasming like it was a first. He left her lying in the bed wrapped in the sheets and fully satisfied while he returned to work.

  After work he went right to the condo. Holding out a small black box he said, "Here."

  "What's it for?" she muttered after opening the box to two keys.

  "Your apartment," he responded with a hidden ire. Her silence made him uneasy. "Did you get one already?"

  "No." She stared at the keys. Brining wary eyes to his, she asked, "Where's it located?"

  Her fiancé renting her an apartment so she could fuck other men was a harsh reality check that she kept trying to bury.

  "My building." His response made her wince. "I won't be bothering you, trust me," he said with certainty.

  She set the box down gently. "Why are you doing this?"

  Staring her dead in the eyes he answered, "I was serious when I said I don't want other men here. You told me you want a pony, a car, and an apartment. The car will be in a week or two, the apartment I took care of yesterday, the pony didn't fit."

  With skepticism she said, "Thank you. What floor?"

  "Seven. It's not their nicest, but do you really need top notch for that?"

  Lilith watched him rigidly walk to the refrigerator, pulling out a beer. If he was mad, that wasn't the emotion he was showing; he looked more uncomfortable.

  "Hungry?" She glanced at the clock seeing it was eight.

  Without looking at her, he told her, "I ate." He initially wen
t there to fuck her, but after giving her keys to fuck another man, his idea was blazed with burning jealousy.

  "Are you staying tonight?" She approached him carefully, like he would dart.

  "I think so?"

  "Is that a question? Are you really going to get weird on me? You did this, not me."

  He wasn't expecting that hissy. "I don't know what your plans are, Lily. When's he coming?"

  "Saturday—"

  "The day of my mother's birthday party." His muttered response came off with a childish pout.

  "I'm going to come—"

  "You're not bringing him!" he snapped.

  "You're not bringing Karen!" she retorted then walked to the bedroom.

  Exhaling, he followed her and watched her pull her hair up.

  "It'll be good, Ian. Karen will see me with another man and I'll be distracted from you two. I know this is so fucked up." She touched his arm. "But let me remind you, this is your fuck up. I'm not rubbing it in your face. I'm just saying expect what you expect me to endure."

  "You're not going to ignore me for him." He sulked, continuing his childish charade.

  "I won't. He knows we're friends, and same goes for him. We're nothing more than friends."

  "With benefits."

  "With benefits," she carefully acknowledged with a nod. Pinching the bridge of his nose he kept trying to make peace with the mess he created. "Baby, I know I'm more important to you than Karen—"

  "Yeah, you are!" The intensity on his face made her sigh.

  "Shh." She pushed her fingers to his lips. "I know I'm more important to you than Karen and you should know you're more important to me than anyone else I may see. I don't need to see other people, Ian, but let's be fair here. What's good for you is good for me."

  Lilith woke in the morning from Ian's phone vibrating under her pillow. She groaned and pulled it out to a text from Karen.

  KAREN: Will you pick me up 4 work? I want to get breakfast babe

  Lilith looked at Ian who was still sleeping. "Baby." She nudged him but he didn't respond. She replied to the text.

  BABE: Ya I will. Give me about an hour ok?

  "Ian." She nudged him again and began to nibble on his ear. "Wake up, sleeping beauty, you have a breakfast date."

  KAREN: I'm wearing your favorite bra and panties today. See you soon and you'll see them soon ;)