Page 13 of No Longer Safe

“Can you stop changing the subject? What’s going on with Brian?” I knew there was only so long I could get away with evading the topic of interest.

“He doesn’t like not having his mother here to keep tabs on me,” I began and her eyes went as round as saucers. “He didn’t like that he didn’t know Ace had four single brothers.”

“Does he not trust you?”

I chewed on my bottom lip. “I think he has every right not to if I’m dreaming about that insufferable bastard.”

She shoved away from the counter and wrapped her arms around my shoulders. “You aren’t a cheater, you haven’t done anything wrong. It’s okay to have dreams, that doesn’t mean anything. He’s just getting under your skin like any annoyingly beautiful man would.”

Some of the tension filling my chest started to evaporate. “You sure?”

She brushed a curl away from my forehead. “Brian is controlling and honestly an asshat, if you two can’t figure it out when you get home then we will start looking into other options. Okay?”

I nodded against her shoulder and for the first time in weeks, I felt relief and peace. She was right. I didn’t have a ring on my finger. Brian was my boyfriend but that didn’t have to be permanent. Either we would work out or we wouldn’t and if I had to keep fighting for it to work, maybe it wasn’t worth it.

Chapter Eleven

Audrey

Emeline hada long list of things for us to do during the day to keep us busy and pampered until the party. Facials, then mani/pedis, and then our hair done. I’d never felt so taken care of in my entire life. Seriously, how was I supposed to go back to normal after this? The only thing I didn’t care for was the traffic but if I lived here, would I ever have to drive again?What a silly thought.It wasn’t like I was rich. I wouldn’t get to live this way if I had to work here.

My dress was hanging up and pressed for the party. Ace left to do some last-minute things for his father and would see us when we got there. A white dress covered in pearls and tulle was laid out on the couch for Carina. A pair of baby pink heels were placed right below it. She jumped up and down when she saw it. She was going to look like a princess.

My light brown hair was curled softly and fell down to about mid back. My makeup was a bit darker than I usually liked but it made me feel like someone else and for tonight, I didn’t mind that one bit. My eyeshadow was smokey with a thick cat eye and my lips were painted a deep red. I knew as soon as I saw it that it was something Brian would hate which made me like it even more. A treacherous thought entered my mind wonderingif Alexei would like it before I mentally slapped myself. Who cares if Alexei liked it or not? He liked strippers, cheap fun, and probably copious amounts of alcohol. He probably also liked to live off of Daddy’s money and didn’t do anything besides sleep his life away after partying all night. I couldn’t worry myself over what he thought. I needed to get him out of my head.

Carina’s makeup was soft and natural to accentuate her already bold features. Her blue eyes practically glowed and I was right when I thought she would look like a princess. Her legs looked miles long in her heels and her outfit screamed old money. Pride swelled within my chest. She was getting everything she deserved and the sadness I felt before for myself was leaving little by little. This was all I wanted for her and I knew I would get my happily ever after too, it just wasn’t right now and I would and could be okay with that.

She twirled in front of me with a megawatt smile on her face. “What do you think?” Her black hair was board straight around her shoulders and she looked like the perfect mix between Cinderella and Snow White.

“You look like a princess,” I grinned back.

“So do you!”

The black dress I wore had a plunging neckline that was almost risqué paired with dark red pumps to match my lipstick. It hugged my figure in an almost indecent way as well, but Emeline was the one who picked it out for me. She said a baby blue number just wouldn’t do for the Maid of Honor and I deserved to feel sexy instead of the frumpy step-sister. She sent this once she collected my measurements earlier in the morning before all of our pampering. She had a great eye for these things. This wasn’t something I would have ever picked for myself. Emeline insisted I deserved to feel like never before, especially so I could send sexy pictures to my boy back home. I gaped ather like a fish while Carina cackled. Could this woman be my mother-in-law too?

“I wouldn’t say I look like a princess, more like a seductress.” I ran my hands down the front of the dress and breathed as deeply as the material would allow. I didn’t even want to know how much this dress cost and I would treasure it forever.

She looped her arm through mine. “I’m on Emeline’s side. You should go in the bathroom and send Brian a few pictures before we leave!”

I untangled myself from her and did exactly that. Maybe he would like the makeup and the dress. I quickly sent the pictures and slid my phone into the clutch paired with the dress. I would check my phone later, right now I needed to get the trembling out of my fingers and focus on walking in these sky-high heels.

The drive wasa good few hours north and I already knew what to expect from all of my Google searching. But nothing prepared me for the estate stretched out in front of us. The driver grabbed our bags from the trunk before he opened our door. Carina’s jaw was on the floor. I elbowed her in the ribs and she blinked a few times.

“You’re gonna have to get used to this life, this is gonna be your home someday,” I whispered out of the corner of my mouth as the doorman took our coats and bags from the driver. There was no telling how long this party would go and Emeline said there was no way she was gonna put us back in the car after all of the drinks and fun.

People spilled out on the front lawn and mingled in the foyer. Ace leaned against one of the massive white posts holding the front of the mansion up. He wore a suit and was buttoning up his sleeves when we approached the stairs to the front door. He held his hands out for the both of us and I was grateful for his presence as it grounded me. I was sure it did that and more for Carina. As soon as we were up the steps, he released my hand and leaned forward to kiss the pulse at Carina’s neck and I found myself feeling jealous. I looked away and tried to focus on all the strangers milling about.

“You look gorgeous, as well, Audrey.” Ace leaned forward to press a chaste kiss to my cheek and I couldn’t help but smile. There was the gentleman I was so used to back home. He looked back at his fiancé with adoration. “We have a suite upstairs, Audrey will be in the one across the hall from us.”

Carina grinned up at him and I watched the world fade away through her eyes. What was that like? Would I know that feeling when I got home and things were different between me and Brian?

“I need a drink,” I announced a little too loudly and Carina blinked right out of whatever fantasy she was having. I almost felt bad but I knew I needed to get away. I couldn’t handle any more lovey-dovey stuff for the next five minutes. The next five minutes were about getting the edge off and stopping me from thinking of all the things wrong with my relationship.

What was it my mother always said?Comparison is the thief of joy.Maybe that was all it was. The grass was always greener or some shit. Maybe if I got a little space from them I would be able to think clearer.

Ace swept his hand to the side. “There is an open bar in the courtyard, right through the double doors and under the staircase. You should be able to find it easily enough.”

I saluted him in the most cheesy manner and marched my way through the foyer which was the grandest thing I’d ever seen. Growing up we’d toured plantations and mansions in the South, this almost reminded me of that. The ceilings were massive with murals of angels and clouds. In the center of the room was the biggest chandelier I’d ever seen, I wondered how they’d even gotten up there. On either side of the room were two grand staircases that met up at the top and right below them was another set of double doors that led to the courtyard. String lights were strung about above the immaculate lawn and there was soft music playing. This was supposed to be the engagement party for the Cristof family but it seemed to be much more than that. At least two hundred people were milling about. In the center of the entryway was a marble table covered in gift bags and I wondered what the other side gave for wedding gifts. Did they give appliances and dishrags like the middle class?

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