Page 32 of No Longer Safe

And just like that Carina was swept out of the room and into capable hands to help her look like a princess again. I meanbesides the dark circles, Carina looked amazing. It was almost impossible for her to not look incredible. Alexei was sipping on a champagne flute with orange juice but I had a feeling there was alcohol in it too. Probably more alcohol than juice. I almost wanted what he was having. Not a single one of us touched our food.

Ace leaned back in his chair. He was the only one not hungover and feeling like death. He sipped on his black coffee and watched the two of us. “Last night was fun.”

I groaned and rested my head in the crook of my elbow on the table. Alexei laughed and said something I couldn’t hear.

Unfortunately, Ace said something I could. “I’ve never seen that side of you, I guess you do live up to that name, eh.”

“No,” I groaned.

“I thought it was a good time, especially when I carried you out kicking and screaming.” Alexei chuckled again and I felt my face flame even further.

“I don’t remember that,” my voice was muffled by the table and my arm.

“Oh, it was entertaining, I didn’t know how good red looked on you until last night.” His voice had taken on a different tone and I whipped my head up to see that Ace had taken his leave.

I threw my head back and slipped down in my chair. “Has everyone seen my underwear?”

“Sadly, not everyone,” Griffin said as he slipped into the room and I decided it was my time to go find Carina and see if the professional could work her magic on me too.

Hours later,I felt a little more refreshed and I didn’t look hungover. Emeline wasn’t lying when she said theprofessionalwas the best of the best. She’d transformed the both of us and we looked like we’d gotten a full night’s rest and we weren’t dying inside. Because even with the magic she worked on the outside, she couldn’t get rid of the mess on the inside of us. My headache had somewhat subsided. I closed Carina’s door and leaned against it just as Alexei exited his room.

Alexei’s lips parted in surprise as I took him in. His black suit was made for him and his shoes shined as if they were brand new. He didn’t look like we’d had a wild night out either. He looked delicious and I hated myself for the thought.

I mean, he was attractive. Was it wrong to think that? I mean, I wasn’t acting on it. I closed my eyes briefly before I straightened up. My dress was a soft pink that fell just above my knees. My shoes were black and covered in pearls. They made my legs look incredible. But that wasn’t what caught Alexei’s attention. It was the plunging neckline. I’d insisted I didn’t need my tits on full display but Carina ordered the dress anyway. My boobs had never looked better. My hair was in thick waves down my back and my makeup was on the more natural side. I needed the soft look after the previous wild night.

“You look incredible,milaya.”

I blinked at how pretty his Russian was. It took me by surprise each time and I found myself wondering what he was saying. “Thank you.” I cleared my throat. “Thank you for dragging me out of the bar last night too. It probably wouldhave gotten worse if you hadn’t stepped in. Carina isn’t a good influence when I get like that.”

He took a step closer to me and stopped, his eyes dark. “Have you seen the video?”

I covered my face with my hands. “Oh Lord, no.”

“Do you want to see it?”

I uncovered my face in mortification. “You have it?”

His wicked grin made an appearance and I don’t know how I remained standing. “Of course I do. I wasn’t letting Carina’s drunk ass go to bed until I had a copy.”

“You’re horrible,”

He shrugged. “I never claimed to be a saint.”

“Don’t watch it.” I squeaked.

“Why do you think I saved it?” His long stride ate the space between us. “Who are you, Audrey Wilde?” He wrapped his pointer finger in a lock of my hair and tugged me closer. He released me before licking his bottom lip and I didn’t know how I was still breathing. “Try not to drink too much tonight.”

Chapter Twenty-Three

Audrey

For whatever reason,no one cared about me except the Cristof brothers. They made sure to give me trouble about the video while griping that they missed the show. They begged for another and I held up my water proudly. There was no way I was going to get drunk and wild at a wedding function. Bars and clubs were always fine, but private events and weddings were off-limits. I knew better. I knew how to handle myself. That was until most of the older family members and people I didn’t care to know decided it was time to leave.

Someone, who was definitely a Cristof brother, got ahold of the music and when Cash Money Records started bumping, Carina poked her head around her fiancé and she pointed right at me. Before I knew it she was twerking across the yard to me. Thankfully there wasn’t any alcohol in my system because alcohol andCash Money Recordswas a dangerous combination and I didn’t need any more incriminating evidence against me.

Even though my hips so badly wanted to get down, I nodded my head innocently. It was hard. It was one of the hardest things I’d ever had to do. My inner ho wanted to come out so badly. It was my weakness.

It hit me with the next song. My eyes flashed at my chosen sister and her twerking immediately changed directions right to Ace. She grabbed him around the neck and started grinding on him. As I got closer she used him as a human shield. How she maneuvered that massive man was beyond me.

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