Page 7 of The Heiress

Lorde feigns innocence with that stupid grin. “Just being honest,” she says, way too cheerily. “If anything, I’d think you’d be flattered. Didn’t I pay you a compliment?”

“A compliment!” Someone’s shriek echoes in Lorde’s apartment. It’s mine, isn’t it? Suddenly, I’m the big fat Italian stereotype I’ve been shrugging off for the past twenty years. To be fair, I haven’t heard this side of my voice since… Daddy…

Nope! Not thinking about it here!

“You said I was a kinky slut! You said I had threesomes and orgies and whatever the else the editor had to censor!” Those words sink deeply into me. My reputation. My honor. All ruined because of Lorde Sheen getting mad that I didn’t positively react to her sick jokes the other day. This woman… No,no, this isn’t a woman. This is a little girl. I don’t care if she’s a year older than me. She’s about as mature as twelve-year-olds discovering boobies in a Playboy magazine. “Do you know what this is going to do to me?”

“You mean you don’t do those things?” She looks me straight in the eyes and widens her smile. That’s it. I’m going to knock the teeth out of her mouth. See how many people want to take pictures of her now!

“No, I don’t, you God-awful asshole!” Tears burn in my eyes. My arms shoot into the air, my purse flailing at my side. “I’m a perfectly presentable member of society! I’m a part of the Young Women’s Club! My father holds a key to the city! I’m respectable!” Somehow, I keep my tears in my body. “Unlike you, Lorde.” Fed up with my obnoxious purse, I slam it onto herfloor and stand up with a huff. I can’t see anything because of how blurry my anger has made my vision. I think it might be colored red now, too.

However, I can make out that Lorde is not looking me in the face anymore. Her arms remain crossed in front of her chest, but one of those hands is going up to her mouth and stifling another wicked chuckle.

“I wouldn’t say you’re respectable at all right now.” There it is. The escaped guffaw, and a finger pointing right at my dress. “Can you say wardrobe malfunction? Or is itMiss Jackson if you’re nasty?”

I’m horrified before I even look down. Why. Did I. Wear this. Top? Because it’s betrayed me, one halter strap unsnapping and falling down my chest. Behold, Lorde, ‘tis my breast! Contained in a hot pink bra, but it doesn’t exactly cover much.

Of course. Ofcoursemy clothes are falling off my body around this ass. It’s like I subconsciously wanted to be half-naked like she is. With those stupid tits and those stupid six-pack abs and that stupid body wash wafting in my direction. Oh my God. Is that my hard nipple poking through pink fabric? I’m gonna hurl – then die!

Not before I take Lorde Sheen down with me!

I throw myself at her. No, not like that. My nails are extended, ready to draw blood, or to at least make it physically known that I am not a woman to be trifled with. I know I shouldn’t try this haphazard violence, but what else do I do? Cry in front of her? I’ll never! I’d rather be indicted for manslaughter than cry in front of Lorde Sheen!

She takes a huge step back. It’s not enough to make me miss her. All it does is make me trip in my black pumps while a snarl takes over my demeanor. Anger mounts. Rage boils my blood. Those tears are finally coming out and clouding my vision. I draw upon the last of my energy and lunge at her once more,crying out in the most embittered frustration I’ve ever had the displeasure of experiencing.

Why do people do this? Why has Lorde singled me out for her bullying? Why is Daddy trying to control my life and future?

Why am I thinking of Daddy right now?

“Principessa,”I hear his voice echoing in my memory.“It’s time we talked about your future. Namely, who you are going to marry…”

I make contact with Lorde. She tries to push me away, but I end up landing against her chest, hot tears exploding on her skin. I don’t expect her to wrap those toned arms around me, but she does. And I…

I feel safe. Protected. Independent.

Wait, what?

“Okay, wow.” Lorde doesn’t move, either to shove me away or bring me tighter into her embrace. “This took a turn. First your tit busts out, then you’re crying…”

These tears transform into one last surge of anger. We’ve stumbled through a doorway, and with one last push, I’ve broken through her hold and fallen forward.

Right onto her freakishly big bed. Unmade, because God forbid someone makes her bed around here.

The soft sheets greet me like an old lover. I instantly roll over and wonder what thread count they are, because it’s better than realizing I’ve popped through Lorde’s bedroom door and thrown myself onto her bed.

“All right, this isn’t what I had in mind.” I don’t know what that means, but Lorde grabs my hands and pulls me back onto my feet. No, I don’t want to touch her again. I’d rather twist my arms and make my escape now. Nope. Outta here!

Except she’s still grasping me, attempting to force me to turn around so she can say something to my face.

“Get off of me!” I inadvertently hit her bicep. Because we’re already teetering against her bed, she loses balance and smacks against the edge – taking me down with her.

“Uh…”

My vision clears. Here I am, on Lorde Sheen’s bed… with the woman herself beneath my straddled thighs. I’ve got her chest pinned down with nothing more than my black miniskirt and the legs beneath.

“I hate you,” I whisper, looking straight down at her shocked countenance. “You have no right to say those slanderous things about me. You don’t understand what it could do to me. You think it’s funny?” I slap my hands on either side of her head, ass lifting off her chest but my sharp teeth coming closer to her nose. My hair slips off my shoulder and grazes her skin. “You think it’s cute destroying someone’s reputation and damaging her relationships with lies? Because it’s not. You had no reason to do that other than to sate your evil ego. I…”

Her eyes have glazed over. Not out of disrespect, but in what I think might be attraction.

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