Page 33 of A Night of Indulgence and Sloth
As we make our way over to another table, two elegantly dressed older women approach us with bright, almost unnaturally white smiles.
“Aiden. Kaleb. We’re so glad you decided to come,” the darker blonde woman coos, taking hold of Kaleb’s arm.
The lighter blonde presses herself against Aiden before placing a kiss on his cheek and leaving a pink imprint behind when she pulls away.Charming.His lips turn down in a scowl as he grabs a napkin from a passing waiter to wipe the lipstick off. The woman seems totally oblivious, sticking close to his side.
Kaleb hides his discomfort better, but the tightness in his jaw gives away just how intolerable he finds these women to be. When had I become so adept at reading their emotions? It was clear as day to me, and I couldn’t understand how these two women could be so blind not to notice.
Kaleb extracts his arm and places it on the small of my back. “Christine, Chantal, this is Liliana Sinclair.”
“It’s nice to meet you both,” I tell them, trying to figure out which one is which. Both of them wear a wedding ring, and I wonder if their husbands know how they spend their time, or who exactly they hope to spend it with.
“The pleasure is all yours, I’m sure,” the darker blonde says, while the other covers her mouth to hide a giggle. Is she aware that covering her mouth does nothing to hide the actual sound that comes out? Despite my dislike for them, I don’t let it show and take a sip of my drink instead. As much as I want to fit in at events like these, I would never let myself become like they are.
“Actually,” Aiden says, stepping up to my other side, “the pleasure is all ours.” Then he dismisses them with a tilt of his head before both he and Kaleb pull me toward the next table.
“You didn’t have to do that,” I tell them, keeping a smile plastered on my face.
“And they didn’t have to be such uptight old birds, but here we are,” Kaleb replies with a soft pinch to my back.
I can’t help the laugh that escapes my lips, causing a few guests to look over with interest. “Are these events always like this?”
“Unfortunately. Though not everyone is as ill-mannered as those two.” Aiden scoffs distastefully as he looks back at the pair of women still staring after us.
Kaleb pulls me close, his warm breath moving the few soft curls left loose around my face. “We try to make it fun by using those awful moments to figure out if those women are married for love or money. When they act like that, it’s usually because they’re only in it for wealth and status.”
We get another drink before Aiden and Kaleb introduce me to a few of their friends, all of which are much easier to toleratethan the women from earlier, and before long, it’s time to take our seats for dinner before the silent auction starts.
Because charity galas were so far outside my comfort zone, I looked up cutlery rules before coming so that I wouldn’t look like a complete fool when it came time to the meal, even if our table was strictly friends and colleagues. The food was exceptional and much too fancy. Tiny portion sizes must be how the rich stayed so thin, seeing as how even the salad was barely more than a mouthful.
Warmth spreads through my body as I ride the edge of a cheerful buzz. When the waiter comes with a pot of coffee, I jump at the chance. We still have an entire auction left to sit through, and if I drink any more, I’ll no doubt make a fool of myself.
I wonder if Aiden and Kaleb plan to bid on anything. They don’t strike me as sports fans, at least not enough to own a signed baseball. Maybe they’re collectors of art and like to hang pretty pictures in the hall of their homes. It hit me then that I didn’t know as much as I thought I did about my two bosses. In some ways, it felt like I’d known them for years, but in reality, I knew very little about them outside of work. Probably for the best.
We mingle a bit more while the auction gets underway, starting with the signed violin which goes for an exuberant amount of money. Anyone looking closely would catch the astonishment on my face, despite my futile attempts to hide it. These people were bidding more money than I’d ever seen in my entire life on trinkets and memorabilia. It’s hard for me to understand splurging like that.
As the auctioneer announces the next bid for a one-of-a-kind painting, I excuse myself to the bathroom. With as tight as my dress was, I’m sure my full bladder had me looking extra bloated, and it wouldn’t hurt to check that my makeup wasn’tsmeared under my eyes too. Having left Calantha in charge of my makeup, I wore way more than usual tonight. She’d tried to get me to wear fake lashes, but I put my foot down. With my luck, they’d unglue from my eyes at the worst moment and I’d be left looking like I had caterpillars climbing on my face. No thanks.
A sharp, pungent scent envelops me as I sashay past a crowded table, transporting me back in time. My heart hammers in my chest as I scan the room, searching for the source of it. Sweat forms on my upper lip and my palms turn clammy.Breathe, Lil. You’re in New York, not on the farm.
I walk faster, needing to get away and even more determined to find the bathroom. Lady luck is on my side when I don’t find a line or even another soul inside. Locking myself in a stall, I pull air into my lungs to steady my racing pulse.You knew this could happen someday, Lily. It’s only a scent. Tons of old men probably wear that brand. Calm. Down.
The door to the bathroom opens, followed by the sound of several heels clicking against the tiled floor. Shit. There goes my peace.
I wait until I hear them enter the stalls on either side of mine before I flush and head out to wash my hands, blotting my face with a damp paper towel to cool down. Fear has a funny way of materializing. Sometimes it comes as a cold sweat, but other times, like tonight, it’s as if the blood in your veins catches fire, searing you from the inside out. I just have to get back to the safety of Aiden and Kaleb.
With one final glance in the mirror, I exit the bathroom and take a different route back to the table, squeezing between a cluster of chairs until I catch sight of my men.
A smile spreads across my face and some of the panic seeps out of me as I take another step closer.
“Ah, my sweet Anna. I thought I saw you here.”
Dread fills my lungs, suffocating me as I recognize the man blocking my path. My vision dims, blackening around the edges. The years haven’t been kind to him, but there’s no mistaking his cruel smile. How many nights had they forced me to attend to him? How many mornings had I thrown up after he’d left and the sedative wore off? It had never seemed to matter how much I scrubbed. The scent of him lingered for days.
I try to move, to get away, but it’s as if every cell in my body has turned to ice. My heart thrashes wildly against my ribs, ringing in my ears.
“Visiting your uncle just hasn’t been the same without you, you know. Why don’t we go somewhere a little quieter to catch up?” He reaches his meaty hand toward me, placing it on my arm. Bile rises in my throat, and for a second, I fear I might actually throw up on him right here in the middle of this fancy party.
With the reminder that we’re not locked in a room on my uncle’s property, I tear my arm from his grip and stumble backwards. Directly into a server with a tray full of drinks. Glass shatters and liquid spills everywhere, but I barely notice. All eyes turn to us, watching, scrutinizing.I need to get out of here.
