Page 57 of Glass Wings
Are you okay?
Please answer me.
Hadley, I don’t know what to do.
Ok, I will drive over there and call the cops if you don’t answer in the next five minutes.
He would do that, she was sure. The last text was only from a few minutes ago, and she prepared her fingers for the speed text typing test of her life and instinctually replied.
I’ll be here for a few more hours. I’m safe.
Why did she write that? She could leave. Sheng said that nothing was holding her here. Why would she stay and meet a group of people, being introduced as Sheng’s escort? She pulled her text message screen back up on her phone to signal to Hector to pick her up when Sheng put his hand over her phone and pushed down, her arm falling by her side, still holding the device. He grabbed her opposite hand and tugged her back towards the kitchen.
She let herself go and followed. The two walked arm in arm into the kitchen, through the French doors, and out onto the brick patio. Hadley heard voices ahead and then spotted at least fifteen or twenty people gathering around the table and grill.
“What is going on?” she murmured to Sheng.
“What do you mean? It’s just a few close friends here to blow offsome steam and swap stories from last night's conquests. Our version of a post-party brunch, I suppose.”
The people in front of her had attended the masquerade the previous night. She didn’t know why this bothered her since she, too, was there, but she hadn’t had a single experience with anyone that felt comfortable to be around.
“Sheng, baby, please come join us!” A fabulous brunette bounced away from the group, separating herself while jumping up and down. She was tall and thin, the physique of a runway model proudly displayed in her multi-colored crop top and baggy army green pants.
Hadley, still being guided by Sheng, walked right up to her. The smile on her face fell at the sight of them together, but the woman recovered quickly and embraced Sheng, pressing the full scope of her body against his for a lingering moment.
Sheng pulled away, looking right at Hadley.
“Hailey, this is Jenny, a friend of my family. Jenny, this is Hailey, the girl I’m determined to fall in love with.” Jenny’s eyes widened, and they looked down at Hadley with slight disbelief.
“It will be quite impossible not to fall in love with this one,” she cooed over Sheng before pushing him away with a nudge of her hip. Jenny placed her arms around Hadley’s waist, guiding her away.
“Let’s get you a drink, shall we?” Jenny said, as they walked over to the table where glass pitchers of different colored liquids served as centerpieces. Jenny picked up a pitcher with golden amber liquid and poured it into two glass cups decorated with hand-painted lemons. It looked so quaint, opposite of the group of people who had debauched the entire house behind her last night.
“Here, the spiked tea has notes of a peach today—it’s refreshing,” Jenny said, handing out a glass to Hadley. Hadley took the glass and immediately lifted it to her lips, hoping to ease the social anxiety that was building up in her chest. She drank much deeper than originally intended.
“Woah, you are putting that down! Can I pour in some more?” Jenny asked in delight. Hadley matched Jenny’s infectious smile and nodded, handing her cup back.
“I thought I recognized you!” A man’s voice came from behind Hadley. Before she could whirl around, the voice’s arms clasped around her and pulled her into their body.
“You better put that precious cargo down, Saul,” Jenny demanded. The hands loosened and put Hadley back down to the ground as she spun around and took in the familiar bone structure of the pirate from the party.
Hadley took a few steps back. He glared at her in challenge. His mask was removed, but there was no mistaking the need for power displayed so publicly in his eyes.
“You don’t understand, Jenny, this little one and I have a history.” Saul smirked, crossing his arms over his chest, nursing a glass bottle of beer that he picked up off the ground in a quick, swooping motion.
“No, no. You don’t understand, Saul,” Jenny challenged, “this girl belongs to Sheng.”
Hadley watched with curiosity as Saul’s eyes darkened. After just a few moments, he let his head fall, like a dog with its tail between his legs.
“I didn’t realize you two were an item. My apologies, ma’am,” Saul said, raising his gaze back to meet hers.
“She’s a lot more than someone who belongs to me, Jenny,” Sheng came into the conversation, saving her like a lovesick boyfriend.
She didn’t even know Sheng, yet this all felt too familiar. He acted like they were in a real relationship. He was sweet, he had saved her, he was wealthy, but she felt like she had stepped into a life that she didn’t belong in.
Hadley flinched as Sheng slung his arm over her shoulder, pulling her in closer to him in front of all his friends.
“Here, Hailey, try some of this,” he said, indicating the cup in his hand, the liquid shining a sparkling blue with swirls of gold. It looked like a potion.
