Page 7 of Corrupted Memories
The flashing and yelling begins as photographers and journalists swarm closer to the carpet. Jeremy beams, opening the door and stepping out. He reaches in and holds out his hand for me. I grasp it tightly and get out of the limo. I keep my head angled down, hoping to keep my face out of the photos and annoyed that Jeremy didn’t warn me about the press.
He pulls me closer to his side and hurries us along the red carpet to the building. Men dressed in black suits push the photographers back as we walk. I finally feel like I can breathe again when we make it to the elevator. One of the men follows and joins us on the ride to the roof terrace.
“What was that about?” I can’t keep the irritation out of my voice.
Jeremy stares at me sullenly. “Some guests are high-profile clients. I didn’t think it would be like that.”
I nod, not happy about it, but nothing I say or do now will change it. After a few seconds of silence, he changes the subject.
“Have I told you how beautiful you are tonight?” Jeremy asks, stepping back to appreciate the dress he bought. I curled my long, dark hair in loose ringlets,painting my lips a matching red and darkening my brown eyes with black liner.
“Multiple times.” I blush, not daring to look at the bodyguard standing silently in the corner.
“Well, I’ll just have to keep telling you because you are stunning, babe.” He grabs my hand, leading me into a small twirl as I laugh, pushing him away. Some of my tension and nerves from earlier ease.
“Stop.” I giggle. “We can dance later.”
“I’ll hold you to that,” he says as the elevator dings and the door opens. It’s a beautiful night for a celebration. Jeremy’s company rented out a hotel rooftop and has spared no expense on decor and catering. Lights floating in small barrels sit randomly throughout the terrace.
“Wow,” I gush, “this is amazing.”
“Come on, let me introduce you to some of my coworkers.” He grins, sliding his hand around my elbow to lead me to a group of people standing near one of the bars. Lawyers and bankers all seem to dress the same, in different shades of gray and black suits, with gelled-back hair and bleached white teeth. All of their faces are tight with barely any expression. Either they have Botox or none of them have a personality based on their fake smiles. And if it’s the former, then I’ll need the doctor’s name because it’s impeccable work.
“Mr. Warner, this is my beautiful girlfriend, Gianna.” Jeremy introduces me proudly to an older gentleman. I have heard enough about his coworkers to know this is the man Jeremy works with the most, one of the firm’s founders.
“Ah, the infamous Gianna. We’ve heard so much about you. I’m glad we finally get to meet you,” he says, his eyes leering down my body in a quick, uncomfortable sweep that has me stepping closer to Jeremy. His mostly gray hair is let loose on top of his head, and I wonder if it’s because if he gelled it back, we would see his balding spots.
“Sorry about that. I don’t do well with crowds,” I reply with a small smile, letting Jeremy wrap his arm around my waist and hold me closer. I glance around at the other men around us, avoiding Mr. Warner’s wandering eyes, and find the men closer to our age. This man is a creep, and I’m sure he’s the type who pays for escorts right out of high school to appeal to his perverted tastes.
“Rick Easton,” the man closest to Mr. Warner says, holding out his hand.
Over the next hour, that’s how the rest of the introductions go. Stiff smiles, handshakes, awkward niceties. Occasionally, someone comments on how I’ve been a ghost for the past two years at company parties. Every time they do, Jeremy holds me closer and quickly steers us away from them. We standnear the bar on the other side of a makeshift stage, where others are lingering over a table laid with food, and I sip my wine. Alcohol is needed to talk to this boring crowd of people pleasers. I didn’t realize how much I missed my old friends until now. I’ve kept myself busy and focused, basically deleting everyone from that time.
“That wasn’t so bad, right?” Jeremy interrupts my thoughts, and I nod, giving him a brief smile. Every glimpse of a dirty blond head in the crowd has my heart skipping a beat and my stomach dropping, but it always turns out to be another unfamiliar face.
“Want me to grab us some food? It’s a bunch of fancy stuff, but we can get pizza after.”
“Sounds great, Jer. It’s your night. You don’t have to worry about me,” I reassure him. He kisses me on the cheek and walks away. I lean against the bar counter, sipping more wine as I glance over the partygoers. My phone buzzes and I reach into my small clutch to pull it out. I roll my eyes at my brother’s text.
Matt
Where’s your head?
Gianna
Clear. Go to bed.
Matt
Love you.
I sigh, putting my phone away. My brother has always been a rock, and I know when I confessed what I saw that night, it changed both of us. He changed everything about his life to accommodate me back into it. I figured it had to be harder this time, after having a small taste of peace for the couple years I was at college, and he’d been able to live without taking care of me.
“Gianna!” a high-pitched squeal calls out. “I didn’t think you were going to make it.”
I turn to face Brittany, Jeremy’s assistant. I’d recognize her voice anywhere. She is almost like a second roommate when Jeremy stays at my apartment for weeks on end, especially during significant cases. The best part is she’s the exact opposite to me. While my hair is dark, hers is a bright blonde. While I’m more somber and subdued, she’s bubbly and outgoing. It’s like Jeremy gets the best of both worlds by spending time with each of us.
I embrace her with a small smile. “Tonight is important for him.”
