Saturday evening rolled in, and I stood in my mirror, preparing for what felt like the biggest night of my life. I was wearing an elegant cream colored strapless gown, the highest pair of heels I ever dared to walk in, and sported a small clutch that Bentley picked out to carry my recorder.
I felt beautiful. But I was scared and nervous because Rodger’s warning sat in the back of my mind. As I got ready to walk into the lion's den full of hungry billionaire’s and their prey, I prayed it wouldn’t be the biggest mistake of my life.
“Name?” A large bouncer standing at the door with a clipboard and checklist asked.
“J-Justine,” I stammered. “Justine Sky.”
The a****n of a man gave me a cold look from head to toe before saying, “Mr. Thomas’ VIP. He’s waiting for you inside.”
He removed the velvet rope from its golden post and stepped aside to let me in. My heart thudded in my chest as I walked the red carpet of the entrance. Although I was invited by the host himself, I still felt out of place, like I was doing something wrong by being there.
Looking around the room, I saw people I recognized from TV and people I had never seen a day in my life. I can honestly say I was starstruck by the people I knew. But when the reality set in, I wondered what their dealings were with the Mafia family.
“Ms. Sky?” Another large man approached me. He was wearing a black suit and an earpiece, so I knew he was security.
“Yes?”
“Mr. Thomas is waiting for you in the VIP lounge. Right this way, I’ll escort you.”
I smiled and shook my head as the man led the way. The mood was so rebellious and luxurious, I felt like I was the damsel in the center of a mob boss film. When he showed me to the VIP lounge, Bentley sat quietly, wearing a red and black suit and gold loafers that made him look like he was the king of the underworld. It was freightening, but exhilarating.
“Finally.” His voice was rugged and confident.
“What do you mean finally? I never said I was coming to the party to chill with you.”
He chuckled and made his way over to me. As he did the day before, he took me by the hand and pulled me into his space. Our bodies collided as he placed his hand on my lower back. My knees nearly buckled under his grip, but I fought away the temptation.
“What are you doing?” I placed my hand against his strong chest to put space in between us.
“Welcoming you,” he said.
“A handshake would have done just fine.”
When we sat down on the plush red couch, I noticed we were the only two in the VIP lounge. Everything was red. It reminded me of that TLC video, Red Light Special. I wanted to ask what the color red meant to him. But I made my own assumption. Murder.
“Is this what you imagined one of my parties to be like?”
Bentley rested his hand on my thigh as we sat, gazing into the crowd of people. I didn't push him away that time. His touch felt too good to miss out on.
“I don’t know what I imagined,” I said, “but this looks about right. Classy. Elegant. Rich.”
“Very rich,” he chuckled. “Almost too rich for me. My dad is the one who puts all of this together. I’m just here to make a good impression.”
Normally, I could tell when someone was bullshitting me or trying to pull the wool over my eyes. But Bentlye’s humble nature startled me. Even though we were in a crowded room full of celebrities and elite businessmen, he didn’t showboat his success. In fact, he shied away from it.
“Do you drink?” he asked.
“When I feel like it.”
“Do you always have to be so sassy?” he laughed. “Are you gonna have a drink with me or not?”
To intrigue him even more, I did the honors. The gold bucket of chilled champagne sat in front of us with two glasses near it. Leaning in to show my thigh through the slit in my dress, I placed the cups side by side and filled them halfway. Before offering him a glass, I took a sip and made sure to hand it to him on the same side my lips touched.
I didn’t expect him to accept my gift. Then again, he’d been undressing me with his eyes since the first day we met, so I knew I had him right where I needed him to be.
“So, what’s this party all about? Is it someone’s birthday, a business gathering, a networking event?”
“It might be all of that,” he said after taking a sip from the glass. “Everyone in this room is here for some reason or another. But, why are you here?”
His question was just as seductive as his stare into my eyes. My air got trapped in my throat before I could answer, and I let out an embarrassing cough and nearly spilled my champagne all over him.
“You okay?” His hand cupped my waist as he leaned in closer. "Do I need to do CPR?”
“Yeah,” I cleared my throat. "I mean no. I'm fine.”
Bentley leaned back on the couch as if his mission of seducing me had been accomplished. I hesitated to look at him, knowing I would turn and see a confident grin on his lips that would make me want to kiss him even more than I already did.
“Lets dance.”“Dance?” I looked around nervously. “I don’t dance. Not in front of this many people.”“Who cares about them? I don’t dance either, but we’re here to have fun, right?. Just act like we’re the only ones in the room.”Bentley stood in front of me with his hand extended. He was such a gentle gangster. I would have called him a gentleman, but I was still on the fence about him.“Alright, Mr. Thomas.” I took his hand and squeezed it as hard as I could. “Since you insist.”He laughed and led me to an empty spot on the dance floor. There was a slow groove playing and a few lovers holding each other closely while laughing and swaying to the music. The minute Bentley placed his hand on my lower back and pulled me close to him, a gasp escaped my lips because the joy of dancing with the devil of Westlake felt like a fairytale.“Excited?” he asked as we swayed along with the lovers.“Nervous,” I lied. “This is my first time dancing with the stars.”“It doesn't have to be your last,”
When I pulled into my driveway, I was startled to see an expensive sports car parked in my spot. I was positive the tints were a few shades darker than what was aloud, and the engine revved so loudly that I almost went deaf. I was angry at first because of all the noise. But then I got excited, thinking that maybe Bentley had beat me home.I grabbed my heels that were sitting on my passenger seat, my clutch, and headed for the ride. Just as I got to its door, it swung open to reveal a large cloud of smoke, loud music, and someone I never expected to see.“Rodger!?” I frowned and folded my arms across my chest. “Hey! Turn that down! I have neighbors!”“Oh! Sorry, sorry, sorry!”His large, lanky frame leaned into the car and shut off the engine. He took one last puff of his cigarette before smashing it into the ashtray, then removed the keys from the ignition. He turned to me, flaunting a large smile as if he were drunk and happy to see me, and it instantly turned my stomach.“Rodger, w
I prepared for an awkward day at work the next morning. In my experience, men don’t like being rejected. So hurting Rodger’s feelings was all I thought about up until I saw a huge bouquet of roses sitting on my desk. I smiled instantly. The last time a guy had gotten me flowers, I was on my way to some cheesy high school dance.Even though receiving the flowers brightened my day the minute I saw them, I thought it was a bit much. I didn’t want Rodger getting his hopes up any more than they already were, so I took them to his office to return them.“Rodger, you didn’t have to bring me flowers.”He looked up from his laptop and, at the same time, removed his earbuds from his ears. “What was that?”“I said you didn’t have to bring me flowers. Last night was awkward, but no need to apologize. Everyone misreads the room at least once in their life.”Rodger turned off his music and leaned back against his chair. He seemed amused by my assumption. His eyes were squinty, and his smirk was ful
My love life was as dull as an old butter knife. Getting flowers from Bentley was the most romance I’d experienced in years. In my last relationship, I was bound to a cheater who wasn’t romantic at all.We met in college. My dad really liked him. But Mom, she saw right through his veil that was oh-so thin. For five years I endured the endless trauma of nurturing, nourishing, coddling, and taking care of him.He was verbally abusive. He drank a lot, and he never gave me any say so. And as someone who wanted to be an investigative journalist, staying quiet didn’t much align with me.I’m an outspoken woman. I like to have fun. I love trying new foods and getting my nails done. I like a lot of things that all women like, but most of all, I like being treated like a lady.My life changed after my relationship with Bret. I became a distant workaholic, sworn off men for the rest of my life. I said I would never get into another relationship, entanglement, or situationship. I wanted to be fre
I spent most of my day cold-calling people who were at Club Lure the night Ivy’s body was found. Each person I talked to gave a statement of what they remembered, then pointed me in the direction of someone else—Ivy’s friend. I hadn’t been able to contact her at all since the incident. She was like a ghost. A no-name. A drifter. Or someone who only came out at night. To me, that was suspicious, but I didn’t jump the gun.It was after midnight when I decided to call it a night. Late nights at the office were pretty standard for me. I got my best work done when there was no one there to bother me or get in my ear with their jealous nonsense. After packing my bag and disconnecting my laptop, I grabbed my keys and headed for the elevator.When I got to the parking garage, there was an eerie feeling in the air. I took precaution before exiting the elevator, making sure there was no one waiting for me in the shadows. When I felt like the coast was clear, I quickly headed for my car. Everythi
Instead of arguing with me, Bentley texted me the address to his penthouse and left it up to me to decide whether I wanted to come over or not. I was hesitant. Because being alone with a man I barely knew was a big no-no. But when it came to Bentley, so many things had me conflicted.I realized I had forgotten my pocket knife when I got to the elevator. By then, the doors had closed me in, and I was already on my way up. I was sure there was a camera somewhere watching me, so I kept my composure and waited for my stop.The door chimed and slid open, revealing Bentley standing at his personal bar with no shirt. His body was rippled with muscles and so many tattoos that he looked like a completely different person.“She came.” He glanced at me while pouring himself a drink. “If I had known you were coming, I would’ve put on a shirt.”My mouth watered at the sight of him. I had no complaints about him being shirtless. I enjoyed the view.“This is your home,” I said, walking in nonchalant
Rodger’s car was on the footage. There was a dark figure standing beside it, but I couldn’t tell if it was him. Whoever it was just stood there, glaring in the direction of the lobby doors.Why would Rodger be tailing Bentley?My instincts made me think he was secretly trying to steal my story and apply for the anchor position himself. He didn’t even seem interested in Ivy’s case, so it was strange. Then suddenly, an even stranger thought popped into my head. What if Rodger is working for Bentley!?"Did I leave at all?”Bentley’s voice snapped me back to reality. It was silky and smooth, but still deep and strong. By then, the bubbles from the champagne had made their way into my bloodstream and made me feel just as nice.“Not yet,” I tried to hide my smile. “You are so arrogant, you know?”“I’m arrogant?” He laughed like an almighty king, and I was his peasant. “I don’t think I am. Confident, maybe.”I looked over to him, canvassing his art work as if he were looking for any imperfec
Being in Bentley’s presence gave me a feeling I had never felt before. So, I agreed to one last drink if he agreed to tell me what he knew about Ivy. He insisted he didn't know anything about her, but I knew different. I knew that his company had asked to buy her plant shop a week before she was killed. What I didn't know was why he wanted to hide it.“Tell me about this job of yours,” he said as he refilled our glasses. “Are you on the news or documentaries? Or are you just the information mule?”“Eh,” I wavered. “A little of both. My goal is to become an anchor and eventually start hosting my very own true crime special.”“Ahh, so that’s why you’re working on this story.”“Not entirely. Ivy was an old friend of mine, and we look out for our own around here.”My tone was stern. I wanted to make a statement without having to spell it out to him, and he caught my drift. The police in Westlake weren’t always reliable, and he knew why. His family knew why. We all knew why.“Do you really
“I don’t know why I let you drag me out tonight. I hate clubs.”"Oh, stop complaining, Rodger. Once you get a few drinks in your system, you’ll be just fine.”Rodger griped from the time I picked him up until the time we got inside the club. All of that changed when we were greeted by a couple of bottle girls who were already expecting me. At first, they side-eyed Rodger. But everything was cool once I let them know he was with me.When we got to the section Bentley had waiting for me, there was a chilled bottle of champagne in a bucket of ice. A bouquet of flowers, a gift bag, and a note from him. Rodger wasn’t happy to see me being pampered by another man, but he ignored it when one of the girls made eye contact with him.“Ooo, someone’s getting some attention.” I teased.“Yeah. Right,” he blushed. “You’re lucky I like you. I never come to clubs.”I believed him. As nerdy and uptight as Rodger was most days, I couldn't imagine him being in a crowded room full of sweaty people who we
Past patterns can tell you a lot about someone’s future. At least that’s what I was taught to believe.Bentley challenged that belief of mine. He pushed barriers that I thought were unmovable. He raised emotions in me that I thought were dead. His lure was silent. It was irresistible. Most of all, it was deadly.“Hey Justine, how’s it going?”“It’ll be going well if you can help me out with this case.”I called Detective Mickey Turner after Rodger and I finished our footwork for the day. She was a family friend and a great source of information whenever I needed it. Since she’d had interactions with Bentley and kept a close eye on him, I reached out to her to ask about his statement.“Ivy Smith, huh? I can’t imagine what her parents are going through after all this.”“They’re taking this really hard,” I said. “Which is why I wanna make sure I get every bit of information I can. They deserve to know, and I know there’s something deeper going on here.”I let myself into my home and toss
I made a list, and I checked it twice. I was going to find out who was naughty or nice.The footage on the SD card Bentley gave me came in handy. I jotted down the names of people I knew and the people who looked like they might be able to tell me something. Our first stop was a woman named Silvia. From the information I gathered, she was a bottle girl at Club Lure and had served Ivy and her friend a shot or two.I was sure she would say she didn't know anything because all she did was serve drinks, but I was after any information she could lend. The smallest detail or the slightest memory could move mountains when you least expected.The ring camera chimed as Rodger and I approached her front door. He looked anxious when he saw the camera. Tiny beads of sweat sprouted across his forehead, and I zoned in like a microscope.“You okay?” I asked.“Yeah. Yeah. I’m fine.” He shifted his weight from one foot to the next. “I always get anxious when I get ready to ask questions.”“Well, it’s
Ivy was with a friend the night she was murdered.The woman who flagged down an officer when the crowd commenced outside of Club Lure. My goal was to find her so that we could retrace their steps that night, but she was like a ghost in Westlake. So much so, I thought she may have vanished because she was afraid she’d be next. Or she left because she was the one who was guilty.The flirtation that went on between Bentley and me made me reconsider a lot of things. I still thought he was involved somehow, or knew who was, but my suspicions started to shift from one person to the next.When I got to work that morning, I skipped my office and went straight to Rodger’s. He was sitting behind his desk with his earphones in per usual. I thought he’d be great company to take on my journey of finding witnesses for the day. I also wanted to figure out why his car was seen on the cameras outside of Bentley’s penthouse.“What’s up, buttercup?” He smiled and removed his earphones the minute I walke
As promised, my car was sitting in my driveway bright and early the next morning. Right where he said it would be. His guard dogs were still there too, camping out not far away.It felt strange to be guarded so closely by two men I had never met. It was because they were so fiercely loyal to Bentley that they stood watch.My chastity belt loosened a notch that morning. Thinking about how powerful of a man he was seemed to be the key. At the order of a finger or a simple command, he was a ruler. A man everyone feared and steered clear of. But not me. The more I saw of him, the more my feelings changed.“Good morning.” He sounded cheery when he called.“Morning.” I blushed so hard my voice drifted away.“Did your car get there in one piece?”“It did. Thank you.”I was so bashful it made me gag. He didn’t have to try hard either. Bentley had a way of making me smile even when I didn’t want to.“What are your plans for the day?” he asked. “I’ll be stuck in a business meeting with some gru
“Don’t you touch that door.”I removed my seatbelt as the car came to a halt in my driveway. Bentley gave me a stern look that set me on edge again, but then I realized he was on his way to my side of the car.“A lady never opens her own door.”I held onto his hand and eased my way out. Still a little embarrassed for getting too ahead of myself, I took the walk of shame to my front door. Bentley stayed right behind me, making sure I made every step and didn’t trip over so much as a pebble. It was romantic. Thoughtful. Sweet. Until it wasn’t.“What the hell?” I frowned. “I could have sworn I locked this.”I pushed open my half-shut front door and reached for the lamp. Afraid of what I might find, I kept my eyes on Bentley, who looked more concerned than I felt. Because I was still tipsy, I couldn’t remember if I had left my door open in a hurry or if someone had gone in while I was out. When Bentey realized my dilemma, he jumped straight into action.“I take it you didn’t leave this ope
Being in Bentley’s presence gave me a feeling I had never felt before. So, I agreed to one last drink if he agreed to tell me what he knew about Ivy. He insisted he didn't know anything about her, but I knew different. I knew that his company had asked to buy her plant shop a week before she was killed. What I didn't know was why he wanted to hide it.“Tell me about this job of yours,” he said as he refilled our glasses. “Are you on the news or documentaries? Or are you just the information mule?”“Eh,” I wavered. “A little of both. My goal is to become an anchor and eventually start hosting my very own true crime special.”“Ahh, so that’s why you’re working on this story.”“Not entirely. Ivy was an old friend of mine, and we look out for our own around here.”My tone was stern. I wanted to make a statement without having to spell it out to him, and he caught my drift. The police in Westlake weren’t always reliable, and he knew why. His family knew why. We all knew why.“Do you really
Rodger’s car was on the footage. There was a dark figure standing beside it, but I couldn’t tell if it was him. Whoever it was just stood there, glaring in the direction of the lobby doors.Why would Rodger be tailing Bentley?My instincts made me think he was secretly trying to steal my story and apply for the anchor position himself. He didn’t even seem interested in Ivy’s case, so it was strange. Then suddenly, an even stranger thought popped into my head. What if Rodger is working for Bentley!?"Did I leave at all?”Bentley’s voice snapped me back to reality. It was silky and smooth, but still deep and strong. By then, the bubbles from the champagne had made their way into my bloodstream and made me feel just as nice.“Not yet,” I tried to hide my smile. “You are so arrogant, you know?”“I’m arrogant?” He laughed like an almighty king, and I was his peasant. “I don’t think I am. Confident, maybe.”I looked over to him, canvassing his art work as if he were looking for any imperfec
Instead of arguing with me, Bentley texted me the address to his penthouse and left it up to me to decide whether I wanted to come over or not. I was hesitant. Because being alone with a man I barely knew was a big no-no. But when it came to Bentley, so many things had me conflicted.I realized I had forgotten my pocket knife when I got to the elevator. By then, the doors had closed me in, and I was already on my way up. I was sure there was a camera somewhere watching me, so I kept my composure and waited for my stop.The door chimed and slid open, revealing Bentley standing at his personal bar with no shirt. His body was rippled with muscles and so many tattoos that he looked like a completely different person.“She came.” He glanced at me while pouring himself a drink. “If I had known you were coming, I would’ve put on a shirt.”My mouth watered at the sight of him. I had no complaints about him being shirtless. I enjoyed the view.“This is your home,” I said, walking in nonchalant