.
ENTRY NUMBER NINE
~The Illusionists~
Elliott Grey was fuming. He couldn't believe what a wet blanket his brother was being. He was getting married for Christ sakes! He should have guessed though. Every one in Seattle knew how obsessed his brother was with his fiancé. And as soon as she and her army of skanks got wind of Elliott hiring strippers for the bachelor party it was all over. Okay that was mean, they aren't skanks- well maybe the maid of honor but for the most part they were actually great. And he adored his brothers fiancé but damn.. these were the girls from THE Illusionists. The best strippers on the west coast worked for this company. And the kick ass best man that Elliott was, he had gotten them for the night for his brother's bachelor party. And he had to drop a large non refundable pretty penny to get them to leave the club based out of LA to come to Seattle. And now he had to cancel? This was bullshit.
"Do it now, Elliott or so help me" Christian says from the doorway as he scrolls through his phone.
He rolls his eyes and sits down kicking his feet up on his brothers ungodly expensive coffee table. Hadn't this man heard of an IKEA? "I can't believe you're making me cancel your strippers"
"I can't believe you'd even order them! You knew how she'd feel about them."
He rolls his eyes again. "Not really, your girl is cooler than you are most days, didn't think she'd be anti-"
"Naked ladies grinding against her fiancé? Right Elliott. I'd lose my shit if she even thought about it" he says sitting down next to him.
"And then she had her bitchy maid of honor call me and ream me out. God that girl is a piece of work" Elliott groans recalling the screeching he endured when she called telling him that under NO circumstances should there be strippers. "Strippers are a rite of passage Christian"
"Then have them at your bachelor party, El. I don't need it"
"I'm tempted to get married just so I have a reason to!"
"Have at it! And speaking of her maid of honor- you're so hot for her" Christian says with a smug grin.
"Am not that girl is the fucking worst!"
"You doth protest too much, methinks" Christian says with a smug grin.
"Kiss my ass and you owe me 15 grand"
"Fuck off no one told you to pay all that money"
"I thought my ungrateful brother would appreciate it! I shouldn't have even told you, should've just let them show up. Like SURPRISE!" He chuckles to himself as he wonders just how mad he'd be if he did do that.
A few days later, Christian and Elliott are in Christian's massive penthouse waiting for the rest of his groomsmen to come over before they headed out for the night when there's a knock at the door.
Elliott thinking it's the rest of the guys, moves toward the door and his eyes widen to the size of saucers when he looks at the scene in front of him. He furrows his brow in confusion because he couldn't believe that at this moment there were two smoking hot girls at his brothers door soaking wet, bruised and covered in glitter.
"Hi" the brunette says softly. "Um I'm Anastasia.. I am so embarrassed that we are showing up like this, it's raining cats and dogs outside and our driver dropped us-"
"Hush, they don't even care" the blonde smirks her eyes dancing playfully. "We are here now... Is Elliott Grey here?"
"Umm that's... me?" He says trying to keep his voice down as not to alarm Christian.
"Great. We are at the right place. We are from The Illusionists. Sorry we are a bit late but-"
Elliott's eyes widen. "No.. no no no we cancelled you guys. Sadly" he says rolling his eyes. "My brothers fiancé had a cow" he shrugs.
"Are you sure you cancelled the invoice? There's no way they would have sent us across state lines for nothing" Anastasia says looking at her phone trying to pull up the email.
"Can we at least come in, we are drenched" The blonde says.
He sighs. "Fine... My brother is going to flip though"
He ushers them into the living room and Anastasia immediately disappears to use the bathroom and change into some dry (less stripper like) clothing before they head back to Los Angeles.
"So you're not the groom, right?" The blonde asks.
"Nope. Best man... what's your name anyway?"
"Katherine... well Kate"
"Well Kate... I'm sorry you came all the way here for nothing"
"Why are you sorry? You paid right? And you're not getting married." She smiles cheekily.
His eyes widen at the thought of these two sexy women stripping for him but he wonders what his brother would have to do in the meantime to keep himself occupied. "Now?" He stutters.
"I couldn't think of a better time" she says holding her hand out. "Lead me to an empty room handsome"
"What about Anastasia..? And my brother is around here somewhere if he finds some strange woman in his apartment he'll freak."
She shrugs. "Anastasia can take care of herself. Now are you coming or what?" Kate says as she pulls a bottle of patron out of her bag. "I've been dying to try out my new moves"
His eyes widen as he follows her out of the living room and up the stairs to one of Christians many unoccupied rooms.
Meanwhile:
Christian gets off the phone with Matt, his sisters boyfriend and one of his groomsmen. Matt, who was notoriously late, was calling to let him know that they'd meet him and Elliott at the restaurant later. Christian rolls his eyes to the heavens. Aka you assholes are running late. He heads out of his office and runs smack into 115 pounds of brown hair and the most perfect body he'd ever laid eyes on. He lets his eyes roam over her for a split second before he realizes maybe he should stop ogling this strange girl in his penthouse.
"I-I'm sorry sir, I got a little lost leaving the bathroom... I'm Anastasia"
He raises an eyebrow at her. "Okay Anastasia, who are you exactly and why are you using my bathroom in the first place? What are you doing in my apartment? And where the hell is Elliott?" he fires the questions off at her.
"Whoa there, slow down. There was some sort of mixup.. we are here from California. We were hired for your bachelor party but-"
"My brother cancelled it.. at least he better have. And what do you mean 'we'?" He asks with wide eyes.
"Me and my coworker... Kate. We were just leaving though"
"Who the hell let you in?"
"Elliott?"
"Of course" he says ushering her down the stairs. When they get to the living room it's empty and Anastasia looks around looking for her friend and his brother.
"Where...?" Ana looks around confused and soon gets her answer when she begins to hear music faintly playing.
"I'll kill him" Christian barks.
Anastasia giggles and he shoots her a glare. "Oh come on. He already paid for us. I thought it was just you who couldn't feast your eyes on the bare flesh" she jokes.
"Don't." He growls. "I happen to love my fiancé very much and she wasn't super thrilled at the idea"
"And she thinks you don't watch porn?"
"Big difference from a screen and.. real life"
She shrugs. "You don't touch me. I don't allow that"
"Still."
"You see a problem with it?" She asks.
"If she hired male strippers to come to a private party I'd go postal" Christian replies pinching the bridge of his nose between his index finger and thumb.
She giggles. "You're funny"
He narrows his eyes at her and she immediately stops laughing. "I would never want to hurt her."
"That's... sweet"
Kate is as naked as the day she was born straddling the elder Grey brother. Normally she doesn't get that close when she was completely naked but there was something about him. An undeniable attraction. And she knew it went both ways. The second they got into this guest room she felt the air change. It crackled between them. She moves herself slowly up and down his body, rubbing herself against all the right spots and she knew from experience that he was moments from losing it.
"Can I touch you?"
"No"
"Please" he says his voice so low and full of lust it sends her brain into a tizzy. "I've been dying to"
"It's extra"
"How much?"
"You couldn't afford it" she bites back.
"Take it all" he tilts his head back and closes his eyes as the sensation of her rubbing her naked wet core over his crotch takes over his brain. He had to have her, now.
The words are sobering on her libido and she moves off of his lap and backs up. "I... I'm sorry. We crossed a line here... I... don't want this"
"Kate..." Elliott trails off.
"No." She stops him holding up a hand the tears flooding her eyes. "This was supposed to be a joke.. funny. Because we felt bad about the strippers... It's... not anymore"
He moves towards her boxing her against the wall. "You can bet your ass my brother is having the time of his life with this little game you two concocted."
"I'm not" Kate says swallowing the tears down.
"Why?"
"I don't... I don't know Elliott. I'm not doing this again with you. Not after everything that's happened between us"
"What like you leaving me, when I needed you? And what do you mean not doing this again? Like you weren't just rubbing your naked pussy against me five minutes ago?"
"Don't fucking put that on me Elliott... I made a mistake in walking away. I didn't... I didn't know you needed me. And... I thought I could do this. I thought I could just... have a sexual relationship with you just for tonight. But- I can't."
"Don't tell me you didn't know I needed you" he growls. "You knew how much I needed you. How much I love you. Adore you. I don't just want a sexual relationship with you, Kate. I want everything with you."
"Don't" she says feeling the tears rushing to her eyes. "I knew this would happen the second Ana and Christian announced their engagement" she says rubbing her forehead.
"You can't escape me Kavanagh. We are bound together forever"
She bites down on her bottom lip. "It's too late"
"No. It's not"
"What do you think they're doing up there?" Christian asks Anastasia neither of them breaking character from this little charade but both very curious what could be going on between two very important people in their lives that have a very confusing and complicated past.
"Unsure. I think she's putting on a show, though" He raises an eyebrow at her that was more meant for his fiancé and not the stripper she was portraying so she shrugs. "Tell me about this fiancé of yours"
"What do you want to know?"
"Is she pretty?"
"Gorgeous. Unbelievably so"
"What does she look like?"
He looks at her and smiles. "Perfection"
She rolls her eyes. "Give me a break. Well you seem to be doing pretty well for yourself, what is this future trophy wife of yours going to do with her days?"
"Don't call her that. She's much more than that"
She snorts. "Yeah till you have her barefoot and pregnant in your kitchen. Is that even what she wants?"
His nostrils flare and she fears she's struck a nerve. "Fuck you"
"Wouldn't that be against the rules?" Anastasia asks as she gets up and takes a lap around the living room. She stops and takes a look at the pictures on their walls which seem to be a shrine to his fiancé. "This her?"
"Yep"
Anastasia shrugs before shooting him a smirk. "She's okay. You could do better"
"You're pushing me"
She shrugs again and continues to walk around making him anxious. "Where is your precious fiancé anyway?"
"With her friends"
"Ah. Not worried she's got male strippers of her own then?"
"No" he barks getting increasingly irritated with this line of questioning.
"Is that so? Got security on her? Her room bugged? Got a homing chip buried under her skin?"
"You can't possibly think-" He starts. "I trust her."
His answer shocks her and she immediately snaps her head to look at him. "Do you love her?"
"More than life itself" he answers and she sighs.
"Do you think she feels the same?"
"Most days" he chuckles.
"Does she trust you?"
"You've got clothes on still don't you"
"I'm sure I won't have them on for long" she responds cheekily. "You never did answer my question... what is she going to do while you're off ruling the world?"
"Be right there ruling it with me" he answers without missing a beat.
The look in her eyes isn't lost on him and he smiles knowing that his answer shocked and moved her. "Hmm" she says.
"Look I-" his words are interrupted by some very obvious noises coming from upstairs and they shoot each other a knowing look before shaking their heads.
"Kate doesn't usually... get involved with her customers"
"I'll bet"
Ana shoots him a dirty look and Christian raises his hands. "Don't start"
"My brother is... he needs someone. His last girlfriend fucked him up" He says giving her a knowing look.
"Yeah well Kate's last boyfriend wasn't exactly a walk in the park either" She says shooting him one back.
"She left him"
"He didn't leave her a choice" she retorts.
"There's always a choice" Christian replies back.
"She misses him... everyday"
"He misses her"
"Sounds like Kate and Elliott both need to work their shit out with these... people" Anastasia says.
He moves toward her and only then does he see something on her wrist that alarms him. "What is this?" he says touching her wrist causing her to wince.
"Don't..." she says giving him a look telling him to relax.
"Tell me, now"
"I... fell earlier and-"
"WHAT!? What the fuck do you mean you fell..."
"I can assure you that I'm-"
"Cut the shit, Ana. You're lucky I don't take you over my knee for that little line of questioning earlier, Kate and Elliott are upstairs fucking the shit out of each other when you and I had to talk them both off the goddamn ledge last year and now you're falling and NO ONE is notifying me?" he pulls her into his arms and touches her wrist again. "Baby this bruise is all but purple"
"I know it fucking hurts" she winces when he touches it. "I iced it, but it's clearly not helping"
"Where the hell was Sawyer?"
"He wasn't really there... and then I asked him not to tell you... because I was preparing for this..."
"What did preparing entail? Bathing in glitter?" He asks pulling her towards their bathroom. "And what do you mean wasn't really there? I pay him to watch your every move Ana, unless you're with me!"
"Strippers like the glitter!" she shrugs. "And I was... on a pole..."
His eyes widen to the size of saucers. "What."
"I didn't think you'd want Sawyer watching me pole dance, Christian" she says looking at him with a pointed expression.
"You would be correct"
"I was in a private room with Kate and some professionals... taking a class and I fell. Hurt like a bitch"
"Are you okay?" He asks holding it up to the light before placing a few light kisses on it.
She nods. "Yes. When it's healed, I'll show you my moves"
"Oh you've got moves, huh?" He asks.
"Oh yeah, they said I was a natural... well till I fell" she laughs.
"A natural? Don't get any ideas" She giggles and his face falls as he sits on the couch in their bathroom. "Come sit with me, baby"
She moves towards him and sits in her usual spot in his lap and tucks her head under his chin. "Hm?"
"Did you mean what you said earlier?.. Or was it just to get a rise out of me?"
"Which part?"
"Any of it? All of it?"
"I know you don't see me as a trophy wife"
He cups her face for them to lock eyes. "You know that right? You mean so much more to me than that. You're everything to me. Nothing in this world matters to me more than you do" he says brushing his lips over hers.
"I know" she nods.
"And the barefoot and pregnant thing?"
"You know I want babies sooner than you do, Grey. Next" she giggles.
"You're beautiful"
"I know you think so"
"Stunning. Gorgeous. You could do better"
She rolls her eyes. "Sure, Grey"
"You know pretty soon we are going to share the same last name and that sarcastic shit you do isn't going to work" he says raising an eyebrow.
"I'm enjoying it till then"
He's silent. "Oh yes, the homing chip under your skin?"
"'twas a joke"
"Not funny"
"Oh come on Sawyer basically follows me to the bathroom, tell me you don't think it was a little funny" she says putting her index finger and thumb very close together.
"No"
"Okay, poorly constructed joke. Sorry" she nuzzles his neck. "Forgive me?"
"Blow me, and I'll consider it"
"Oh?"
"You're little cat and mouse game got me horny as fuck, and it's been like three and a half hours since I've had you give me a break"
"You're about to go out with your friends and do God knows what, I am not making it that easy for you"
"So after all that, you're not going to let me fuck you? Are you nuts? I know you're needy for me right now"
"Maybe so, but I want you needy for me, all night"
"I bet you cave before I do" he growls in her ear.
"Oh you do, do you? Care to make it interesting?" She asks.
"I'm all ears" he asks.
"When you lose, I want YOU up on a pole dancing for me, Grey. And a striptease"
His eyes dance playfully and he smiles. "You got a deal." She gets off his lap and he grabs her good hand before she can leave the room. "What do I get if I win?" He asks.
She shoots him a look before chuckling. "Good one" she says before sashaying out of the room.