Two weeks had passed. Mr. Grey and I had rendezvoused a few times in his private gym. Nothing too serious happened—just a couple of overgrown teenagers dry-humping against the one-way mirrored windows.
Strangely, Luke had taken personal time off last week. It didn't sit right with me since he never took time off. Mia was invited to model at a fashion week, which had been consuming much of my time. I found myself exhausted by stereotypical models who could talk about nothing except shoes and wet cotton balls.
Most nights, I came home late and left early in the mornings, leaving little time to spend with Kate, who was always behind closed doors—probably in bed with her new man candy. Over the past two weeks, I visited Ray a few times. Somehow, he looked much better under Dr. Trevelyan-Grey's care. I'm genuinely grateful Christian did this for my dad.
Today, for a change, I have the day off. It's a gloomy Saturday, too early to start anything that wouldn't irritate a normal human being. Instead, I put my earphones in, blast my university mixes, and begin organizing the drawers of my desk. I sift through old school papers, reading them with a mix of nostalgia and sadness. I miss the girl I used to be—so full of dreams. Life happened, and I had to put those dreams on the back burner. A tinge of resentment lingers, though I'd never admit it aloud. That would make me a bad person, wouldn't it?
Four years ago, I had it all figured out. I was going to become an editor at a publishing house, buy first-edition books, and build a family.
Now, here I am—four years later—a war machine. I haven't achieved any of those goals. My father is sick, and stress is eating me alive. I know everyone has their struggles, but sometimes I don't know how to handle mine. Kicking out my frustrations on the punching bag in Christian's gym at Escala used to help—until the day he walked in and found me crying with every punch. I decided it was better to stop using his gym for that. Instead, I'm channeling all my energy into finding the asshole threatening my people.
I don't know how many hours passed, but a soft knock snapped me out of my trance. I glanced at the desk, now covered in neatly organized papers, books, and memories. Clearing my throat, I pulled out my earphones, laid them on my bed, and went to open the door.
"Morning, stranger!" Kate shouted, barging in and playfully shoving me aside. She handed me one of the mugs she was carrying. "Earl Grey, right?" she asked, sipping her coffee.
"Mmm," I murmured, taking a sip of my tea. "It was always my drink of choice, yes. Thanks, KitKat," I added with a smile, touched that she remembered something I'd forgotten I enjoyed.
"So!" she began, glancing around at the clutter I'd created in my room. "We are going out tonight. And no, 'I'm busy' bullcrap," she said, mimicking me with an exaggerated expression. "I know you have the day off."
"You and I are having a girls' day, and tonight we're going on a double date," she declared, walking out of the room before I could protest. Clearly, this wasn't an invitation—it was a mandate. I shook my head at my best friend.
Double date? I thought to myself. Normally, my inner goddess would have squealed like a teenager. Instead, my heart sank. How could I explain to Kate that I sort of belonged to my boss? She'd think it was strange if I didn't join, so I decided to humor her. A friendly outing couldn't hurt too much, could it?
--
Kate and I rummaged through her closet, filled with designer clothes, in search of the perfect clubbing outfits. While Kate fished out daring, barely-there dresses, I looked for something that left more to the imagination.
"I found it!" Kate shrieked with joy. She leaped over to me, thrusting a silver dress into my hands. "This is it! You have to wear this, Ana," she insisted, wiggling her eyebrows.
I looked down at the soft, silky fabric in my hands. It flowed like liquid steel, glimmering in the light. The dress resembled chainmail woven into delicate silk—fitting, I supposed, for Steele in steel.
"Kate, I can't," I protested, already imagining Mr. Grey's reaction if he saw me parading around in something so revealing.
"C'mon, Annie, do it for me," she pleaded, her childlike pout impossible to resist.
I sighed and smiled at her. "Fine."
Kicking off my slippers, I shrugged out of the robe Kate had lent me after our shower and hair and makeup session. As I changed, her eyes lingered on the thick scar across my abdomen, threatening to tear up again. She quickly shook her head, plastered on a smile, and clapped her hands excitedly. "Yay!" she exclaimed, jumping up and down like a child.
--
Getting into the dress was a struggle, but we managed. Kate and I walked into The Mile High Club arm-in-arm, our synchronized steps echoing—left, click, right, click.
The line to the club was long, but I leaned closer to Kate, whispering, "It's awfully quiet for a club."
Her green eyes sparkled with amusement. "No, silly. We're heading to the roof. This is the restaurant area," she whispered back.
"Oh," I murmured, shuddering at the thought of how high we'd be.
When it was our turn, Kate strutted confidently toward the bouncer, flashing a bright, toothy smile. "Kavanagh party," she declared. The man unhooked the stanchions and let us through to the elevator.
Inside, the glass walls revealed a breathtaking view of Seattle's nightlife. Cars zipped along the freeway in the distance, searchlights danced in the sky, and apartment lights twinkled like stars.
As the elevator dinged, Kate squealed, "It's showtime!" She grabbed my hand, pulling me onto the rooftop. My stomach dropped as I remembered this was a double date—a blind date.
He's going to be so angry with me! my inner goddess wailed.
"Um, Kate," I started as we perched on barstools.
"Mm?" she hummed distractedly, waving at the bartender.
"About the blind date…" I hesitated.
Kate's head snapped toward me. "What about it?"
"I'm not really in the market for relationships right now, with Dad being sick and all…" I lied.
Kate didn't buy it. "Think of tonight as candy, Ana. You unwrap it, enjoy it, and then dispose of it," she said with a mischievous grin.
Trouble. I smelled trouble.
She handed me a tall glass filled with colorful slush. "Long Island iced tea," she said, sipping her own. Then she slid a shot of amber liquid toward me.
"To tonight! May we stay forever young, become successful, and remain the sexy bitches we are!" she toasted. She downed the shot, and I followed suit. The bitter liquid burned my throat and stomach.
"Yuck," I groaned, tapping the glass on the bar.
--
We sat sipping our drinks while Kate animatedly recounted her four-month trip to Hawaii and Barbados with her parents. She talked about visiting her father's journalistic branches, the fascinating folklore she learned, and the hot fling she had with her new "man candy." By the end, she said she'd missed me terribly, which made me smile.
When our glasses were empty, Kate dragged me to the dance floor. Her hips and arms flowed effortlessly to the beat, while I flailed embarrassingly. Laughing, she placed her hands on my hips, guiding my movements into a rhythmic sway.
Aware of the gawking bystanders, we gave them a show—dancing back-to-back, twirling and bouncing in sync. Laughter filled the air as we tried ridiculous moves, feeding off each other's energy.
Finally, my lungs burned, and I came to a standstill. "I need to go to the ladies' room!" I shouted over the music.
"'Kay!" Kate replied, still bouncing. "I'll get us more drinks and see where the boys are!"
I nodded and made my way toward the restroom. As I walked, I felt eyes burning into me. I scanned the room quickly but shook off the feeling as paranoia.
--
In the restroom, I plopped down in a stall and let out a sigh, my thoughts drifting to Christian.
"Shit!" I cursed, realizing I'd left my phone at home. Panic bubbled up—what if he'd tried to call or text me?
After finishing up, I washed my hands thoroughly and stole a glance at myself in the mirror. The girl staring back was almost unrecognizable. My straightened hair fell in sleek waves, my makeup accentuated my bright blue eyes and ruby-red lips, and the dopamine rush had left my pupils fully dilated.
I smiled at my reflection, running my hands down the sides of my dress. I look good.
Feeling a renewed sense of confidence, I walked back out to find Kate.
Rounding the corner, I saw her embracing a tall, blond man. As I approached, my eyes shifted to the figure standing beside him.
That's when I saw him.