Amberleigh slept in the next day. When she finally did drag her ass towards the kitchen, it was nearing three p.m., and the penthouse had been completely transformed. The party planner Estella and her crew had certainly been busy while Amber had drooled and snored half the day away. The joint first resembled a walk through some creepy ass woods starting at the front door. Tall, real as fuck looking twisted trees bent together to form a thick, canopy beneath which guest would ascend towards the sitting room. Fog machines were strategically hidden inside these foam husks, and when the sun went down, they would add an eerie mist enshrouding the guest’s feet along the path.This twisted road of trees led partygoers directly to the sitting room, which now resembled the front of a dark castle. Like a Goth or vampire’s wet dream come to life behind those black, stone looking doors. The room had really come together from the night before. Along with the caged creatures, dragon fountain, and
Amberleigh decided to break her own no shave rule, at least for this special occasion. Even though her dress skimmed the floor, her pits would be on view if she raised her arms. Not that she was expecting a whole lot of action tonight anyway, but judging by the way Grayson shaved his chest, he was probably into hairless girls as well. Not that hairy wasn’t entirely out these days as body positivity and a woman’s right to choose was all the rage. To shave or not to shave was the question.Of course in places like The Wastes, shaving wasn’t really a necessity, and razors were used as weapons to fight off bandits and the infected. So there was that. At least the girls out there had an excuse to look like Sasquatch. There was a very well hair endowed Goddess back at the Cobra Club who had quite a few regulars, men really liked to pet her. She even had a beard, but Amber would never be that bold.It turned out the chef’s surprise was a crew to do Amber’s hair and makeup for the event. The
Amberleigh found it a crying shame that Ivanna and Peach couldn’t stay for the party, as they had several other bookings on this Halloween night. They were gracious enough to help her get into her dress before they left though, as the second piece made it more of a two person job. They both seemed jealous when they found out the gown was an original of Angelique Grimaldi. Then Peach launched into a story about fucking Angelique’s assistant. It seemed Peach always had a story about fucking famous people, or at least someone in their inner circle anyway. Leo had tipped his cousin off the theme of the masquerade was dark fairytale, so Ivanna had planned her makeup according. When Amber glanced at herself in the full length mirror in her room, she legit barely recognized herself. The Spider Queen was alive and well bitches!Her eyes were in smoky shades of grey and black, her cheeks perfectly contoured to give her more definition than God had given her. Ivanna hadn’t bothered with fake l
Amberleigh was headed towards the kitchen when the doorbell chimed. So it begun, as the first guests were arriving, and the butler opened the door to greet them. She paused to people watch at the threshold to the kitchen, and Courtney Van Tessin strutted through the door. Her gown was white as the bitch was a swan, complete with a feathered mask and wings on her back.Amber had to give her some credit, because her satin white and feathered dress was exquisite, but no way would that woman be eating, breathing, or peeing tonight as she looked sewn into the thing. And on her arm was some eye candy, though her wings kept hitting him in the face. Her date was wearing a jester’s mask, dressed in a red and black suit. Even beneath the mask, you could tell the buff, rich dude was attractive with dark locks and bronzed skin. Well played indeed. Try and flaunt him in front of her ex-fiancé no doubt.It wasn’t lost on Amberleigh the way Grayson downed the half of his remaining bubbly in one go,
Apparently, Jackson was now dating Courtney’s sister Valencia. What the fuck were the odds? Amberleigh laughed all the way up to the bar, cutting through the mass of people, while Leo followed. She ordered a double shot of tequila and the bartender looked at her with a raised brow. He wasn’t the only one who seemed to be judging her though.Leo grabbed onto her elbow gently, “Amber, hey are you going to tell me what’s up?”She tipped the bartender and downed the shot quickly. At least she used a cocktail napkin to wipe her mouth afterward instead of the back of her hand. She wasn’t going to be seen as uncultured swine tonight.“I don’t know how much Grayson told you, but that asshole who is dating Courtney’s sister is my ex. The father of my son, who abandoned me while I was knocked up six years ago,” she explained.Leo took a deep breath and turned to the bartender, “I’ll have what she had sir, thanks.”Amber knew she should probably slow down as she’d already had a glass of champagn
Amberleigh knew she hadn’t drank enough liquor to deal with Grayson’s tantrum. She plopped down on the edge of her bed, as she might as well make herself comfortable, not to mention, her feet were aching in her designer heels. They looked good though, so what was a few blisters and loss of feeling in some of her toes for the sake of fashion?“Do I need to repeat the question for you Miss Dubois? Is there anyone at my party that you haven’t fucked?”“Yes sir, you.”He exhaled through clenched teeth, “And let me guess, you were just putting your tongue down Leo’s throat to play the part?”“I am a professional after all Mr. Godwin.”He paced back and forth across the marble, seemingly in an internal dialogue, and perhaps to control his emotions. Heaven forbid the Godwin was anything but cool, calm, and collected. It was clear she had gotten under his skin without a fucking doubt. But was it because Grayson was jealous? Or just mad as hell that it seemed she and Leo were on the fast train
Beating someone tended to make a lot of noise. Jackson was making noises as he was beaten to a bloody pulp and his foot collided with an end table sending a vase of white roses shattering against the marble floor. Not to mention Leo was still cursing Jackson out for his attempted rape, calling him every name in the book and threatening to kill him. And by the rage on his face, the chef just might kill him.Some thirty-something chick in a bird mask started to scream all hysteric- like as she walked by the room. It was her annoying screech that snapped Amberleigh out of her daze and sent her running across the room to try and keep Leo from killing her baby daddy. She definitely didn’t’ want Leo to go to prison for her. Jackson was barely moving and very bloody by this point.“Leo! Stop!” Amber yelled, “he’s not worth it!”Only then did Leo’s bloodied fist hesitate only inches above Jackson’s face as Leo made eye contact with her. Not that it mattered much, because several men swarmed i
Grayson knew his Halloween party would certainly be the talk of the fucking town this year. He didn’t know what the fuck he’d been thinking by allowing his hired surrogate to attend. He knew she was a liability with her history in the sex industry, but hadn’t realized the scope of the problem until she was recognized at his party by Ethan and Lawrence. Just how many of his family acquaintances had she fucked?And that was only the beginning of his humiliation. The way she made out with Leo in the middle of the dancefloor was unacceptable and uncalled for. That was more than just an act. His father would be on his case about it, that if Grayson couldn’t even control what went on in his own household, how could he be trusted to take over the railroad. His head hurt just thinking about the lecture he was sure to receive from his father. Quite a mess his surrogate had caused him. And he would be having words with Leo. There would need to be some ground rules and clear boundaries reiterat