Chapter 22

Chapter 22
-MILLIE-
“Oh da mn, I should’ve googled what this event was about,” I whispered as the SUV pulled to a complete stop at the roundabout of The Bauer Venue.
Damian slid out of the SUV first, buttoned his suit jacket, offering me his hand. “We’ll be here an hour tops,” he assured me.
I placed my hands in his, feeling the familiar tingling whenever we touched. “No wonder you dressed me fancy.”
I fixed the flowy skirt of the red evening gown he prepared for me. It had a corset top that hugged my upper body like it was custom made and a thigh-high slit on the a-line skirt enhancing my leg with every step. I’ve never worn something like this
feel before. Candice always said that there were dresses meant to look beautiful, and there were those meant to make you beautiful. This one is the latter. I felt beautiful on my skin. I took some shots and posted them on my social media accounts before Damian fetched me from my hotel room.
My date fake boyfriend was a dashing debonair in his gray tuxedo- embellished with red rose boutonniere pinned on his jacket lapel matching the corsage around my wrist. It shouldn’t surprise me how good looking he was in formal attire, but he didn’t fail to steal my breath away. His hair was brushed back to perfection, not a strand out of place. His prominent jawline was on full display, and those dark emerald eyes bored a heated gaze on mine every time our eyes locked. Since the hotel, I swear my heart was on the verge of tipping off a critical level from how fast it was beating.
“It’s just a dress. You’re beautiful whatever you wear,” he whispered in my ear, looping my arm with his as we ascended the red-carpeted stairs towards the entry. The blinding flashes of the camera greeted us as we went. A long red stretch belt kept the cameraman and news people away from our path, but it didn’t stop them from calling out Damian’s name.
Damian stopped at a few requests for a good picture. Our final stop was on the wide standee – covering the rest of the entry- with the words The Lantz Table, An Evening Against Hunger.
Our night was only beginning. The overwhelming sensation of being around these people – like we’re celebrities on the red carpet event – jostled my anxiety forward. This isn’t my scene. I plan events and stay in the background, but never in front of the camera or stand in a crowd. And my job as social media creator starts and ends with the lens of my camera, not the lens of these professional photographers and reporters.
“Kiss for the camera!” someone shouted, and a shiver broke out on the base of my spine.
Damian grabbed my waist. I looked up at him, finding him already staring down at me. His green eyes traipse around my face languidly as a sensual smile broke out on his face. He lowered his lips to my ears. “You look stunning, Millicent. I’ll be all over you tonight, you know that, right?”
I released a breathy moan. This part of our deal was becoming my favorite clause. I’ve dreamt about Damian’s kisses for the last week, his touch and his hungry gaze as though he’d devour me if I’d let him.
I hit my lip and patted his chest. “Like you should, babe”
I swear I heard him growl as he pressed a kiss on the side of my mouth. “F ucking tease.”
If the entry to the event was fancy, the event itself was beyond glamorous. The hum of the orchestra’s string, woodwind, brass, and percussion filled the functional hall. Servers walked around with trays carrying champagne. Gold linen tables and chairs circled the dance floor. Women in designer dresses and men in thousand-dollar suits milled around, talking in groups, laughing, and drinking their choice of alcohol.
Damian had been a crowd favorite the moment we stepped inside. He addressed each person who approached him by their names, asked about their wives, kids and fishing escapade. He made everyone he conversed with feel important, stroking their egos if he must. He made sure I was introduced in their conversation, asking me questions and boasting about Effortless Events on occasion. And like he said, he was all over me, stealing kisses whenever he could, his hands never leaving my body. He’d hold my hand,”slide a hand on my lower back, ortuck me to his side like he was afraid someone would steal
me.
The first thirty minutes of the fundraiser went by like a blur. I was glued to Damian’s side, learning more about him and how good he was with people and making business deals. I only left his side when I needed to use the ladies’ room.
The ladies’ room was the size of my apartment, well-lit, and smelled of lavender. I sighed, gazing at myself in the mirror and reapplying gloss to my lips.
My cheeks ached from smiling for the last thirty minutes, and my shoes were pinching my toes.
I’d be Damian’s girlfriend for a year. It meant that this won’t be the last glamorous event I’ll ever attend.
I straightened my spine when the door opened. A woman walked inside, so I kept my composure back on. She went straight for the counter, two steps away from me. Her beaded emerald green dress caught the light as she pulled a tube from her clutch and stroked her long lashes with a mascara wand.
“Haven’t seen you around before,” she murmured. I glanced at her through the mirror, taking in her brunette waves combed to one side, creating an old Hollywood pin-up model vibe. Her lips were full, red, and lush, her clear blue eyes studying with intense curiosity.
I plastered the friendly smile I’d been wearing since walking inside this event. This is my first. I just accompanied my boyfriend.”
“Damian, right?” She closed the cap of her mascara tube and pulled out her lipstick.
“Uhm, yeah,” Her probing gaze unsettled me.
“You’ll get used to the attention he’s getting. He’s a crowd favorite.
An unsteady giggle rumbled from my throat. “I thought I was doing fine. Guess I’m not.”
“Oh no,” she puckered her lips and tossed her lipstick back to her Cleopatra Clutch, facing me. “You fit in perfectly,” she said, her icy blue eyes gliding from my head to my toes and back up to meet my eyes. “Too perfect that no one would notice you’re a fraud.”
“Excuse me?” I blinked at her. Her friendly tone shifted to menacing as fast as a lightning strike.
“You’re a good actress,” her smile was condescending, “You two sell out this couple charade the moment you stepped out of the car.”
My instinct to defend myself grew tenfold. My eyebrows tilted. “Seems this conversation is a bit biased. Is there a cut in your insults where you’ll introduce yourself and reveal why you’re trying to intimidate me?”
Her daunting gaze made me want to back down. I felt insecure about her beauty, her confidence, and her allure. She was everything I was not. Sophisticated, classy, and stunning,
She folded her arms in her middle, pushing up her voluptuous breast to spill from the cups of her dress. “I’m Sonja.”
Everything has fallen into place. I should’ve asked more about her, but I didn’t want to impose on Damian. I was willing to wait for him to tell me more about this woman, Luck had other plans, though.
So this is her, the woman who can’t take no for an answer, the reason Damian needed me. I suddenly felt protective of Damian. He made a mistake by getting involved with her but he’s setting straight things now, that’s what mattered to me.
I shoved all my insecurities away and stood taller, matching her probing gaze. “Oh, Sonja. I heard about you. Are you following Damian here as well, or are you here with your husband?”
The side of her eyes twitched. I definitely landed a strike on a sore spot. “He doesn’t belong to you.”
I pursed my lips, looking thoughtful for a moment. “And he belongs to you?” Her eyes narrowed to slits, white steam billowed from her ears and nose. “He’s human, not a thing to be owned. And he has the brains to keep a distance from a married woman like you.”
Unphased, Sonja stepped forward until we were toe to toe. Menace shone in her eyes. “You’re just a pastime, another notch
III
09:25 Sat Feb 10
Chapter 22
on his bedpost. He Il come back to me once he gets tired of you
If Daman and I were in an actual relationship, maybe her words might shake me. Too bad I know what Damun and I has The response was on the tip of my tongue, but the door latched open, and three ladies walked inside, giggling oblivious to the standoff between Sonja and me.
Sonja smirked, squaring her shoulder. “Enjoy being with him while it lasts. You’ll be out of his life before you even notice.”
She strutted out of the bathroom regally. I released a breath I didn’t know I was holding when she was finally out of sight
I stayed there a few more minutes, gathering myself and calming my wildly beating heart. When I signed up as Damian’s girlfriend, I only thought about my problems. 1 forgot to reconsider that Damian wouldn’t need my help if Sonja was your average jealous ex-girlfriend. She meant business, and she got her eyes set on claiming Damian back.
What the hell have I gotten myself into