Mom smiles. “It’s great to meet you, Ricky. We’re glad to have you.”
A waiter pops his head in the den, where we’ve all managed to end up. “Ms. Lancaster, dinner is ready.”
My mom brings her hands together in that slow, silent clap that rich ladies do. “Lovely. Everyone?” she pushesopen the door between the den and dining room, ushering us through.
Somehow I end up right next to Vivienne, and as the wait staff slides plates of food in front of us, mom and Elijah duck out, in search of the perfect bottle of merlot to go with the beef wellington being served.
Ricky asks Fabian about public school, giving me the opportunity to nudge Viv gently. “I like those socks,” I whisper, my cock rising from the sheer proximity. I can even smell the orange blossoms in her shampoo. “Dulce looks good on you.”
Her green eyes come to mine, wide and shining. “You look good in a tux,” she says, her voice wobbly, like even admitting it is painful. On the outside looking in, we almost appear as if we’re enemies. Only Fabian knows what's really going on.
“Thank you,” I reply, knowing it must stop here. An exchange of compliments is all there needs to be right now. All there needs to beever.
I wonder if there’s public housing available on campus?
Vivienne rolls her lips together. “You guys are going out tonight?” She looks at the lapel on my suit, searching for words as she attempts to mask her disappointment. I’m flanked with the urge to tug her chair closer to mine, tip her head back and place a soft kiss on her lips. I want to tell her it’s okay, that I won’t betray what we have, that she doesn’t have to worry. But then again, that’s exactly why I’m going. To forget her and what we have, what we’ve done.
“We’re going, too,” she adds while I’m stuck analyzing the short hem of her skirt, wondering how many times she bent overtoday and made every high school boy hard as a rock. Looking up into Vivienne’s eyes, I realize that she has brought out a possessive streak in me. Never before have I cared what a girl did when she wasn’t with me, but with Vivienne, insanity chews up logic and spits it out. Finally I process what she’s telling me.
“You’re–you and Ricky are coming to the Club?” My heart is racing. I’m going to avoid her, yet I’m excited she’s going. This is so fucked. “How?”
Her eyes narrow.
“I mean, you’re not…” I trail off, and try again. “Is Ricky a member?”
She nods. “Yes. And we’re going tonight so that I can get my mind onto other boys. Distracting boys. Boys that don’t live in my house, boys that aren’t my step brother,” she whispers, her eyes flitting between mine as she feathers the painful truth against my lips, leaning in. “I’m going to forget you.”
“Harrison,” Elijah starts, entering the room with my mother in tow. “Did you get around to revising your resume for that internship?”
My head swims and my pulse spikes. She’s what… gonna go get laid? She shouldn’t be going to the club with just Ricky, even on Entrepreneur night. She’s new and vulnerable and it’s a bad idea.
Or is it the best idea ever and that's why I hate it?
“Harrison?” Elijah hedges, sliding into his seat as my mother sits in hers.
“I haven’t yet, sir,” I reply, garnering a knowing glance from Fabian. He knows my head has been in the clouds, aka dreaming of Vivienne, all damn day. “I was preoccupied with other things today but I’ll be getting to it next week.”
With a satisfied nod, Elijah turns his focus to Ricky, and begins peppering her with questions. In the process, I learn things I don’t give a shit about. Ricky’s entire family has attended Dulce, and everyone is a member at Clear View. Ricky is friends with Brooke, and the girls will be sleeping over at Brooke’s tonight. Brooke wore a yellow dress today that Ricky just loves. Ricky also likes music, but is majoring in business in college to make her father happy and keep her place in the family will.
Of everything I heard, the lie is all that stuck.
My mother and Elijah would likely have no problem going with Vivienne and her friends attending the club tonight. It’s for the younger members, and the club is the safest place in the city due to the heightened security required for high end members. Why is she lying about going? The only reason I can think of is that she’s going to a party, and she doesn’t want to hide her hangover. If she sleeps over at Brooke’s, she can wreck herself tonight and sleep it off tomorrow.
I didn’t know who she was that day at Arcane’s. It’s not my fault we’re here, that much I know. Fate brought us together, made our chemistry unreal, then let us know that we couldn’t have the thing we were so eager to have. It’s fucked up, and no one is at fault.
Still, the idea that she’s going to get wrecked tonight in an effort to forget us makes me feel like absolute shit.
After dinner, Vivienne and Ricky excuse themselves to Viv’s room, and though Fab and I are ready to go, I make an excuse about better cufflinks, and drag him upstairs.
“Dude, we need to go,” Fab says, pacing the stretch of hall in front of my room. Elijah and mom’s laughter driftsthrough the empty house, lingering in the stairwell, reminding me of how happy they are. Reminding me that this thing with Vivienne and I have to be a few bad choices. It cannot keep going on.
“I know but I don’t trust myself. I need to talk to Viv but I need you here so I don’t–”
“Nut in your pants again?” Fab offers, and I kind of regret coming so clean to him.
I nod. “Yeah, pretty much.” No point in having an ego about it. Viv has total control over me.
“Fine,” he sighs, taking his phone out of his pocket. The screen illuminates his face, and I watch as he smiles, texting his girlfriend.
