Beep-beep, motherfucker, I’m at thewheel.
I know the drugs are taking effect when I want to dance to the music I forced myself to tolerate moments earlier. Unfortunately, the club has lost its appeal, and I’m ready togo.
Go ahead. Judge me. Call me anaddict.
My fascination with nose candy began late in high school. Too busy popping diet pills and avoiding emotional attachments, I didn’t find the uncomplicated “fuck it” quality of getting high until my senior year. Say what you will, but life could be in the shitter and with one hit, you feel instantly optimistic about your miserableexistence.
That’s some powerfulshit.
“This place is over. Let’s go.” I stand, not bothering to care if anyone follows. Why? Because I know they will. I lead, and people follow. However, I’m two steps away from the table when I realize I’m one bitch short of aparty.
Lena licks her lips as the waiter drops another fruity drink on the table. “You two go. I think I’ll stick around and let José buy me anotherdrink.”
“It’s Javier, MissDelacruz.”
“Does it really matter?” She takes a sip of her drink andwinks.
I want to be mad, but I can’t help but laugh. Javier, or whatever his name is, doesn’t stand a chance. Lena’s a goddess with long raven hair and flawless bronzed skin that wins her countless magazine covers. If she wasn’t one of my best friends, I’d probably fabricate a fucked up rumor about her just to make people hate her. But you can’t hate Lena. She’s one of the realest bitches around, and she actually likes me. I can count the number of women who’d give a shit if I lived or died on twofingers.
I’m standing with both ofthem.
Used to Lena’s open pussy policy, I yank Kirkland’s hand when I feel resistance. Stumbling at the top of the staircase, I sigh dramatically. “Come on. My buzz is going to wear off,Kirk.”
“Are you sure you’re going to be okay?” Kirkland’s lips pinch together as she stares at Lena’s bloodshoteyes.
Lena waves her off with a flick of her wrist. “Doll, I’ve been prowling for dick long before you two could recite the alphabet. Now, go find your own playpen. This one’s mine. Kisses, myloves.”
“Call us when you get home,” Kirkland calls out as I drag her down thestairs.
Just to have the last word, I yell up to the VIP area as security flanks us on both sides, “Remember to ice down your vag. You have a swimsuit shoot tomorrow and you don’t want to have meat flaps, you slut.” Lena’s throaty laugh echoes behind me as the cool Los Angeles air whips my blonde curls around myface.
The minute my Louboutins hit the pavement, a tree trunk of an arm slams across my chest. “Wait here, Miss West. I’ll get yourcar.”
Here’s the problem with being famous. I love the attention. I love people willing to bend over and take it up the ass just to please me. What I don’t love is being told what to do, and this guy just snapped my finalnerve.
“Not without these.” Pulling a set of keys out of my Louis Vuitton purse, I swing them around my finger. Just as he lunges for them, I shove a palm against his chest. “Don’t make the mistake of forgetting who signs yourpaychecks.”
Lights flash around me, but I’m too high and pissed to care that paparazzi are starting to crowd us. Over the years, I’ve learned to tune them out. Photographers are my bread and butter, and if they want a gratuitous crotch shot—so be it. There’s no such thing as badpublicity.
“Miss West, you’ve had too much alcohol to drive,” the guard whispers. “I’d be failing as your personal security if I allowed you to do this. Now, hand over thekeys.”
“Oh, you mean these keys?” I dangle them in front of his face, and his cheeks redden as I jerk them away at the lastmoment.
“Shy, just give him the keys.” Kirkland forces a smile and poses for the cameras. “You know he’sright.”
Logically, Idoknow they’re both right. Hell, I’m drunk and high. Getting behind the wheel is stupid even by my standards, but paparazzi and television cameras are on me. Passing the keys off to one of my guards would be the equivalent of admitting I have no control over my ownlife.
Fuckthat.
Control is all I have left, and I’ll be damned if the next tabloid headline will be,Shiloh West, stoned and bare-crotched, gets carried away by bodyguard from LAnightclub.
Hell no. My keys. My life. Myterms.
Handing the keys to the valet, I lean in close. “Pull my car around, and if you let anyone else drive it, I’ll have your balls and a mimosa for breakfast. Are weclear?”
The valet attendant seems like a decent guy, but I’m pretty sure he pisses himself the minute I grab his tie. Men are so easy it’s pathetic. I bet if I touch his dick he’d come right there in his cheapkhakis.
Not five minutes later, I smile to myself as my beautiful yellow Lamborghini Gallardo pulls up beside us. She was an extravagant present to myself, but after seven years in the business, I deserve her. Sure, she set me back almost two million, but when you’re one of the highest paid models in the world, people expect a certain standard fromyou.
