Besieged (20 page)

"Louella. I'm good thank you. How are you?" I flash her a smile.

"Fabulous. Oh and little Cat, look at you." She spins Cat around getting a good look at her dress. Cat designed it herself. It's coral pink, strapless with a slit up to her thigh in the skirt, the fabric is light and billowy and clings to her legs as she walks. I'd prefer she was slightly more covered, but oddly she manages to make the whole thing timelessly classy.

"Hi Louella. How are you?" Cat beams at her.

"Oh, I'm very well. Much better for seeing you two. No date today?" She winks and grins at me. I've known her for a few years now. We met at this very event through Mike. I liked her instantly, she's the sort of woman who commands instant respect.

"My sister." I smile at her and she laughs. "It all looks great as usual." I gesture around the room. There must be about a hundred or so round tables all set with chairs, the table cloths are all black and each table has a centre piece with flowers and fairy lights, making each table glow.

"Thank you. Dinner will be in half an hour. Mike is already over at the bar. I must get on, but I’ll see you later. You're on my table." She hurries off out the front entrance.

As promised I find my Uncle Mike at the bar. He's my mother’s brother and has been more like a father to Cat and I over the years. He used to come and spring us from school in the holidays when my mother had just left us there, we'd go to his house and run riot. He's a good man, although probably not the best role model. He told me on my sixteenth birthday that you haven't lived unless you’ve been arrested and caught an STD at least once. He's a living legend, he used to come to all the parties and drink and bag women with the rest of us, up until a few months ago when he moved out of London. The thing is though; Mike's all we've ever had. Our mother is too busy getting married and divorced half a dozen times to even notice she has children and her multiple husbands were never around long enough to bother with us. I have a huge amount of respect for Mike, he stepped up when no-one else did.

He slaps me on the back when he sees me. "Theo. You're looking flash." He grins.

"Thanks." I roll my eyes.

"Cat, I might have to keep a close eye on you." He mock scolds her. She rolls her eyes as well.

"What are you two drinking?"

"I'll have a corona. Cat?"

"Margherita?" She smiles.

"See, now that's the spirit." He wraps an arm around her shoulders fondly.

The bar tender places the drinks on the bar in front of mike.

We venture over to our table and chat with Mike as he lovingly asks Cat about her fashion line. Cat is the baby of the family, and everyone’s favourite, including mine.

A few more people have started to arrive and the bar is quite busy now, a few business acquaintances come and speak to us boring me to the point of wanting to claw my own eyeballs out.

"God that man's a bore." Mike moans when an older guy from one of our IT companies leaves.

"Well, he does work in IT." I state.

"True. Anyway, I'm going to get another drink. I’ll need it if I have to speak to many more of these bloody people. You two want anything?"

"No. I'm good thanks." I reply.

"I'll come with you." Cat jumps up with Mike.

I turn and see Arabella has sat in the chair Mike just vacated, Jesus that woman moves fast. Her thick blonde hair hangs in loose waves down her back. She's wearing an ice blue dress with a little too much cleavage on show to be appropriate. Arabella was a very drunken one nighter from about a year ago, she's really hot but it was a huge mistake. She's what you would call a social climber and in her eyes I am the summit. She clearly didn’t get the one night only memo. I see her every now and then and every time she tries for a repeat, but I'm not into her at all. The only reason I humour her is because her Daddy is the owner of one of my biggest clients. I'm pretty sure that if she told him I'd banged her we'd lose the account. Drinking, it gets you into stupid situations like this.

So I'm forced to make small talk with her and even when Mike comes back she doesn't leave. She keeps making seemingly innocent gestures and gently touching my arm, for some reason it makes me irritable today. I absentmindedly glance across the room and meet those blazing green eyes that make my crotch tighten every time I see them.

I'm aware that Arabella is still speaking to me, but I can no longer hear her. Everything drops out of focus as I stare back at Lilly. She looks smoking hot. The dress she wears is black and floor length, fitted snugly to show her amazing figure. The top is a black bodice, while the skirt is a sheer fabric, so although it's technically floor length, you can make out every perfect detail of her long legs as if she were wearing only underwear. Her full breasts are hinted at, but by no means shown in any way. She wears black heels that make her legs look amazing. Her red hair is carefully pinned up, but a few tendrils have fallen around her face. Every man in the room is looking at her and I don’t blame them. A touch on my arm pulls me from my trance.

"Theo. Did you hear me?" Arabella asks impatiently. Her eyes dart in Lilly's direction.

"Sorry. What?"

"I said that you should come to Daddy's dinner party next week. I know he'd love to see you." Oh shit.

"I'll have to get back to you. I'm pretty busy over the next couple of weeks." I dismiss her.

"Okay, well you still have my number right?" I glance back to the bar where Lilly is now standing with her back to me, I hadn't noticed the man standing with her before, but I do now due to his arm being wrapped around her waist. An irrational possessiveness surges to the fore.

"Um, yes." I lie to her easily. "If you'll excuse me." I stand and leave her there.

I had promised myself that I wouldn't make any move toward Lilly here. Our strange relationship is not something that I want public, not the way it is now. If the papers got hold of it they would portray me as the millionaire playboy and her as a slut. Lilly would run a mile and I don’t want her portrayed that way. If I'm seen with her people will soon catch on, I can't control or hide my fixation with her. At this particular moment however that has all gone to shit, because another man has got his arm around her waist, and although I have no right to be...I'm angry about it.

"Miss Parker. Can I buy you a drink?" She turns, startled by my appearance. Her smile is dazzling.

"Theo. You're looking very... smart." The comment is innocent but the look she gives me as her eyes rake over my body definitely isn't. I smile, knowing that she’s a woman who will appreciate a tux. She leans forward placing her hands on my shoulders to air kiss my cheeks. "That tux makes me want to do horrible things to you." She whispers so quietly in my ear that I struggle to hear her. Told you.

I grin. "And you look... words fail me."

She smiles wickedly. "Thanks. Molly hooked me up, I can have the dress free if I wear it here...though it was a dress of the designers choosing..." She sighs. "Hence why I’m half naked...still, who's going to turn down Valentino!?" I nod. I have no idea what that is, some girl shit I’m guessing.

"You look stunning." I smile reassuringly at her.

I notice the man standing with her at the same time she does. He's tall, but no taller than me. His dark curly hair hangs in a mop of curls giving him a boyish touch. He's handsome, but for his large nose which dominates his face. His square jaw is now locked and tense as he weighs me up.

"Oh, Theo this is my very good friend Donnie, he came up with my brother Harry last night." I shake his hand.

"And you are Theodore Ellis." I don't miss the distaste with which he says my name, but I let it slip because it clearly has to do with my proximity to Lilly. He doesn't like it.

"Yes." I smile wryly at him, knowing that I've unsettled the boy.

"How do you two know each other?" He asks seemingly politely.

"My boss is Theo's solicitor. I sort a lot of his contracts." Lilly replies. "Although we've become friends as well." She flashes me a secret smile.

"I see. Well..." He starts.

"Lill's there you are." Another guy approaches her with a broad smile and familiar green eyes.

"We're getting drinks." She rolls her eyes at him.

"Theo..." She turns to me. "This is my annoying brother Harry." He smiles widely and is instantly likeable.

"Hi Theo.  Nice to meet you. I've heard a lot about you." He laughs. Lilly smacks him lightly across the back of his head.

"Ow. Uncalled for. I only meant the vomit in the car situation." She moves to hit him again but this time he ducks.

"Ha, missed." He laughs.

"Yes, but I know where you sleep dick shit." She smiles smugly. They're obviously close.

"Why were you sick in his car?" Donnie asks with a deep frown.

Lilly groans. "Thanks Harry.” She scowls at him. “I was very drunk." Lilly says, shaking her head clearly embarrassed.

"It valeted out, it was ok." I try to make her feel better. For some reason I hate the thought of her feeling uncomfortable.

"What car was it?" Harry asks.

"Aston Martin." Lilly replies before I do. Harry raises both eyebrows. "I know, I know." She grumbles.

"Well shit..." Harry looks to me. "Fair play man. If she vommed in my Aston I’d have kicked her to the curb." There's an awkward silence at Harry's implied term suggesting we have a relationship of some sort. He clearly knows more about Lilly and I than I thought.

"Anyway Harry...I'm sure there's someone else you could be harassing..." She glares at him.

"Yeah, there are a few ladies here who look lonely. Let’s go fix that shall we Don." Harry punches the Donnie lightly on the shoulder.

"I'm getting drinks." Donnie replies impatiently, glaring at me.

"Theo and I will get them. Go... have fun." Lilly laughs at her brother’s sulky expression. Donnie leaves reluctantly, he glances back at us before disappearing into the crowd.

"I think you have an admirer there," I say when they leave.

"Well, I have many admirers." She smiles at me. "Donnie's just protective. I've known him for years. He kind of tried to make it more, but well we all know how I can't do relationships." She sounds almost sad. "He's like a brother to me though, and Harry's best friend."

"So, he tried to put the moves on you huh? Didn't really peg him for your type." I smirk at her.

"I don't really have a type, and if I didn't know any better I'd swear you’re jealous." She cocks an eyebrow.

"Ah, but to quote a very clever woman...you're playing in the big boy’s playground now." I smile at her and wink.

"I like the improvement." Her eyes flick over my body as her lips part and her tongue traces her bottom lip. She looks me in the eye and I can feel the weight of her desire like a tangible force. Her entire body is set solely for the purpose of enticing me.

"Keep thinking those thoughts Lilly..." I know I’m throwing fuel on the fire, but I do so love to provoke her less than tame side.

"Oh, you have no idea." She flashes a wry smile and narrows her eyes. She leans forward. "Horrible things." She whispers so close her breath tickles my neck. Her words making my already hard cock ache like a bitch. I'm about to tell her that I need her now, even if I have to take her to my car, when Louella appears at my side.

"Dinner will be in ten minutes...Oh Lilly, you look lovely dear. In fact...you two make a beautiful couple." She smiles fondly at me and winks before heading outside.

“Oh god.” Lilly grumbles. I chuckle to myself.

I buy the round of drinks and follow Lilly to her table. Molly, George, Donnie and Harry are already there.

Molly smiles brightly at me. "Hi Theo. You're looking very smart."

"Thank you Molly, you're looking lovely." She stands.

"Thanks." She blushes slightly.

"I should go rescue my sister, before my uncle gets her wasted. It's kind of a speciality of his." I say.

"Your sister is here?" Lilly asks brightly.

"Yeah, the young one over there." Even though she's twenty two now, I still see her as a little girl.  I point to Cat as she's stood beside my uncle’s chair chatting to Louella.

Someone behind me lets out a low whistle. I turn and glare at the culprit to find Harry laughing. "Chill out man, I’m only kidding. She is a looker mind you."

Just as I’m about to rip him a new one Lilly punches his arm hard. "You're such a bloke. Have some respect. She is not a piece of meat!" She growls at him.

"Ow. You're such a bloke with a swing like that." She glares at him, but he just laughs. Apparently Harry doesn't take life too seriously. Throughout this entire exchange Donnie only sits and glares at me.

"I'll see you guys later." I wink at Lilly making her smile brilliantly.

Later in the evening Mike and I decide to hit the poker tables. Mikes fiercely competitive, but I almost never lose a hand at poker.

We sit and put in. I win the first three hands before the chair opposite me pulls out and Lilly takes a seat at the table. I smile and cock an eyebrow at her.

"Mr Ellis." She greets me.

"Miss Parker. I didn't take you for the gambling type." I say.

"Well, you shouldn't judge a book by its cover." She smiles sweetly. We play and she's surprisingly good. Not good enough to beat me, but better than mike. Eventually Lilly runs out of money, so I offer to team up with her. I move to stand behind her, leaning over her shoulder to play.

"Who taught you to play?" I whisper in her ear as the dealer places cards on the table.

"I taught myself. You learn quickly when necessary. I used to get roped into playing strip poker a lot." She smirks.

"I can't imagine why." I smile wryly.

"I never lost a single item of clothing in three years." She whispers, her eyes focused on the cards in front of her.

"Well, I might just have to challenge you to a game then." I say quietly.

"No games necessary." She smirks. I groan.  Jesus the girl knows how to work a guy, I'll give her that.

"Careful, or I'll be throwing you over my shoulder and dragging you to my car."