Semblance (18 page)

The song finally ended and we broke apart our sexy dance. Calisto motioned to the club’s private security to bring the two studs over, and they did.

The taller one tried to make friendly banter with me, continuously flirting despite me informing him that I had a boyfriend.

However, he was relentless, proclaiming how he was an all-star defensemen for a hockey team that I couldn’t care less about, and how he won something called the Norris Trophy last year. He seemed surprised when I asked him if the Norris trophy was named after Chuck, and if he won it because he punched in the most teeth down on the ice.

I tried to direct his attention over to Bria, who I genuinely felt sorry for. The entire night, she seemed left out and spent most of the time quietly sipping her drink and making herself look invisible.

When I introduced Mr. Hockey Star to her, Bria seemed to perk up, but was devastated when the guy brushed her off and returned his attention to me without even a ‘hello’.

“Look Aria, I can feel chemistry between us,” he said, as I watched Bria rise from her seat to leave. “Let’s just forget about your boyfriend for one night and have a good time. After all, how many girls can say they got to sleep with a Norris trophy winner?”

I was getting fed up. “Look, I don’t know where you get this delusional idea from that I’m interested in how many pucks you block with your jock strap or how many hits you deliver on the ice,” I said. “But to be quite frank, I have no interest in you whatsoever, so it’s best you just leave me alone.”

“Why don’t you like me?” he asked.

Man, this guy was persistent. I needed to tell him something that would get him off my case for good.

“Because,” I began, and I annunciated each of the following words with absolutely clarity, “You’re beneath me.”

The look of shock on his face indicated that my words had worked, and he rose from his seat next to me and headed towards his buddy, who was busy tangled up with Calisto.

“Come on,” the hockey star said. “Let’s get the fuck out of here.”

“Why?” his buddy asked.

“The girl’s a bitch.”

“Come on, can’t you see I’m enjoying the wonderful company of Ms. Calisto over here?” his buddy moaned.

“Now, now boys, I have more than enough tight spaces to satisfy both of you,” Calis
to said, as she motioned for Mr. Hockey Star to take a seat on the other side of her. She flashed me a wink, and then began kissing the Norris Trophy winner. Meanwhile, the other guy shoved his hand underneath her dress and cupped her breast while gently kissing her neck.

The security guards at the club seemed to turn a blind eye to the fact that the centre stage was about to turn into a
porn scene.

Calisto let out a soft groan as Mr. Hockey Star spread open her legs with his right hand, and then reached down to explore her sex, his mouth still wrapped up in hers. The other guy had already pulled down the top of her dress, exposing her left breast and he began suckling her nipple.

Surprisingly, witnessing this live, sexual display aroused me.

I wanted to reach down and touch myself in order to satisfy the longing ache I felt as I watched the two men ravage Calisto with their mouths and fingers.

Luckily common sense prevailed—along with the unruly feeling that I was being a perve witnessing this carnal act against my boyfriend’s sister—and I decided to take my leave. I figured Calisto could manage by herself for the rest of the night.

I exited the club doors and took a deep breath, welcoming in the natural scent of the air outside. I walked towards the edge of the sidewalk, and raised my hand with the intent to flag down a cab.

“We have drivers, you know.” It was Bria, who was standing on the corner of the street, huddled up in her jacket, which looked a little dusty from the floor. Her face and eyes were red, as if she had been crying.

I felt terrible. I had said some cruel things to her tonight, which was normally out of character for me.

“Bria,” I began, “I’m sorry…”

“Sorry for what,” she snapped. “You’re Shadow’s girl, the woman next in line to inherit the Tremaine estate. You don’t get to be sorry. It’s your right to trample all over me, if that’s what you want. After all, I’m just the stupid bitch with the attitude problem.” I heard the self-loathing in her voice.

“Honestly, maybe it’s just best that we started over,” I said.

“Fuck you,” she snapped. “I know you’re feeling sorry for me right now. I know you’re trying to be the better person, but I don’t n
eed your sympathies or your holier-than-thou attitude. I’m perfectly happy if you continue to treat me like shit. At least that gives me an excuse to do the same to you.”

“What do you want Bria?” I asked.

Tears were streaming down her face.

“For you to go fuck yourself,” she said as she wiped the moisture off her face.

“I’ve already done that today,” I replied. “Now tell me, what do you
really
want?”

She opened the door to one of limos that was waiting outside the club.

“Oh you stupid girl,” she said, smiling. “I want what any other girl in this world wants: To be noticed, to be popular, to be loved, to be beautiful,” Bria paused, and just before getting into the vehicle, she added, “To be Calisto.”

#

Chapter Twenty

There was nothing more brutal than trying to understand the theories of harmony at eight in the morning while enduring a pulsating hangover migraine.

Today’s lecture involved dissonance and its place within modern compositions. Every note that the professor hammered out on the grand piano as an example of unpleasant chords was an assault on my brain and I found myself massaging my temples, like a psychic hack, on more than one occasion.

When it was finally over, I decided to skip the rest of
my classes for the day and go home and sleep off this unholy terror.

So this was what being a university student was really like—nights of compromised self-control leading to regretful mornings while sitting through boring lectures.

I wasn’t missing out on much.

When I finally arrived back home, I collapsed on my couch, face first, and passed out.

#

I awoke to the sounds of the doorbell. Bleary-eyed, I glanced at the clock and realized that it was now nine o’clock. I had slept for over twelve hours.

The doorbell rang one final time, and then there was silence.

I forced myself to sit up and stretch. Whoever was at the door could probably catch me another time. I felt like ass and probably looked like it too.

My cell phone, lying on my coffee table, buzzed, indicating that I had a text message. Whoever was trying to contact me was persistent.

It was Shadow.

‘Are you home?’ his text read. ‘I just got back and wanted to see you.’

Oh god, not now. I must have looked like hell and I had dragon breath that could lay waste to an entire village.

However, the thought of not seeing Shadow for one minute longer was too much for me. I desperately wanted to be in his arms again.

‘I’ll be home in an hour. I’d LOVE to see you then? XOXOXO =P’

My text reeked of desperation but fuck it. I wanted Shadow to know exactly what I was thinking.

‘Oka
y. I’ll buy us some dinner while you get yourself ready in there,’ he texted back.

Busted.

Fuck how did he know? Oh well, I was starving and dinner sounded wonderful.

I jumped in the shower and cleansed myself of any vodka and sweat residue left over from the club. After I was done, I attacked my face with makeup, doing my best to mimic the styles that Kara had showed me last night.

I wanted to look nothing less than perfect for Shadow.

With my face complete, I finished off my makeover with a pint of mouthwash while slipping into a spring dress that showcased my assets.

In one hour, I had transformed myself from drunken hobo Aria into sexy Aria.

The doorbell rang once more, and I practically threw myself at the door, opening it with the desperation of a deep sea diver surfacing for air.

He looked amazing, as always, wearing a black v-neck t-shirt that fit snuggly against his jacked frame and paired with his ripped jeans, Shadow looked like a model out of a fashion catalogue. His eyes shined as he looked at me.

“Aria, you look…”

But before he could finish, my mouth was already on his, tasting the sweetness of his lips. I wanted to devour him. He returned the kiss, his tongue pushing against mine as they intertwined.

After a long, passionate kiss that left me flush, Shadow pulled away and exhaled, out of breath.

“Missed me much?” he asked.

“Oh yeah,” I replied.

I was about to dive in for another kiss, but stopped just shy of his lips as my stomach gave off a rumble that could have been measured on a Richter scale.

We both glanced at my belly for a second.

I was embarrassed. 

“You’re in luck,” Shadow said as he raised a brown bag in his hands that gave off a mouthwatering aroma of cooked meat. “I brought us dinner. I hope veal sandwiches are okay.”

I pushed my finger against his lips and hushed him.

“Let’s not have words ruin this moment,” I said.

My stomach growled again.

“Instead, let’s succumb to the allure of your Italian sandwiches.”

We sat in front of my kitchen island, the messy but delicious veal sandwiches on our plates accompanied by a glass of red.

“So Calisto told me you girls went out last night,” Shadow said in between generous bites. I nodded as I savored the warm, breaded veal in my mouth. I was still a little hung over and it felt so good to get something into my stomach to soak up the alcohol. It was the best veal sandwich I ever tasted—though at this point I could have eaten a crayon and loved it.

I was
that
hungry.

“You enjoy yourself at the club?” Shadow asked.

“Very much,” I replied, “Though I could have done without Bria’s company.”

“Yeah, she’s a bit of a head case. I try to stay away from that one,” Shadow agreed. “She’s rather aggressive in her…advances. But anyway, I’m glad you had a good time with Calisto. It’s important to me that you two get along.”

“She’s a lot of fun,” I said. “Calisto really knows how to party.”

“It’s her form of release from all the stress as a result of the hard work she puts into the family business. She is the main reason why the Tremaine Empire still prospers.” Shadow said. “Lord knows I haven’t been focusing my full attentions on it. Finding my parents killer will always be my first priority.” He paused to take sip from his wine. “I often feel bad for dumping everything onto Calisto.”

“She seems pretty smart and good at what she does,” I said.

“Calisto is brilliant. You should see her manhandle investors and executives in the board room. She almost has it down to an art.”

“She mentioned you guys were working on a hotel and casino chain?”

Shadow nodded. “The Inferno,” he said. “It will be the Tremaine’s first big venture into the entertainment business. We used to invest in high tech companies exclusively but with all the uncertainties in the technological sector, we decide to branch out and explore new options—entertainment in particular.” He finished the last of his sandwich and wiped his mouth with a napkin. “There’s always money to be made when you focus on people’s vices.”

“I don’t know how I feel about having a casino open up in the city,” I said. “They tend to attract the seediest types of people.”

“It’s a genuine concern,” Shadow agreed. “But I’m fairly confident we can regulate the hotel and casino in such a manner that it remains exclusive to only the upper class. We’re looking to bring in the New Vegas type of crowd while filtering out the rest. Picture it more as a club and hotel, with gambling.”

“When’s the grand opening?” I asked.

“Construction is almost finished. Calisto has everyone on a tight schedule,” Shadow said. “I fear for anyone who misses one of her imposed deadlines. She can get very nasty.”

Shadow dumped his empty plate into the kitchen sink, stretched, and then walked towards the grand piano and glanced at the sheet music resting on top of it.

“Gaspard De La Nuit,” he read.

“You betcha.”

“I thought I released you from the bonds of the torturous task to play this song,” Shadow said.

“What can I say?” I shrugged as I dumped my empty plate into the sink as well and made my way over to him. “I’m a glutton for punishment.”

“You’re a musical masochist,” Shadow agreed.

“I’ve imposed it on myself to master this song,” I said. “Only when I have added Gaspard to my performance repertoire can I truly think of myself as an elite pianist, worthy enough of Vienna. Otherwise, I’d just be a hack who just got lucky.”

Shadow smirked. “A huge part of show business is just that—getting lucky.”

“I want to be better than that,” I said. “I
have
to be better than that; for dad.”

He nodded, understanding where I was coming from. We were two falling stars on the same trajectory. We were both trying to impress ghosts.

“So how’s Gaspard coming along?” Shadow asked.

“Terrible,” I said. “There are so many hot spots in the song that are finger traps. It’s like navigating a spaceship through an asteroid field.”

“Like you’ve done that before,” Shadow laughed.

“I’ve watched enough Star Wars,” I said as I rubbed my shoulders while stretching out my neck from side-to-side. “But seriously, Gaspard is becoming a detriment to both my mental and physical health. My shoulder blade feels like it’s been stabbed.”

Before I could say another word, I felt Shadow’s strong fingers kneed through the knots in my shoulders. He did it with such confidence and tenderness that I was immediately delivered into the arms of euphoria.

“Oh Shadow,” I moaned as I felt the tension pent up in my muscles loosen underneath the strength of his touch.

“Why don’t you get more comfortable and I can service you better,” Shadow growled into my ear, gesturing towards the extra-long soft fabric chaise that served as my lounging chair.

My heart skipped a beat and I felt a gentle gush down in my sex.

“My body is yours,” I said as I rose from my seat and headed over to the s-shaped chair, one hand leading Shadow behind me. 

I slid myself onto the chair and laid face down.

“Do you have oil?” he asked.

“Wow, you mean business don’t you?”

“Whenever I do something, I make sure I do it right,” he replied, smiling. “Now where’s your oil?”

“Bathroom, third drawer,” I replied, my eyes focused on his long, dominating stride as he went in search of the lubricant.

Damn, he was gorgeous. I reflected back on the passionate sex we had in Cambodia and felt my nipples turn into diamonds.

“I found it,” Shadow hollered from the bathroom. “When I come back out, I expect you to be fully naked.”

“What?”

“You don’t keep your clothes on for a massage, do you?” he asked.

“Well no…”

“What’s the matter? Shy?” he teased.

But that was exactly it.

I was feeling extremely shy.

We shared our first intimate sexual experience together in heat of the moment. We were in a different country, intoxicated on wine, dancing, and the Cambodian New Year—it was the perfect chemistry for uninhibited, passionate sex. His perception of my body at that time was under the influence of testosterone and lust.

Tonight was different. What if he saw my body again and was disappointed? The magic of that Cambodian night didn’t exist in my condo.

The only thing around was me and my imperfect body.

“You naked yet?” he asked.

I was being foolish. He was bound to see me naked again, one point or another. I just hoped that today wasn’t the day that the cruel entity known as cellulite decided to pay my ass a visit. I had lasted twenty-two years thus far.

I stripped down to my bare skin—still tanned from Cambodia—and laid on my front on the chaise.

“I’m in the buff,” I called out.

There was nothing left to do but wait now, and hope he still liked what he saw.

Shadow came out with his shirt off.

My eyes became hostages to his sculpted body, my eyes zeroing in on the ridges of his incredible abs and perfectly formed pectorals. I had the urge to leap out of the chaise and attack him like a sex-obsessed fan girl, running my hands over every inch of his Adonis-formed body.

How could I—a girl who could barely run one mile without collapsing on the treadmill from exhaustion—be in the same league as Shadow?

“Can you dim the lights?” I asked. Perhaps the darkness could hide my flaws.

“What if I don’t want to?” he asked as he traced my body with his eyes.

“Have you ever had a massage with the light fully on?” I asked.

He shrugged, and dimmed the living room lights. Shadow’s eyes never once left me while he strolled over to where I lay, stalking me like a panther.

“You look sexy,” he whispered.

“You’re just saying that,” I replied.

“I beg to differ. There are clear indications that I’m very turned on right now.” He gestured towards his pants, where I saw a bulge pushing against the crotch area of his jeans.

At that point, I was fully ready to go Tomb Raider and invade the sacred temple that was his body.

Before I had a chance to catch my breath, Shadow was straddling my back as I felt the fabric of his jeans against my bare skin.

A drop of warm liquid fell onto the nape of my neck, and then I felt his palms push deep into the tissues of my muscles, smoothing out the rough knots that had formed from weeks of stress and daily wear and tear.

Every motion he made with his hands was firm, but sensual as well, always kneading in gentle circular motions. Shadow took his time working away at the various regions of my back, starting with my shoulders, and then making his way down—always gentle and never rushing—to my buttocks. As his hands caressed my rear in a sensual manner, I couldn’t help but release a smile and a soft sigh from my lips.