Tipping the glass to her mauve tinted lips, she took a demure sip, and Alonzo pulled her aside by the elbow. The volume of the music decreased as they escaped into the humid summer night on the balcony.
“You got these muhfuckas eating out of the palm of your hand.” His arm slipped around her waist, and he peered down into her sparkling eyes.
“Well, I’m just following your lead.” She grinned, draping an arm across his shoulders and melting in his arms.
She hadn’t intended to go this route with him, but Alonzo was charming and persistent if nothing else. Everything with him was easy with curated chaos that she sometimes enjoyed. He’d been spoiling her with expensive gifts, she was living in his house, and he was using that same soft, smooth tone she recalled her father giving when he was negotiating or wanting to get his way. Oddly, it was a comfort.
“I thought we both might be able to use a pick me up.”
He went into the inner pocket of his jacket and removed the vial of coke he’d been carrying.
Giselle’s eyes lit up before reaching for the little tube. It had a small spoon attached to the lid, so all she had to do was dip and scoop before she brought it to her nose and inhaled.
“Ahhh!” Laughing, she threw her head back.
The tingling sensation traveled through her nostrils and to her throat while the drug made its way through her bloodstream. Now, she felt like she could do anything as she pulled away and spread her arms before twirling in a circle. Lately, when she was high, it seemed to be the only time she could function and not want to fall apart. Alonzo indulged as well before offering her more.
“You keep that. There’s more where it came from. Let’s go grab a drink.” He grabbed her hand and laced their fingers together.
Strolling over to the double French doors, he pulled Giselle inside behind him. Teddy Swims’ “She Got It” spun on the speakers, and the dancefloor filled up with people swaying and two stepping to the beat. Between the alcohol and cocaine, Giselle was on a cloud and didn’t want to come down. When she was up there, it was easy to forget her woes. There was no pain. She lived in the moment and didn’t care what came after it.
“Giselle!” Her girl, Esther, who everyone knew as Esti, waved her over to the table where she and Travis sat with her parents.
“You have been a hard woman to keep tabs on tonight.”
“Just networking.” Giselle took in her surroundings.
“Well, there’s an after party across the street at the hotel. I was wondering if you wanted to join us,” Esti offered.
“I’ll check with Alonzo?—”
“No, dear. This is for the twenty-five to thirty crowd. Leave the middle-aged man at home,” Esti taunted. “Now, I get that you’re going through some things, and while Alonzo is attractive… he’s also… old.” She wrinkled her nose. “Too old for you. I mean, he worked with your dad. Doesn’t that make you cringe?”
“Alonzo is my partner, Esti. If you can’t accept that, I don’t know what the hell to tell you. He’s pretty cool, too, so I wouldn’t be so quick to judge. I think I’ll take a raincheck on that offer. Y’all have fun, though.”
“Pssh, now she’s broke and desperate. That’s all she had to say,” Esti leaned in and attempted to whisper to Travis.
Pausing in stride, Giselle caught every word. Quickly pivoting on her heel, she marched right back over, startling Esti with her reappearance.
“Last time I checked, you didn’t have a man, a career, or anything of substance. You can’t decide what you want to do from one day to the next, but I hear you don’t mind spreading your legs to any man with a large trust fund. Must be taking after your gold-digging ass mother.” Giselle cut her eyes across the table at the woman, leaving her appalled and reaching for her pearls.
“G, that’s cold.” Travis shook his head.
“Oh, she must got her hand in your pocket now, huh?” Giselle mocked before laughing madly. “Pre-nup, Travis. Don’t be stupid.”
“You know,” Esti popped her neck with attitude and stood to go toe to toe with Giselle. “You were already a bitch before your parents died. I guess losing them didn’t humble you, did it?”
Smack!Giselle had no control over the reflexive slap she delivered against Esti’s cheek in that moment. The sound echoed through the room, gaining a few gasps as the guests chattered low amongst each other. A hot glare struck Esti’s eyes when she faced her again, and as she was about to lunge, Alonzo swooped in.
“Not the time or place.” He placed an arm around Giselle and nudged her away from the scene she was guaranteed to make. “Come on. This is about you tonight. Your endeavors and your success. Don’t let her ruin this.”
One thing that she’d been grateful to Alonzo for was the fact that he allowed her the freedom to be her, and he was able to give her an escape. The last few weeks had been a series of social events, late night pool parties where they got so drunk they woke up barely remembering a thing. Life was going by in a blur, leaving her unable to latch on to moments. It was all flitting before something else took place to distract her.
She loved that she had something to throw herself into with Knox Designs. Designing and recreating spaces was somethingshe’d enjoyed doing since she was a little girl. Her mother told her back then she had an eye for transforming things, and it gave Giselle a sense of purpose. Alonzo was able to help her with her dream, and she felt like she had no choice but to be with him, given everything he’d done for her in such a short time. The man had kept his word, and that was rare to come across nowadays, so she held on to it. The age difference didn’t matter to her. He didn’t act like he was approaching forty, and damn sure didn’t look it. There were women so envious they were ready to slide in her spot, and all he had to do was snap his fingers to make it happen.
With the party starting to die down, Giselle lingered at the bar, finishing off a bottle of champagne. She was more than a little tipsy when her phone buzzed inside her beaded black clutch, and she fished it out to see who was calling so late. Her auntie Remi’s name flashed across the screen, and her heart sank into her stomach. She’d been avoiding her calls for weeks, but that didn’t stop her from leaving a message every single time. At first, she was angry, but as time went on, she seemed more concerned than anything. Giselle heard it in her warm voice, but she couldn’t bring herself to answer. She’d disappointed Remi, and she didn’t want to deal with that.
Tipping the glass to her lips, she silenced the call and swallowed the last of the champagne. When she stood, a pair of sturdy arms slid around her waist, and she recognized the faint Tom Ford cologne. Alonzo pressed his lips against her ear, and his warm breath tickled her there.
