CHAPTER THREE
My father burst into my room without knocking. I attempted to hide my shock at seeing him on my side of the house.
“What the hell happened tonight?” he demanded.
My mother came into the room and silently stood beside my father.
“Nothing,” I said, leaning over my vanity, removing my makeup.
My father met me at my chair and swung me harshly by the arm away from my task.
“I have put up with a lot from you, Sophie.”
“Really?” I asked, surprised at my own words. “The last time I checked neither you nor my mother bothered to endure anything to do with me unless absolutely necessary or if it was a publicity risk. I was raised by strangers. You have not put up with anything from me save for the occasional call to your attorney. So you can spare me the lecture. You missed the opportunity to be my father a very long time ago.”
He slapped me across the face and I stumbled back into my vanity chair, stunned silent. My hand went to my cheek and held there.
“You spoiled, selfish little whore,” he told me through gritted teeth. “I pay for your life and all I’ve asked in return were a very few things. Stay out of the limelight and support the image we are a healthy family in company. But apparently even that was too much to ask. You’ve done irreparable damage this time, Sophie, and there’s only one thing I can think to do with you.”
He whipped his cell from his jacket’s inside pocket, dialed and held the phone to his ear.
“Pembrook? Sorry to wake you. Yes, as we’ve discussed,” he said and hung up.
My parents left my room abruptly and shut the door behind them. My hand trembled from my cheek and fell into my lap. I tried not to think what the subject of conversation had been, tried not to take my dad’s accusation that I was a whore to heart, regardless how true it was, tried not to think too much into the fact that my mother let him accuse me without so much as a peep from his side.
I stood and slinked out of my Chanel, letting the garment fall into a heap at my feet. I slept in my underwear and bra, uncaring of anything around me. It’s easier to pretend. So much easier.
In the morning, I showered and forewent breakfast, something I did often as I rarely ate. A girl has to keep her figure. I’d planned on visiting Sav, to get away from my tension-filled home, but when I approached the carriage house, my SLS was gone.
“What the hell?” I asked no one. I searched the entire garage, but it was nowhere. Ah, I see. He thinks to punish me.
I took out my cell and rang Sav, but it went straight to voicemail.
“Fine, you don’t feel like answering, you piggish trout?”
I dialed Spencer and he picked up the first ring.
“La fée?”
“What are you doing right now, love?”
“I’m taking you out, I hope?”
“You’ve read my mind,” I flirted back. “Pick me up at my place in, say, an hour?”
“Right.”
I hung up and went straight to my room to pack a bag. I wouldn’t need much. I planned on spending most of my time warm in Spencer’s bed.
Spencer was right on time just as I expected as no one kept me waiting, ever. On my way out the door, Sav rang me.
“Sav,” I spit out.
“I’m so sorry, Sophie. I—”
“Save it, Sav. I’ve no need of you. Goodbye.”
I hung up.
Spencer leaned casually against the passenger side door and looked incredible. Just under six foot. Spencer’s wardrobe spoke trust fund but his face screamed of how handsomely rugged he was, not at all babied-looking and I appreciated that about him. His face would be screaming something else within the hour if I had anything to do with it.
I’d just hit the last of the steps when he lifted his finely sculpted body and sauntered my direction.
“Hello, beautiful,” he whispered into my ear when I reached him. He yanked me by the waist toward him and lightly kissed my ear. “I was wondering when it would be my turn.”
My stomach clenched at the memory of my father’s words, but I stuffed them back down.
“Seems you were a fine wine, Spence. You only needed aging.”
He grabbed my bag and opened the door for me. I settled inside, wrapping my seat belt around myself just as Spencer joined me after placing my bag in the trunk.
“I have to crash for a few days,” I told him, examining myself in the vanity mirror.
“That shouldn’t be a problem,” he said, smiling at me.
His teeth were white and perfectly straight. He was equally as flawless as I was.
He started the engine and it purred like a kitten, but I’d heard Aston Martins did that.
“Why?” he asked.
“Well, after Sav’s party—,” I said, but there was no need to finish.
“Ah, well, I might have a few things in mind to pass the time,” he flirted. “I was going to meet Brent for lunch, but I can reschedule if you don’t feel like it.”
I definitely didn’t feel like it. Anyone else and I would have agreed.
“No, Spencer. We’ll be too busy to lunch with Brent,” I teased.
Spencer’s home was modern in architecture but equally palatial to my parents’. The entire home seemed to consist of nothing but windows and never-ending levels. I almost felt sorry for his staff, almost.
We parked in his space and he killed the engine. He leaned over and placed his hand high on my thigh. A rush trilled through me at how hot his hand was. “Good news. My parents left this morning for Africa on holiday.”
I rolled my eyes. “How cliché.”
“Tell me about it.”
He got out of the car and came over to my side, opening the door for me. He kissed me suddenly and my stomach dropped in hesitation for a moment like it always does but as always, I worked through it and put up my barrier. The same barrier that allowed me to what I did with all the boys.
He broke the kiss and grabbed my hand then retrieved my bag. “Who goes to Africa anymore?” I asked him as we ascended the steep and sharply staired walkway.
“My parents?”
We both laughed.
“I gave the staff the day off today,” he mentioned absently when we reached the top, dropping my hand and bag to fish his keys from his pocket.
When the door opened he threw my bag over the threshold. He kissed me on the doorstep and we went toppling toward the white plastered exterior of his doorway. We hit the wall hard and my head reverberated slightly from the force. Ow. “Sorry,” he murmured, but continued to kiss me. I worked through the pain and kissed him fiercely in return.
He wrapped one big arm around my waist and lifted me from my feet, continually kissing me. He walked us into the foyer and slammed the door shut with his foot. He began unbuttoning my shirt and tugging it out of my skirt, never breaking contact. He tossed it behind me. My arms felt heavy and my heart felt a mess. It’s not working! Why isn’t this working?
I doubled my efforts and he took this as invitation to remove my skirt, undoing my side zipper slowly. “Oh, God, Sophie,” he exclaimed, making me want to vomit. “You taste incredible.”
I ignored him and the feeling and kissed him harder. My skirt fell to my ankles and I stepped from it as we made our way to his parents’ sofa. He stopped suddenly and held me at arm’s length.
“Jesus,” he hissed, sucking in a breath. His gaze raked my body and stifled a shudder. I stood in front of him, in full lingerie with garters and ankle-strapped heels. He approached me deliberately, his hands running through my hair, then down my shoulders and back before palming my ass. “You’re more beautiful than I could’ve imagined, Price.”
“Thank you,” I said, wishing I could just run.
Work through it, Sophie. You’re just a little off your game.
He kissed languidly up my neck to my chin and across my jaw line. “You smell like,” he inhaled, “cherry bark and almonds.”
“It’s my shampoo.”
“I love it,” he told me.
He laid me on the leather sofa nearest the fireplace and the morning sun was streaming in at seemingly impossible angles. It was beautiful. Too beautiful. I felt ill at all it was revealing to me. “So much light,” I whispered, not realizing I’d said it out loud.
“We can move to my bedroom,” he said. “It’s darker in there.”
“Please,” I said, needing to remove myself from exposure. I felt desperate.
He picked me up, tucking one arm under my knees and the other around my back. He brought me back to his room and laid me on his dark sheets. The room had shutters and dark curtains that kept out every inch of light.
“Better?” he asked.
“Much,” I answered.
“Now, where were we?”
He crawled over me and kissed me feverishly, his hands roaming my body. He lay on top of me and cupped his hand around my knee, bringing it around his waist.
That was when I broke. I don’t know why I did it, what I was thinking, why my usually stalwart barrier was so weak, but silent tears began to cascade down my face and Spencer pulled away.
“Sophie? Are you crying?”
“No,” I insisted, swiping at my face in the dark, hoping he couldn’t see me. How humiliating.
I’d never cried in front of anyone. Ever.
“Oh, Soph,” he soothed. “You are.”
“I’m so sorry,” I said, pushing at his shoulders to flee.
“Wait,” he said, pulling me back to his embrace. “Stay with me for a second.” He laid back and tucked me into his side, smoothing my hair behind my ear. “We don’t have to do this, Soph.” I waited for it, but he didn’t retract his words. Instead, he continued. “You forget I’ve known you since we were small.” I couldn’t help but laugh at the image of a simpler time when Spencer and I used to giggle and play in the gardens at my home. “You’re thinking about our games.”
I nodded against his chest. “I’m still sorry,” I grated out again.
“You know, I’m going to confess something to you,” he said, ignoring me, taking a deep breath to steady himself. “I’ve wanted you since I was old enough to discover I could want someone.” My body tensed beside his, but he just held tighter. “Shh, stop. Listen to me.
“I can’t lie to you. You’re goddamned beautiful, Sophie, and I’m so turned on right now I can’t even think straight, but I won’t have you, not like this. I thought you wanted this.”
“I did,” I began truthfully but he shushed me.
“No need, Sophie. Just lay here with me while I try to calm the hell down.”
“Okay,” I sniffed.
It was then I realized that Spencer was a good friend, a real friend, probably the only one I really had.
We both fell asleep and I woke to Spencer snoring softly. I peered down at myself and realized I was practically naked. Shame heated up my face and body and I slid out from under his hold to retrieve my clothing from the main living area. The room was dark as the sun had set not long before and I began gathering my skirt and blouse from the blonde wood flooring.
I’d just bent to retrieve my purse when I heard the front door swing open. I froze in absolute fear as Spencer’s father stood in the space just outside the threshold. I held the loose clothing against my body.
“Well, well, well, what do we have here?” he asked, strolling in at a snail’s pace. He removed his keys from the lock and threw them on a nearby table. He looked more closely at me and realization struck him. “Ah, the Price girl.”
“I’m sorry,” I began, but he cut me off.
“No need to be sorry,” he said, oozing creepiness. “I’m not.” He perused my body with obvious appreciation and I turned to bolt back up the stairs to Spencer’s room.
“Wait,” his father called out, grabbing my elbow. “If he’s finished, I’d like to have a turn.”
“Excuse me?”
“It looks like you’re finishing up, aren’t you?” When I couldn't answer him he continued, “My wife flew ahead of me. I had an emergency at work and had to fly back from Atlanta. I told her I’d meet up with her later. She’s not here.”
“What the hell does that have to do with me?” I asked, bewildered.
“I can give you things my boy can’t,” he slimily offered with what I’m sure he thought was a charming smile. All I could see were serpent’s teeth.
“What the hell is wrong with you?”
“I’m assuming Spencer’s asleep because you’ve worn him out.” I balked at his presumption. “I, uh, know of the trouble you’ve recently gotten yourself into.” Uh-oh.
“What exactly are you saying?”
He ran a finger down my upper arm and I visibly convulsed at his touch. His eyes became hard. “I’m saying if you want me to keep this indiscretion quiet to your father, you’d best accommodate me.”
I shook my head and he ripped the clothing from my hands before gripping my shoulders. I trembled, having no idea what I was going to do. I knew I could scream for Spencer, but if he walked in, he’d just assume I had volunteered. After all, I had a reputation.
“Let go of her!” I heard behind me.
Spencer’s father stiffened at the sight of his son and released my arms.
“Spencer.”
“Oh spare me.”
He descended the remaining stairs unbuttoning his shirt and throwing it over my shoulders. “You won’t say a f*cking word to her father, or I’ll tell mother what I just witnessed.” Spencer gathered up my skirt and top and he led me back to his room, closing the door behind us.
He ran the palm of his hand over his mouth. “Jesus, Soph, I’m so f*cking sorry.”
“It’s okay,” I said, but my trembling body said otherwise. “I’m just glad you showed up when you did. I’m the one who’s sorry. I-I’m just no good for anyone, am I?” I joked.
Spencer narrowed his eyes at me. “You really feel that way, don’t you?” he asked me.
“Hmm?”
“You really, truly believe that.”
I offered a hesitant smile and tried to shake my head no, to play it off, but he ignored me.
“Sophie Price, you are a mess. Come on, get dressed.”
“Where are we going?”
“I believe we’ve earned a stay at the W, love. My treat.”