Page 48 of Sinful Addiction
“Mom, you were looking through the window when we pulled up.Please don’t act all melodramatic on my account.”
“And who do we have here?”Arthur stands to greet me, ignoring his daughter’s comment.
“Mom, Dad, this is my boyfriend, Antonio.”We formally shake hands.I don’t give two fucks about meeting his approval.It doesn’t go unnoticed she introduced me as her boyfriend either.That’s answer enough in regard to the necklace I gifted her earlier, which grows my ego immensely.
My focus is brought to the couple on the couch across from us with their mouths on the floor.I know for a fact her sister’s jaw has dropped because she never expected Lacey to bring home a much older man.Watching her reaction closely, I see something more than surprise.I see annoyance and jealousy.Especially when Lacey chastises them.
“Kate and Charleston, when you’re ready, you might want to close your mouths so you don’t drool on Mom’s nice carpet.”
Lacey’s voice is laced with sarcasm, but there’s no humor to her words.She simply doesn’t want to be here.
As Kate and Charleston slowly join the formalities, I take my time observing him.He looks oddly familiar; I can’t quite pinpoint how I recognize his face.
I raise my brow at him in reaction to Lacey’s comment.Only then does he get off the couch.I shake his hand with a crushing grip, although everyone in this room is none the wiser.
“It’s nice to meet you, Charleston, although I swear, we’ve met before.Where might I know you from?”I keep my eyes trained on him, waiting, baiting him to slip.He knows who I am as well, which means someone in his circle has been involved in some shady business, aside from Arthur.
“Charleston is a director at Daddy’s law firm.”Kate gracefully rises from the couch, brushing out the nonexistent creases from her dress.
If you saw these two passing on the street, you wouldn’t think they were sisters.Lacey takes after her mother’s beauty while Kate wasn’t so lucky.
“He’s a great asset to the company, and one day he’ll make partner.I couldn’t ask for a better son-in-law,” Arthur boasts.
He’s being an asshole by putting his older daughter on a pedestal in an act to degrade Lacey in front of everyone.One glance at Lacey and I know she’s holding on by a thread, yet her persona is well adapted to make her family think she’s one hundred percent invested in their perfect circle.
“Daddy, we haven’t told Lacey yet.”She focuses on Lacey.“We’re engaged,” she squeals.
I’m at Lacey’s side as her sister holds out her hand to showcase the diamonds on her boney finger.Lacey, however, doesn’t reciprocate her excitement; she does, however, convincingly give her congratulations to the engaged couple.
“So, Antonio, what is it you do for work?”
“Arthur,” Grace scolds.
I can sense the tension rolling off Lacey like a tidal wave.I’m starting to understand why she avoids her family.She wanted me here as a barrier to shield her from the verbal hits that are yet to come.She deserves more than what I’m seeing in front of me.
“You already know what I do, Arthur.”I ignore the visible rage creeping up his neck as it turns red, then I move to face the engaged couple and congratulate them.
Grace’s curiosity becomes apparent as she takes the spotlight off her older daughter and puts it on me after my statement to Arthur.
“What exactly is it that you do, Antonio?I didn’t realize Arthur already knows you.”Her delighted voice turns questioning.
“Have you ever heard of a club called Envy?”I know Arthur is going to have a hernia over this if I expose the club’s real purpose to his wife, but I never would.I’m merely answering her question.
“No, I can’t say I have.Is it a new country club?”Her genuine gullibility is amusing.She has no idea what her husband gets up to in his ‘spare’ time.
I laugh off her comment, then eye Arthur while I reply to her.“No, unfortunately not.It’s an exclusive club.You should come by sometime, and I can show you what I do for a living.”
“Antonio, would you care to join me in my office for a drink?”Arthur quickly veers the subject to safer waters before his wife can answer.
“What a great idea—”
“Charleston,” Arthur cuts him off.“Why don’t you entertain the ladies while I spend a moment reacquainting with Lacey’s friend.We won’t be long.”The rejection doesn’t sit well for Charleston, but he follows Arthur’s orders like a good little lap dog.
I nod my agreement, all too happy to get this pissing contest out of the way.
Before I have the chance to walk away, Lacey grabs my elbow so I’m within whispering distance.“Don’t do anything stupid.”
“You don’t have to worry, pixie,” I whisper against her lips.