“We have no plans tonight.”
Jude stared at her stepfather as a sinking, sickening sensation dropped to the base of her stomach. She could see it playing out before she could stop it.
Her stepfather continued, “You should go, Judith. It will be good for you to get some fresh air. We can finish our discussion tomorrow.”
Isla was eager. “We should all go. Won’t that be fun? We can invite Taylor. Maybe Clara.”
“Clara’s in Boston. The four of us can go,” Rufus said. “How about I pick you up at eight?”
“Perfect,” Isla chimed. Turning to look at Jude, she said, “Isn’t that perfect?”
“Perfect,” she replied, not willing to give a smile. Rufus Stevens was considered a proper friend? Rufus Stevens, the snake, was what got her a get-out-of-jail-free card for the night? She wished she had a chance to speak to him about Hazel first.
When Rufus left, Isla ran upstairs to get ready.
Jude stood up to go to her room, but her stepfather said, “This is a good opportunity to solidify these new connections, Judith. I’m willing to overlook today’s incident this one time.” She turned back to him, shocked. “Barrett and Stevens are well-respected names in New York. This could be good for all of us. Your thoughts are clear?”
“Yes. Never more.”
He smiled. “That’s my girl.” As if this wasn’t about him and his social-climbing goals, as if he was doing her a favor, he added, “I think some fun will do you some good. Go be young tonight. Youth doesn’t last forever.”
She gulped down the relief that filled her and fed his ego. “Thank you, Daddy.”
“You’re welcome. Stay with your cousin. Don’t stray, okay? I’ll handle the hospital.”
“Okay.” She left the room not sure if she should be happy or sad. Rufus seemed intent on her, but Isla seemed intent on him. And how did Hazel fit into this mess? She was scared to find out, but excited to see him again.
Isla made sure Jude was on time and Rufus and Taylor arrived promptly at eight. Isla swung the door open, cutting Nadia off before she had a chance. Jude stayed back a few feet, but when she saw Hazel, she smiled. Rufus cleared his throat and greeted Jude and then Isla with kisses on the cheek, then said goodnight to Nadia right after. The four of them got into a limo. The guys sat at the back and the girls on the sides.
Taylor asked Jude, “Are you feeling better?”
She blushed. She couldn’t help it around him. “Yes. Much better. Thank you for asking.”
“You’re welcome.”
Rufus poured drinks, whiskey all around, then asked, “You girls ready to party?”
Isla responded, “Can’t wait. Right, Judith?”
“Yes, Isla.” Jude was starting to hate her cousin. She was too chipper for Jude’s good, too oblivious to what was happening right in front of her. Or was she? Jude looked at Isla, sitting blissfully unaware of the demons that haunted her every move and wondered what it must be like to live so frivolously. They had tolerated each other since her uncle died, but now she felt a stronger emotion.
Taylor watched Jude sitting in the seat ahead of him, her legs exposed to the thigh. Dirty thoughts were taking over as he looked at her skin and the shape of her legs. It had been months since they’d been together and he’d missed being between them, having her open for him. He’d missed her so much, but he ended that train of thought since it would only make him embarrassingly hard.
Eyeing her, he noticed she was wearing makeup and looked seductive. Her hair was styled but down, the way he liked it. Her red full lips were licked innocently, then her eyes met his and she quickly looked away again. He liked that she couldn’t stare back. Every other girl could. Their experience taught them that trick. Not Jude. Jude’s innocence pervaded her to the bone.
Taylor forced himself to look away, to look at anything but the woman in front of him. He was never good at charades and now he was forced to play some never-ending game of it. “Where are we going?”
Rufus laughed and hit Taylor’s leg. “Relax, man. We got all night. Boehler even said so.” Taylor didn’t like the way he said that. Rufus’s eyes locked on Jude like she was prey. Rufus glanced out the window. “Anyway, we’re here. Let’s go.”
Jude followed Isla and Taylor followed behind her. He wanted to touch her so badly that just the thought was making him harden. It had been too long since the last time they had been together at his place and after earlier in the day, when they were so close to that hotel room, he didn’t know how long he could take this torture. Tonight would be a true test of his willpower, indeed. He eyed her again, brazenly as they walked, while he could get away with it.
Rufus paraded them in front of a long line on the street and past the bouncer. They entered the club and were led by a hostess to a rounded booth that sat one level up from the dance floor. Rufus tipped her and allowed the girls to slide in first, then sat next to Jude, leaving Taylor standing at the end.
“Sit, my friend. We’re in for a long night.”
Taylor glared at him and then slid into the booth next to Isla. Bottles were brought to the table, mixers, and snacks. As they made cocktails, Isla leaned in front of Jude and said, “I want to dance. Let’s dance, Rufus.”
Jude turned to her left, leaned back and her eyes landed on the most handsome man she had ever seen. When Hazel smiled at her, her heart quickened, and she felt love embrace her.
“I don’t dance,” Rufus stated loudly. “Take Taylor.”
“No,” Taylor stated firmly. “But you should dance. Maybe Jude… ith wants to go.”
His slip caught her attention and she looked at him momentarily again before glancing Isla’s way. “I’ll dance with you.” It would beat sitting next to Rufus all night.
The girls slipped out and Isla led Jude by the hand to the packed dance floor.
As the men watched them, Rufus, as if he was truly interested, asked, “What’s going on, Barrett?”
“What do you mean?” He took a drink, not wanting to talk to him at all.
“You know what I mean.” His snake like eyes narrowed on Taylor. “Fucking in The Plaza in the middle of the day, all the bullshit over lunch, the casual, unaffected attitude that shows how affected you really are.” He finished half his drink before he finished speaking. “You’re banging the Boehler girl and for some reason you don’t want me to know about it. For some reason, you don’t want anyone to know. Why is that?”
“First of all, I’m not banging her. Secondly, you’re losing your edge. There’s nothing going on. You’ve misread everything you think you’ve seen.”
Evil flashed in his delirious eyes. “So you’re okay if I bang Boehler and you get the cousin?”
“Stop calling her Boehler.”
Rufus smirked. “What should I call someone I fuck and throw away? Judith?”
“A hooker. Judith isn’t a plaything to entertain you until you get bored. She’s a good girl.”
“I know. That’s why I have this insane desire to turn her into a bad girl.”
Shaking his head in disgust, he said, “You’re fucked in the head. Have you ever cared about anyone other than yourself?”
“No. You shouldn’t either. You’re a man, not a girl.”
“Fuck you.” Anger rose in Taylor’s chest, making him feel hot in the club. He wiped the sweat away from his forehead and angled away from him.
The two men watched the women dance, arms up, arms down, swaying, turning, laughing. Rufus refilled his glass and said, “I’m going to fuck her, Barrett, unless you can give me a reason not to.”
“You fucked my girlfriend. There’s nothing I can say that would stop you from trying to fuck Judith. You have no boundaries. You never did, which is why we’re no longer friends.”
Rufus laughed loudly. Pointing his finger at Taylor, he said, “See? I knew there was a reason you came tonight. And considering you just said we’re not friends, that means you’re here for one of them. And my gut tells me it’s not the cousin.”