“Don’t be silly. We can raid my closet. But we’d better move quickly. Lexi will be here to pick us up in about an hour and a half.”
“That’s plenty of time.” Casey frowned as I pushed her down the hall toward my bedroom.
“Not when you’re a fashion model who owns more clothes than she has any right to. I want to curl your hair. Oh, and give you a red lip! What do you say?”
Casey groaned but didn’t protest.
Cue the sister bonding I’d been longing for over the past several years.
I shoved open my closet and invited her to take a look. Casey pretended to be overwhelmed, and I laughed.
“You go through my closet every time you’re here. Don’t act like you don’t know what you want to wear. Whatever catches your eye, you’re welcome to it.”
Casey reached for a champagne-colored short dress full of tassels.
“Gorgeous,” I said before turning her toward my makeup vanity. “Sit down. Let’s play with makeup.”
CHAPTER 21
STORM
The Knight show, hosted by Ellice and her husband, had somehow scored a stellar venue for the event. I’d never have thought to host a fashion show at an ice rink, but they’d pulled it off masterfully. The stark concrete walls of the lobby had been hidden behind draped silver curtains, the red carpets covered in an overlay of black. Sure, it still felt a bit sterile, but it also felt spacious and welcoming to walk through the doors to what used to be the rink, which had been converted into a starry wonderland of beauty.
Standing tables lined the outside of the rink, positioned beneath hanging floral chandeliers. Candles burned on tables, beautiful women in stunning dresses sipped cocktails, men in suits pretended they wanted to be there, and servers wearing Knight lingerie and loungewear strode through the venue with trays of drinks balanced on their hand.
I swiped a drink from a passing tray and took a swig. Smacking my lips, I scoured the crowd for a familiar face and found none.
Until I turned back to the entrance and spotted Laila entering.
My head wasn’t the only one that swung toward her as if on a swivel. Every man in the place looked, stared, and got elbowed by his female companion. People spoke in hushed whispers, and Laila’s name passed from one pair of lips to another.
“Look, it’s Laila Hunt.”
“Is that Laila Hunt?”
“Who is she with?”
“Did you know Laila Hunt was going to be here?”
Grinning to myself, I moved toward the most gorgeous woman in the room. She walked with purpose, her chin high, the slit in her dress cut so high I could see bare hip. Every step she took threatened to show everything.
I’d never seen fabric do such dangerous work before.
Laila smiled when she saw me coming and turned to the young woman beside her, who had the same color hair and eyes as Laila herself. “Storm, this is my little sister, Casey. Casey, this is Storm, my… erm… boss, I guess?”
“You guess?” I smoothed the lapel of my suit jacket before holding out a hand to Casey, who stared at it like it might give her an electric shock. “Pleased to meet you, Casey.”
Young Casey’s cheeks turned neon pink as she slid her hand into mine. “It’s nice to meet you too.”
I spotted movement over Laila’s shoulder. Half a second later, Lexi emerged, looking dashing in a suit. Her brown eyes settled on me, and one corner of her mouth curled in a half-smirk. “Thornton.”
I tipped my head in her direction. “Lexi.”
Laila rolled her eyes. “Play nice, Lexi.”
“Nonsense.” I flashed the women my best smile. Casey descended into a fit of giggles. Lexi acted like she wanted to be literally anywhere else. Laila laughed at her sister’s expense. I offered Laila my arm. “Playing nice is overrated. Can I escort you to your seats, ladies?”
Walking through the venue with Laila Hunt on my arm did nothing to smooth my already inflated ego. I loved the way people looked at us. Casey and Lexi walked behind us, muttering amongst themselves, while Laila paused and said hello to people she recognized from her time in the industry. It took a good ten or fifteen minutes just for us to walk from the entrance of the rink to our front-row seats at the middle mark of the runway.
Laila settled into her chair and nearly gave me a heart attack when she crossed her bare leg over the other. The slit in her dress slipped open, exposing her entire leg up to her hip like when she walked. I sat down, my hand pressed to my mouth, my teeth digging into my knuckle.
Last night in the jacuzzi had been a cruel tease. I knew exactly how good it felt to have those legs of hers wrapped around me. I knew how smooth her skin felt under my hands and how sweet her tongue was in my mouth. Her bare thigh bumped against mine.
Have mercy.
Desperate to make it through the show without stealing Laila away and devouring her, I tried to get her talking. “How was your morning? Were you able to enjoy any of the hotel amenities?”
Laila didn’t even glance in my direction. Her attention remained fixed on the back of the runway where the models were scheduled to begin the show in five minutes. “It was nice. I got a massage and a facial steam treatment.”
I could think of a handful of treatments I’d have loved to give her. “You deserve it.”
Her eyelashes fluttered when she glanced over at me. “I know.”
On Laila’s opposite side, Casey and Lexi bickered over who would sit beside her. Lexi seemed to win the battle, playing her trump card as being here for safety reasons, and Casey slumped in her chair with her arms folded over her chest.
Laila hissed at her sister to sit up straight. “I didn’t bring you here to look like you’d rather be somewhere else.”
Casey straightened.
I shot her a smile. “Big sisters, am I right? Such a pain in the ass.”
Casey sat up straighter.
Laila elbowed me hard in the ribs. “Don’t.”
“Ow.” I rubbed at my aching side. “I was just messing around.”
Laila shook her head at me. “Please just don’t. She doesn’t need encouragement.”
Shrugging, I let the matter go. The venue lights went down, signaling that everyone should find their seats. Once they did, the music started, and unceremoniously stopped. The whole place echoed with silence.
Laila twisted in her chair and looked around. “What’s happening?”
“I don’t think this is part of the show,” I said.
Lexi tensed.
Casey let out an exasperated sigh.
Less than a minute later, Ellice Knight herself took to the runway with a microphone. She didn’t look at all how I expected. For some reason I assumed she’d be a woman like Laila—powerful, beautiful, sleek, sexual. But Ellice Knight was none of those things. She was bright, with neon yellow glasses, and simultaneously dark in a full-leather black ensemble from head to toe. The high collar of her shirt made her look severe, but her bright pink lipstick told another story.
“I’m so sorry for the delay, friends,” Ellice said. Her voice was as bright as her lipstick. “We’re having some difficulties backstage. First performance jitters, perhaps. We just need five more minutes and your patience to get back on track. Thank you so much for understanding.”