And it will drive Storm wild.
Casey adjusted the nightgown straps and snatched a pair of shoes off a table that she thought paired better with the light pink. I stepped into them and used her shoulder to keep my balance.
“You’re pretty good at this, Casey. You’ve got a good eye. You’re efficient. You know when to take action.”
Casey straightened and ran her fingers through her hair. “You don’t need to blow smoke up my ass, Laila.”
“I’m not.”
She gave me an even, unimpressed stare. “Sure you’re not.”
The line inched forward. I started climbing the steps to the runway. “I meant it, Casey. You don’t have to keep taking the low-hanging fruit. You can do whatever you want to do. You just have to stop selling yourself short.”
Casey shrugged. “I’m used to it. You’re the go-getter, not me. I’m the girl in the background.”
It was my turn to walk next. I put a hand on my sister’s shoulder. “Because you put yourself there, babe.”
With that, I had to turn and walk. The lights blinded me but not enough to stop me from immediately seeking out Storm. I wanted to see the look on his face when he saw me. Just like my first walk, he reacted strongly. One hand gripped his thigh and the other covered his mouth. Beside him, Lexi cheered me on. Storm looked incapable of cheering. In fact, he looked incapable of doing much else other than just trying to keep his composure.
I loved how powerful that made me feel.
Tonight, like all nights, I owned the runway.
But I also owned him. Every thought in his head would be about me. About my body. And after our night in the jacuzzi? I wanted to make sure he kept thinking about me because I couldn’t stop thinking about him.
About how he knew exactly how to touch me, and where, and when. About his kiss, and his lips, and his hands pulling me open.
At the end of the runway I struck my pose. The crowd ate it up. I spun on my heel and strutted my stuff back to the end before turning off the runway and descending the stairs. We did one last outfit change, which nearly ended in catastrophe when we realized the garment didn’t fit properly. Casey pulled a solution out of her ass by cutting a strap on the bra and tying it with another across my back, making it look totally intentional.
After my last walk and the final one in the show, Ellice tried to pull me back onto the runway for the final walk with all the models.
I smiled and gave her a hug. “No, no, they can all go without me. I’d rather those girls get their due. I’ll stay back here. Tonight isn’t about Laila Hunt. It’s about Ellice King’s collection.”
Ellice hugged me fiercely. “I owe you, Laila. Anything you need. Ever. Call me.”
“Deal.”
All the models and Ellice took to the stage, and I turned to find Casey watching me with a smile.
I stripped out of the lingerie and changed back into my dress. “What?”
“Nothing. That was just a nice thing you did.”
“I am capable of being nice, you know. It’s just you I give a hard time to because I know what you’re made of.”
Casey blew hair out of her face. “Don’t ruin it, Laila. Just take the compliment.”
Fair enough. “Thank you,” I said. “Come on, let’s go get Storm and Lexi and hit up the after party.”
The after party was at the same venue, but held at the second, smaller rink. The silver shimmery theme was still present, but it was much more lavish than the show. In my experience, the smart designers were the ones who kept the décor at the shows simple so as not to distract from the clothes and the models. The after party was always a good chance to show off a bit and take things up a notch.
Ellice had definitely done that.
Ice sculptures in the shape of snakes and dragons stood tall and proud as bartenders poured two-ounce shots into them. VIP guests caught the chilled liquor in their glasses and toasted each other.
Servers from the fashion show had moved to the next rink to continue passing out drinks. I took two glasses and passed one off to my sister, who was both in awe and totally overwhelmed by the splendor of it all.
I remembered feeling just as shocked when I first started walking in shows.
Storm moved through the party and made small talk with anyone and everyone. He was there to support Ellice, not talk about Thornton or Cupid’s Arrows, and he succeeded. Every conversation that led to Storm’s business was quickly turned around in his suave, face-saving way. He charmed people with his smile and charisma and drew me into conversations effortlessly.
During one of these conversations, I lost track of Casey.
Lexi, who hovered nearby, came over when I caught her eye. “Yes?”
“Have you seen Casey?”
Lexi snorted. “She’s probably giving some guy a lap dance.”
“Lexi,” I growled.
She threw her hands in the air. “I’ll go find her.”
“Thank you.”
Storm turned toward me. “Is everything okay?”
I nodded, smiled sweetly at the couple he was talking to, and engaged back in the conversation. All the while, I kept my eyes peeled for my sister but didn’t see her.
Lexi emerged through the crowd looking like she’d just taken a bite out of something foul. She took my arm and pulled me away from Storm. “I found her. She’s in the bathrooms.”
“Okay.”
Lexi sighed. “Don’t make me say it, Laila.”
I groaned. “What is it?”
“She’s taking pills. Ecstasy, it looks like.”
My vision turned red. “Are you fucking kidding me?”
Storm broke off his conversation. “All good here?”
“No,” I growled before marching toward the bathrooms. Storm made to follow, but I heard Lexi tell him to wait for us before my senses became consumed with anger. I was dimly aware of Lexi hot on my heels.
How dare my sister come to a professional event of mine like this and disrespect me by taking drugs in the bathroom?
Furious, I stormed into the bathroom and knocked on stalls until Casey wrenched one open with such force it blew her dark hair away from her face. “Hold your piss, for fuck sakes, I’m done.” She blinked up at me, obviously expecting it to be someone who actually had to use the bathroom for bathroom purposes. “Let me guess. Lexi ratted me out? She’s so fucking predictable.”
Lexi, who now stood leaning against the counter of sinks, barked with laughter. “Ah yes, of course it’s my fault, not the pill-popper’s.”
“Stay out of this, Lexi.” I didn’t have the capacity to deal with both of them at one time. I already knew they couldn’t stand each other and I really didn’t need Lexi stirring the pot and making things worse. This was serious. My sister was not only giving lap dances, but popping pills, too. “Ratted you out? Don’t downplay this. You’re doing drugs at my work event, Casey! Are you serious? Do you know how bad this could be for me if you were caught?”
She rolled her eyes and went to wash her hands in the sink. “All I hear is Laila, Laila, Laila. Laila this. Laila that. Everything is always about Laila. So what if I needed a bit of a pick-me-up to get through the rest of the night? I’m not the only one doing it. Half the models were just in here snorting shit right off the counter. I don’t see them getting scolded.”