“She’ll be safe with me, Tony. I promise. You’ll get to say all of this to her.”
He nods, then turns and sees her standing there. Instantly his face changes. From nostalgic and drawn to furious. "You are not leaving in that."
"I'm going out, Daddy. This is what people wear to go out.”
“You are not people. You are my daughter and that means something!” He raises his voice.
But since his back is to me, I take another long look. Juliana straights her back lifts her chin and spreads her legs ever so slightly. Pure defiance. But her eyes cut to me and I see the hint of a smirk playing on her lips.
“You trust your men, so what’s the problem?”
“This isn’t classy, Juliana.” He says in a deadly whisper. “I expect more from you. I’ve taught you that appearances matter. What people think of you matters.”
“And what I think of myself? What I want? Does that matter at all?”
“You are walking a very dangerous line.”
“Good thing you taught me to measure my risks well.” She walks around him and to me. “Ready, Max?”
Tony looks at me with surprise. I nod to her. “Just one moment.”
I lean towards her father so she won’t hear. “Give her a little bit of leeway and she’ll stop fighting so hard. One night of fun at a club I own and she’ll be good for a week.”
He grabs my arm. “If she has so much as a bruise on her tomorrow-”
“She’ll be hung over at worst. No one will touch her other than a dance. I’ll be the only one buying her drinks. I make the rules and let her think she does. That’s how we’re going to keep her in line.”
Tony gives me a warning with a look before letting my arm go.
I escort Juliana to the limo and slide in after her. The dress rides up high on her thigh and she rolls her eyes at me. “Be careful about your eyes, Max. They’ll get you in trouble.”
“I might not mind going blind if you’re the last thing I see,” I tease.
“There’s such a thing as too smooth.” She points at me. “Say those lines to yourself in the mirror.”
“I prefer watching your face when I say them.”
We come to a stop and her friend joins us. Juliana makes the introductions. I memorize Patricia’s face so I won’t lose it in a crowd, then we’re at the club. When I’m seen, we’re taken right to the V.I.P. area. It’ll be an easy night, just some dancing, drinking, and then home. Simple. Everything that Juliana is not.
10
JULIANA
Ihave to admit that Max came through. Patricia and I roll our bodies on the dance floor and fall into the music, fall into strangers’ arms, and orbit each other as the beat pulses through the crowd. Between the sweeping colored lights, the hot bodies around us, and the cold drinks in our hands, I actually feel my age.
“Someone’s giving you ‘come fuck me’ eyes,” Patricia yells in my ear before turning me around and pulling me against her body.
There’s a stranger at the bar who’s definitely interested in us, but he’s forgettable when I compare him to Max. I shouldn’t want Max, I mean he’s seriously older than me, he absolutely knows that women desire him and he is willing to abuse it, not to mention he’s in my Dad’s pocket. They are best friends and my dad keeps him close. They used to party together collecting women when they were younger. Max is drool-worthy. But when I look over at him and see the easy smile on his face, the fact he’s actually enjoying himself, trusting me, and not just babysitting, I can’t help but appreciate him. Something about him makes me feel good when I’m in his presence.
He’s fun and hot as holy fuck, and I mean, to be a womanizer, he has to be a womanpleasertoo ... right? Maybe I might like to see what his experience could do for me. My lips curl up at the idea, especially when he checks my purse where my two dogs are.
“You good?” Patricia asks me.
“I need to sit. Too many people.”
It’s true, even though I’m having fun. I know that I have ‘limited spoons’ as a therapist says. She breaks energy levels down into spoons and every task, no matter how small, throughout a day requires some measure of spoons. Being around a large group like this while mostly sober – it’s nearly all the spoons I have.
“I see a willing partner.” Patricia winks at me. “Don’t you worry about me.”