The butler stopped short of the ballroom and waved me in before heading back to the front door. I stood there in the doorway trying to get myself under control. Earlier today with Alma and the girls I'd felt like a warrior queen. They'd dressed me in slinky black and fixed my hair and given me just a touch of make-up. When I'd seen myself in the mirror I'd been shocked at the movie star looking back at me.
That confidence had faded the closer I'd come to Mr. Stone's childhood home. Now, in the midst of ridiculous wealth, I saw how stupid our relationship really was. How could it ever work? I'd be diluting the washing up liquid to make it last longer and he'd be ... buying the company that made the stuff with the change that fell down the back of the sofa?
Just as I was about to freak out and maybe run away, I breathed in Mr. Stone's scent and knew that he was standing behind me. He was so quiet I wouldn't be surprised to find out his mother was a mime and his father a ninja. A pair of strong arms wrapped around me and his lips pressed up against my ear.
"I need you," Mr. Stone whispered.
I closed my eyes as his lips nuzzled down my neck. Then he turned me around and I opened my eyes to see him appraising me with a hunger in his eyes. He was dressed in a light charcoal suit, almost pale gray and as soon as I saw him I wanted to pull it off his body. He must have seen the look in my eye because he stepped closer, holding my gaze.
"Later, my slave," he said.
He took my hand and pulled me into the ballroom. Like the one at his house it had a staircase that led down to a sunken floor. At this party however it was like every woman had been issued with diamond necklaces and every man with gold watches. Practically everyone looked up as we stepped out on to the landing.
Then Mr. Stone stopped and kissed me.
He kissed me and the mansion vanished. The guests were no more than a murmur and I felt myself ready to float away.
We broke off our kiss and I found myself smiling at him. It was like he had read my mind and knew exactly what to do to make me feel better.
"Remember, there is no limit on what to bid for me. I don't want to be bought by some of the sharks down there."
I raised my eyebrow at him and a mischievous look crept across my face.
"I'd worry more about all the dishes at my apartment that you'll be doing," I said.
He laughed and held out his arm. I linked mine in his.
"And now, we meet my mother," Mr. Stone said.
We walked down the staircase and I felt like I was a princess about to be presented to the Queen. Mr. Stone nodded to various men and woman as we descended and I tried to keep my eyes ahead of me so I wouldn't fall down the stairs and end up on my butt in front of everyone.
We mingled with the crowd and almost immediately met Andrea Wright, the head of Wright Technologies. The first time I'd been introduced to her, Mr. Stone had me wearing a pair of vibrating underwear and had his finger on the button in his pocket.
"Delilah, you are gorgeous! Where did you get that dress?" Andrea said by way of introduction.
"Alma is her name."
"Oh, those tattooed girls. They do know their stuff. And what's your story, Jackson?"
Mr. Stone smiled and kissed her on the cheek. "Intrigue and mystery," he said with a sideways look at me.
"I prefer steamy romance with hot foreign men," she replied and then winked at us before walking away to a tall young blonde man who was holding a drink for her.
"That is definitely not her son," Mr. Stone said. We watched as she gave the man a passionate kiss and then raised our eyebrows at each other before moving on.
"Was that little performance really necessary Jackson?"
"Good to see you too ... Mother," Mr. Stone said.
He leaned forward and kissed the woman who had appeared in front of us on the cheek. She was in her sixties with iron-gray hair. Diamonds glittered at her throat and wrists and I saw she had the same blue-green eyes as Mr. Stone. She looked at me, her eyes flickering for a moment down to the collar I wore around my neck.
"This is Delilah Neri. Delilah, this is my mother, Jeannette Stone," Mr. Stone said.
"Nice to meet you," I said and held out my hand.
"Delilah is my performance partner. We're touring the country kissing on staircases," Mr. Stone added.
Mrs. Stone rolled her eyes at him and then swatted him on the arm. "Nice to meet you too," she said and shook my hand. Then she waved at someone behind us and was gone a moment later.
I turned to Mr. Stone.
"Performance partner?"
Mr. Stone looked at his mother who was now surrounded by a group of older women and smirked. "It does her good to be stirred up every now and again. Since my father died she has become a bit set in her ways."
He checked his watch and then looked over at the bar. "I have to leave you for a short time but I'll be back before the auction begins." He lowered his voice and clasped my hand. "You're here with me and you are the most beautiful woman of all of them. Don't be shy."
He kissed me on the cheek and then walked away, heading for the back of the ballroom.
I looked around but apart from his mother and Andrea Wright (who'd vanished), I didn't know anyone else. I thought I recognized an old fat man from the first day Mr. Stone had me take notes for his meeting but I wasn't sure. I went over to the bar and ordered a glass of sauvignon blanc .
I don't know much about wine and honestly made most of my purchasing decisions in that area using the criteria of 1) Does the label have something interesting on it and 2) Is it less than ten bucks. The sauvignon blanc was some kind of miracle of deliciousness. I tasted hints of passion fruit and faint oak. This must be what it's like to know about wine.
"Quite an entrance you two made."
I turned around to see Mr. Black standing behind me at the bar. He had a glass in his hand that was more whisky than ice and he took a slurp from at before smiling at me. The bartender behind him shook her head and moved away to serve another guest.
"Good evening Mr. Black."
"You know, you never thanked me that for bacon," he said, slurring slightly. His cheeks were red and I wondered how much he'd had to drink.
"You're right. Thank you for the food. I needed it."
"Don't mention it," he said, raising his glass at me. The whisky slopped up the side and came perilously close to going over the rim but he didn't notice.
"How are you tonight, sir?" I asked.
"Where are you from again? I never asked did I?" he said, not answering my question.
I glanced around the room but Mr. Stone was nowhere to be seen.