Six

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MY lips fold into my mouth as I continue to stare at myself in the large gold mirror I have propped up in the corner of my room. I turn to see the back of my dress as my dark eyebrows draw together in uncertainty.

"Are you sure this looks good?" I call out to my roommate and her cousin who are both finishing up their makeup in the bathroom that adjoins both rooms in the apartment.

"Well it's my dress so of course it looks good," Elizabeth teases popping her head out of the bathroom to reveal her long waves and perfectly painted red lips.

I roll my eyes and continue to assess the dress that hits mid thigh revealing my long legs making me feel slightly uncomfortable. I rarely wear clothes that are so revealing. My mother dictated my clothing for most of my life, which means I never really was able to develop my own sense of personal style.

Elizabeth loves color and sparkles and knows how to rock everything she wears simply by the air of confidence she has when walking down the street.

Annabelle is more simplistic chic but loves showing off her shoulders as her short hair perfectly frames her sweet face.

They both were allowed to experiment and grow into their own sense of fashion, but I never had that.

I wore what my mother gave me and many times I just wanted to appease her so I continued to wear what she chose as I grew older. Also my simple wardrobe that covered up more than showed off my body worked well with my father. It was one less part of my life for him to nitpick and look down at me for.

I am confident in my ability to learn and my intense focus to always work harder than anyone around me when it comes to school and my goals. But fashion is something I'm far from comfortable around, but I secretly wish I was.

"Here," Annabelle's soft voice comes from behind me. She hands me a delicate solid gold chain link.

I silently pull my hair to the side as she steps forward to help clasp the necklace around my neck.

My fingers trace the thin cool chain that now sits gracefully above my cleavage. It's simple but layered with my other necklace I never take off it somehow pulls the entire outfit together.

"You're good with accessories," I compliment with a tilt of my head as I now take in the whole image she so easily pulled together.

"It's the one area of fashion I excel at," she laughs with a simple shrug. Her short dark hair is pinned back on either side with gold clips, and she's wearing a white mini skirt and a black long sleeve mesh shirt with sparkly constellations stitched throughout the top. She has a white lace bralette underneath and a Gucci belt wrapped around her waist paired with black ankle boots. She looks effortlessly cool.

"And I excel everywhere else," Elizabeth calls out with a smirk as she walks out of the bathroom into my room with a strut and a flip of her long hair.

Her matching set looks stunning on her as she strides into the room. The top is a red and white geometric patterned bandeau and the asymmetrical skort matches showing off her toned and sunkissed body. She's paired the adorable outfit with chunky white heels, and her makeup is light with her lips being the emphasis.

Elizabeth instantly comes behind me to tuck away the tag of the dress I borrowed from her. Her wardrobe is filled with a mix of thrifted gems and luxury designers that one can only dream of and so much more. The Dior dress she's letting me borrow is one my mother would die at the sight of, and yet I can't help but feel absolutely gorgeous as I run my long fingers over the beaded fabric. The fitted black dress has thin beaded straps and hugs every inch of my body like a second skin. It reflects the light and sparkles with every movement because of the crystals sewn into every inch of the dress. It's simplistic yet sexy and it makes me feel exactly that way.

"You look great," Elizabeth promises placing her hands on my shoulders as she pulls me in close to her. A smile blossoms across her cheeks as her citrus perfume rolls over and the smell instantly sends a wave of comfort over me.

My teeth graze my bottom lip. "Thanks," I murmur in response, feeling my cheeks flush at the compliment.

"How come you can be so confident going into an exam, but wearing a dress to a party scares you?" Elizabeth asks with a cock of her eyebrow as if she doesn't already know the answer. As if her and Annabelle don't know me better than anyone.

I turn from the mirror and face my friends as I run a hand through my freshly straightened hair. "I know what to plan for with school," I tell her with a lift of my exposed shoulders. "Even if I struggle I know what's going to happen next. I can plan, and I can study, and I can prepare myself and there are no surprises. But with a party..." I trail as I lift a nail to my teeth but then quickly drop it thinking of what my mother would say.

"Anything can happen?" Annabelle finishes for me with a small nod understanding the nerves that plague me when it comes to these types of situations. Preston's dig about me not attending a party, and an Heir party at that, since high school might have been a little too accurate for comfort.

I lean down to slide on the classic black stilettos I also borrowed from Elizabeth. "Especially with alcohol," I add under my breath before I stand tall and fix my skirt to make sure my ass doesn't fall out when I'm walking.

Elizabeth slides her arm around me with a warm laugh falling from her parted lips. "Oh, but that's the fun part James," she tells me with a wink and a playful bump of her hips against mine.

I roll my lightly lined eyes and at those last words we exit my room all dolled up for the night ahead. We debated on Ubering tonight as we are barely an hour outside of the city, but last minute decided to use Elizabeth's driver for the night. I rarely use the driver my family has on retainer because I know it's just a way for my parents to keep an eye on me and use it as ammunition against me. Not that I ever really go anywhere besides my apartment and campus anyways.

"Is Percy driving us?" I ask as I grab my clutch off of the counter and look through it to make sure I have everything I need for the night inside. Credit card, fake ID (not that anyone will ask for it), apartment keys, phone, lip gloss, and mints.

Elizabeth lets out a dramatic sigh drawing my attention. "He was let go after my mom found out I thought he was cute," she informs us obviously annoyed by the situation. "She thought I would try and sleep with him."

I try to stifle my laughter but it doesn't work very well and at the sound her narrowed eyes land on me. "What?" I openly laugh now. "You did say you wanted to hook up with him so your mom wasn't that far off," I point out with a cheeky smile.

She rolls her eyes. "She never is," she huffs out whilst crossing her arms over her chest.

"So did she hire an old man to stop your seducing attempts?" I question with a teasing tone.

Annabelle giggles under her breath. "She wishes."

"I'm convinced my mother thinks I will go after anything with a dick so our new driver is a woman who is like sixty," she tells us as she leans back against the fridge with a sigh fluttering from her red lips.

"Is she cool at least?" I ask trying to keep the conversation light. No one should start their night out on the wrong foot.

Elizabeth nods lightly. "She's sweet almost like a nanny," she expresses.

Annabelle places her elbows on the counter and leans forward with a hint of curiosity lighting her eyes. "You think she's spying on you?" she questions with a raised brow.

Her cousin pauses with a tilt of her as if thinking for a moment. "Well, Percy did. Until he didn't," she emphasizes with a glint of mischievousness falling over her expression.

"Until you started flirting with him you mean?" I correct with a shake of my head and smile at my lips. Elizabeth really does bring a light to the group with her constant boldness and wild stories that she seems to never run out of.

She points a finger at me with a smirk. "It was harmless," she insists.

"It was fun," I counter.

"He was hot," she breathes with a click of her tongue. She then lifts her hand to fan her face playfully. "I will miss him."

"I need a drink," Annabelle announces with a shake of her head at her cousin.

A grin spread across Elizabeth's mouth. "Let's take shots before we leave!" she suggests eagerly with a clap of her hands. She rarely gets us both to agree to a night out let alone a party at Everett Kingston's apartment in Manhattan so she's in exceedingly high spirits.

I tuck my dark hair behind my ears not hating the idea of getting a buzz before venturing into the city. "Just not vodka please," I beg as a shudder runs down my spine and my stomach clenches at the idea. The last time I did shots of straight vodka I ended up with my head in the toilet for the entire night and I was hungover for three straight days.

"Works for me," Annabelle agrees leaning against the counter beside me.

Elizabeth pulls out a frosted bottle out of the freezer and grabs three shot glasses as well. She pours the gold liquor into the glasses with practiced precision, and the smell of tequila instantly hits my nose and raises the hairs on my arms.

She slides the glasses to each of us before she raises her glass into the air. Excitement plays in her brown eyes as we follow her lead and lift our glasses.

"To looking fabulous and to a great night," she announces before our glasses all clink together in celebration of the night before us.

I bring the glass to my lips and tip my head back to take the shot. I swallow down the burning liquor in a single gulp as my eyes squeeze shut and I shiver at the bolt of fire racing through me. I shake my head quickly in attempts to lessen the bitter taste exploding on my tongue. I finally feel the heat begin to settle in my chest as my eyes flicker open, and I can't help but smile.

We arrive at Everett's penthouse in Manhattan at a little after eleven at night. Well more so his father's penthouse that Everett likes to trash weekly in attempts to garner his father's attention. He lives in the upper east side right on Park ave, and as soon as we take the private elevator straight up to the top floor the doors open to reveal the perfect view of Central Park. Every wall is a window and it's as if you have a perfect 360 view of the city uninterrupted.

"I heard from someone that his windows are one way so that we can see everyone but no one can see us," Elizabeth whispers at my side as her bright eyes take in the familiar surroundings. I know she's been here a few times in the past, but I never have. The one and only Heir party I attended in high school was at Everett's house down the street from me and I didn't stay long after I was thrown up on.

My eyes trail the windows in curiosity. "Weird," I mutter.

"More like hot," she sighs dreamily. "Imagine having sex against the wall and looking at that view," she whistles with a smile grazing her lips.

"Don't be gross," her cousin chides though obvious laughter plays in her voice. She's the voice of reason when it comes to her cousin but she can't deny the way Elizabeth always seems to be able to put a smile on our faces even in our darkest of moods.

We step further into the apartment and out of the small entryway and as we do the music gets louder. The bass drums through my bones and raises the hairs on the back of my neck. It's deep and sensual and draws us in as we slowly walk through the apartment and take in our surroundings.

The apartment is modern and sleek in it's decorations and design relying mostly on black and white and other neutral colors. While it's rather simplistic it doesn't take away from the atmosphere of wealth and power that seems to hang in the air whenever The Heirs are involved.

As soon as we turn the corner into the living room we see people everywhere. Most I recognize from school, but some I don't. I assume they are friends of Everett's or the other Heirs who I know are here somewhere. The penthouse takes up an entire level and spans well over a few thousand square feet giving them many places to hide.

Charlotte Haynes suddenly appears in front of us in a short fitted emerald dress. She looks insanely gorgeous as the light reflects off the buttery silk of the dress, but as soon as her narrowed eyes meet mine I know she is going to make some rude comment. Her inside has never been as beautiful as her outside.

"Wow, never thought I'd see the day that Lame James comes to an Heir party," she taunts using the stupid nickname her and her friends called me in elementary school. In the past I was teased for not only my name not being feminine enough, but also my lack of interest in socializing. I spent the majority of my lunches in elementary and all throughout high school in the library away from everyone else.

Charlotte's cousin slides forward next to her letting her moss green eyes flicker between me and my friends before quickly dismissing us as unimportant. Her cousin is much younger, far too young to be at this party, but her beauty is otherworldly. Honestly it's almost scary how stunning she is. She walks into a room and every set of eyes lands on her.

Her name being Lilith only adds to her appeal and the devious smile that seems to be always hanging on her cherry lips. She doesn't say anything as she trails her eyes over me almost as if assessing me. But she keeps any conclusions to herself as she remains at her cousin's side with a champagne glass in her hand.

"Wow, lame joke," Annabelle retorts with a snarky tone catching me off guard. She usually lets Elizabeth do the fighting when it comes to these situations, which thankfully are rare, but I can't help but flush at her taking a stand for me.

"You should be considering yourself lucky to even be in her presence," Elizabeth snaps, stepping forward to also stand up for me.

"Lucky...not sure if that's the word I would use," Charlotte laughs letting the superficial sound fill the air around us. She steps forward standing in front of her cousin as her intense gaze holds mine. "Always having your friends do your dirty work," she smiles cruelly before taking a sip of the pink martini in her hand. "Like brother like sister I guess."

Her words provoke flames within me. "Don't speak about my brother," I growl at her. My relationship with Aiden may be strained at times, but that doesn't mean anyone gets to talk shit on him when I'm around.

With a twist of her neck her eyes fall to the corner and I let mine follow to see Aiden talking with some girl. Charlotte leans in crowding my space and letting her Chanel perfume suffocate me. "He has no real power and is completely useless," she hisses.

"But he is yummy," Lilith finally speaks up and the words make me cringe at the way she's speaking about my brother as if he's an object.

"He could be fun for a while I guess," she muses with an arched brow knowing she's inched her way under my skin.

I open my mouth, but they don't even give me a chance to respond before they walk away arm and arm.

"God, I hate her," Annabelle states heatedly.

Anger simmers low in my veins, but so does an emotion that shocks me at its presence. Because I all to aware of how terrible her parents are, and I know her life isn't as easy and perfect as she pretends. The persona is put into place from the moment she walks out of her house. "I feel bad for her," I admit truthfully.

"Ladies," a deep voice calls from the couch effectively ending our conversation about Charlotte. Our eyes turn to see Everett wipe his nose, and I instantly notice the rolled up hundred dollar bills and white powder on the table. "Welcome," he greets with a lazy grin and bloodshot eyes.

Lawrence then turns the corner and his blue eyes catch on me and squint almost as if he doesn't think I'm real. "Jameson," he says my name with a note of surprise in his deep voice. "We didn't believe Preston when he said you'd be in attendance tonight."

Everett hops off of the couch revealing his shirt is completely unbuttoned and showcasing the few tattoos that cover his smooth olive skin. "I owe him five hundred bucks now," Everett tells me though he doesn't seem that upset about losing. But that kind of cash to him is only pennies and he will easily spend twenty times that tonight at the club.

I roll my eyes showcasing my lack of interest. "Glad I could make him some easy cash," I tell him with my words dripping in icy sarcasm.

"Law, can you come help me?" a sweet yet husky voice calls from the kitchen to the man in front of me. I turn to spot Lilith standing in the kitchen in her black high waisted, wide leg pants and oversized open suit jacket to showcase a lavish looking lace corset underneath. She stands before a few ornate crystal tumblers that seem to be filled with insanely expensive liquors and motions with a wave for Lawrence to assist her.

Without a question or any hesitation he walks over and easily helps her with identifying a few of the amber liquors before also making a drink for her.

My eyebrows knit together as a single question plagues me. "Why is she even here?" I ask aloud as I turn to face Everett who takes a pull from a bottle of beer.

"Well why shouldn't she be?" Everett shoots back flippantly.

My eyes widen at his careless attitude, though I know I shouldn't be shocked when it comes to someone like him. "She's only sixteen," I declare.

He shrugs and takes another swig of his drink before running a hand through his midnight black hair. "What? She's legal," he disputes incorrectly.

"Not in the state of New York she's not," I explain to him.

"Then we'll make sure she crosses state lines before anyone makes their move," he tells me with a dark humor.

My nose scrunches. "That's disgusting," I tell him, not finding any part of his words funny.

He rolls his hazel eyes. "Don't worry about her," he urges, slurring his words faintly. "Law would never let anyone hurt her," he says as he looks me dead in the eye. His words unwavering as if that's one thing he knows to be true, and still I don't trust him. I don't trust any of them.

"I'm sure..." I trail not quite believing that an Heir can actually care about anyone else's well being besides their own.

A girl calls out Everett's name from the terrace that wraps around the side of his penthouse, and he nods to acknowledge her before turning his attention back to us. "Drinks in the kitchen, coke on the table, weed outside, prescription pills in the dining room," he lists ticking off his fingers as if reciting a grocery list and not illicit drugs. "And any room but mine is open to do whatever naughty deed your heart desires," he concludes with a dirty smirk.

"You're an amazing host," I tell him dryly.

Everett takes a few steps backwards towards the large double glass door that lead to outside. "I give the people what they want," he says with a wink before downing the rest of his beer in one gulp and turning to head towards the pretty girl.

"We need drinks," I announce as I spin on my heels to face my friends. Annabelle looks just as shocked as I feel, and Elizabeth has a wry smile pulled halfway across her lips.

They both nod in agreement. "You took the words directly out of my mouth," Elizabeth says as we all head towards the kitchen. The cement island top is covered in bottles and I know the fridge only houses more.

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