14. The Dress

At exactly 5 p.m., a knock was heard on my door and I told the other person to come in.

I was laying on my stomach on my bed, scrolling through social media aimlessly since I had nothing else to do.

"Ms. Elias, this came for you." A maid came with a large black box in her hand, making me frown.

"Who is it from?" I asked her.

"The driver who dropped this instructed us to give it to you because you would know." She said and I got up, walking over to where she kept the box on the table.

I carefully opened it, peeking slowly to make sure it wasn't somebody's head.

Just kidding.

I gasped when I saw the silky fabric and removed the cover completely.

"Oh my. Who's it from miss?" The maid gushed and put a hand on her heart.

"I don't know." I whispered, admiring the beautiful dress when a small black card attached to a red rose caught my attention. I pulled it out from the box and turned it over, my eyes widening as I read it.

"Wear this for me Bellissima. - R.A"

"What the hell?" I whispered different emotions swirling inside me, but the butterflies in my stomach overpowered them all as I smelled the fresh rose.

"Are you going to get ready now miss? There's only two hours left." She said and I nodded.

"Yes, please draw my bath, and add the rose scent." I said and she nodded, heading over to the bathroom while I stared off into space.

Should I wear this? Or not? I should call Jane.

And with that thought, I quickly dialed Jane's number.

"Hey Thea, everything okay?" She asked me and I wasted no time in telling her about my current situation.

"Well do you think it was a mistake?" She asked me and I thought for a moment, biting my lip when I remembered our kiss.

"I-I don't know. Alex clearly told me he wasn't a good guy and I know this for a fact too." I said and heard Jane's sigh.

"But?" She asked me and I bit my lip again.

"But it was so freakin' good!" I blurted out and heard Jane laugh from the other side.

"Well then, you've got your answer. The heart wants what it wants and right now, you want him. And I have a feeling he wants you too." She said and I sighed, heading inside the bathroom.

"Okay well I have to get ready now. I'll call you later, yeah?" I said.

"Yeah, tell me everything when you come back home. Or if you do at all." She said and I snorted.

"As if that'll happen." I said stripping out of my clothes.

"You never know. Anyways, my break's over, but you have fun yeah?" She said as I lowered myself into the water.

"Yeah, okay. Love you." I said and hung up, searching through my playlist before I decided on listening to 'Younger' and 'Sirens' by Imagine Dragons and let it blast through the speakers.

After a nice and relaxing bath, I sat in front of my dresser and decided to put on a little makeup since this was a formal event.

I put on a bit of concealer, eyeliner, highlighter and a little mascara. Putting on a good lip gloss, I curled my long hair and walked over to where my dress had been laid out.

I had decided to wear a black one I found in my closet but then I looked at the one sent by Roman, still in the box.

I walked over to it and picked it up, thinking for a good few moments before making my mind up.

"It's just a dress, right? Wouldn't hurt to wear it." I mumbled to myself and looked at the dress one more time before giving myself a firm nod and slipped it on.

Moving into my walk in closet, I put out matching black heels and decided on some silver earrings and a simple silver locket my brother gifted me with a small diamond as a pendant.

I looked at the large mirror and smiled. I haven't dressed up in ages, and now that I have, I looked amazing if I thought so myself.

The dress hugged my body in all the right places, although how he knew my size weirded me out.

Twirling once more in front of the mirror, I grabbed a black clutch and put my lip gloss and phone in it along with my card and made my way downstairs.

"Thea are you ready?" Alex's voice echoed in the house as I made my way downstairs and saw Alex and dad waiting for me below the staircase.

"Ready." I said smiling as their heads whipped up to me, a large grin plastered onto both their faces. I walked down and hugged my dad and kissed them both on the cheek.

"You look so beautiful dear, just like your mother." Dad said hugging me and I smiled.

"Thanks dad, you look great too." I said and turned to Alex who had raised and eyebrow at me.

"You look good too." I said rolling my eyes as he offered me his arm and I took it.

"You look lovely too." He said smiling and we all went outside and got into one car and the guards got in one behind us and one in front.

"Where is the party being held at?" I asked Alex.

"Some hotel since his house is getting done." He said and I nodded, remembering all that was still supposed to be done.

"Speaking of, how much is left?" Alex asked me.

"I still have a few rooms left and a few are done." I said and he nodded, looking at me thoughtfully.

"He hasn't tried anything, has he?" Alex asked me again and suddenly flashes of our kiss flooded my mind. I shook my head and smiled.

"No, I didn't see him again after the first day I went there." I said and he nodded, clearly satisfied.

"Good." He mumbled as we pulled in front of the hotel.

There were cameramen outside as they waited for the next person to get out of the car, which would be us.

"Come on kids." Dad said as his door was opened by a guard and he stepped outside, the camera flashes starting to go off rapidly. Alex also got out and the crowd roared and cheered, girls screamed.

Of course, the hot CEO made an entrance.

Alex didn't go to social events unless they were very important, so I guess this was. He offered me his hand and I took a deep breath and took it, stepping outside as the cameras blinded me.

"Why are there so many cameras?" I asked Alex looking around while he looked around with his usual cold expression. I would be scared of him if he wasn't my brother. That's how cold he could be.

"It's not exactly a small event." He said and I nodded, already feeling overwhelmed by all the questions being thrown at us. Alex offered me his arm and gave me a small smile.

"Ready?" He asked me and I exhaled.

"As I'll ever be." I said with a smile and hooked my arm through his as we walked inside the large and fancy hotel.

We entered a large hall where people were dressed up in fancy outfits, sipping champagne and laughing, talking amongst themselves.

The women wore a ridiculous amount of make up and jewelry, and their dresses were a bit too revealing as they ogled my brother. I scrunched up my face in disgust as Alex smirked at me.

"Looks like I've got the women's attention." He said smugly and I scoffed, looking around and realized he was right. But then my gaze swept across the men who were looking at me hungrily and I smirked at Alex.

"And I've got the gentlemen's attention." I said smugly and he scowled, pulling me closer.

"If anyone tries anything, you tell me, alright?" He said lowly and I nodded, even though he knew I could look after myself, he was still looking out for me.

"Got it." I said as we walked further into the hall, I noticed the women giving me death glares, probably because they didn't know Alex was my brother.

Oh well.

Alex grabbed champagne from a server and gave me one and took one for himself.

I downed it in one go and noticed Alex's questioning gaze.

"This is overwhelming." I said and he nodded in understanding, also downing his glass completely.

"Come on, let's meet some people." He said and we both walked over to a table where a group of men were sitting with two women.

"Lawrence." Alex said coldly and all of their gazes snapped to ours. A guy with light brown hair stood up with a grin and walked over to Alex, Lawrence I assumed.

He looks oddly familiar…

"Alexander." Lawrence said shaking his hand and looking at me with a big grin.

"Lawrence, you remember Heather." Alex said and Lawrence's eyes widened in realization.

"So this is the infamous Heather. I've heard a lot about you." He said as he took my hand and kissed it gently and I laughed lightly, watching his twinkling grey eyes.

"All good things I hope. And you must be my brother's best friend and partner in crime." I said as I remembered how many times Lawrence was brought up in a conversation.

"That'll be me, although you look different. When's the last time I saw you?" He asked me.

"Three years ago, at her graduation party." Alex answered with a faint smile and I nodded.

"Well look at you. Are you in college now?" He asked curiously and I nodded.

"Yeah, it's my second year." I said and he grinned.

"That's good. What major? Business?" He asked me.

"Interior designing actually, although I take some business classes too." I said and he nodded when Alex got a call. He talked to the person for a moment before looking at Lawrence.

"Hey can you keep her with you, something urgent came up." He asked Lawrence who nodded.

"Of course." Lawrence answered.

"Stay with him, I'll be back. Don't go anywhere." He warned and I rolled my eyes.

"Okay dad." I said as Lawrence laughed and Alex went away smiling.

"So, how about a drink?" Lawrence asked me pointing to the bar and I nodded.

"Yes please." I said and we both walked over to the bar and sat down on the stools. He ordered drinks for both of us and we started talking about our time these past three years.

"So you're saying you're still single?" Lawrence asked me in disbelief and I nodded.

"Yup, single as a pringle." I said and he laughed, which I liked a lot actually. Lawrence was a good looking man and only a year younger than my brother.

They both had been best friends since college, where they met after Alex saved his ass when he was being beaten up by some biker gang for standing up to them.

"I don't believe it." He said placing a hand over his heart and I laughed. "This must be my lucky day." He added and I laughed a little louder, throwing my head back.

When I looked back at Lawrence he was looking at me with a big smile.

"What?" I asked him and he shrugged.

"You have a beautiful laugh." He said and I blushed, averting my gaze, when the hair at the back of my neck rose, goosebumps on my arm, and I knew the feeling too well.

I was being watched.

I tried to ignore it, but it was like the gaze was burning holes on the side of my face and annoyed from the burning feeling, I shifted in my seat a bit, crossing one leg over the other and setting my bare leg on display.

I noticed Lawrence's gaze move to my legs at the action and I saw him gulp, quite visibly might I add before he shook his head and smiled softly at me as we continued talking.

"So no boys have captured your attention yet?" He asked me and I shrugged, obviously pushing back the first thought that came into my mind- Roman Angelo.

"This guy asked me out next week." I said and he nodded.

"Do you like him?" He asked me and I shrugged.

"I don't know. I guess we'll have to see. It was nice talking to him though. And he's hot." I said and he chuckled.

"So I'm assuming you're taken for the rest of the week?" He asked me with a grin, leaning forward slightly, but it was close enough to me as we were already sitting close together.

"Why? Are you offering to take me out?" I said leaning closer to him and saw his eyes sparkle and his grin grow wider. His eyes briefly flicked to my lips and mine went to his before our gazes collided.

We were close, our lips only a few inches apart and it wouldn't take much effort to press our lips together.

"Maybe I am." He replied huskily and I gave him a seductive smile.

"Alex will probably kill you." I told him as our faces inched closer and he chuckled lightly.

"Worth it." He said looking into my eyes and a genuine smile came to my face and mirrored his, but before I could move any closer, someone took a hold of my wrist and I was yanked back into someone's chest.

I yelped as I collided into the hard chest, an intoxicating manly scent invading my senses and making me feel dizzy. I looked up and gasped at the furious green eyes looking at Lawrence.

I tried to move away from his grip but he only tightened it, making me whimper slightly.

"What the hell Roman." I whisper screamed at him so no one else would hear, and his eyes flicked to mine, softening for a brief moment before becoming hard again.

His hand came up and stroked my cheek softly, pushing a strand of hair behind my ear.

He loosened his grip on me and I immediately moved away from him, but he held my waist and pulled me close to him so we both were facing a very shocked Lawrence.

His eyes moved between me and Roman suspiciously and a grin took over his face.

"Are you going on a date with Roman Angelo?" Lawrence asked me grinning and my eyes widened.

"What? No!" I said pushing Roman away but he hissed.

"Stay." He said and I huffed, looking at Lawrence.

"I'm going with Dean Logan. You might know his father." I said and he nodded.

"Right, that English boy. Good kid." He said but then frowned. "Then why are you two-..." He started but I cut him off.

"I work under him." I said, making Lawrence's eyes widen and I gasped when I realized what I had just said. I turned beet red and shook my head, glancing at Roman who was trying very hard not to laugh.

"I-I meant I work for him, I'm doing his house. Decorating I mean." I corrected and Lawrence nodded, amusement clear on his face. He got up from his seat and held his hand out to Roman.

"Lawrence Ridge." He said and Roman looked at his hand for a few moments before taking it.

"Roman Angelo." He replied when I saw my brother coming towards us and immediately pulled away from Roman or this wasn't going to end well.

"Finally you're back. Where were you?" Lawrence asked Alex who shook his head.

"Emergency at the office." He said and looked at me and then Roman. Something passed in his eyes but he masked it just as quickly before holding his hand out to Roman.

"Good to see you again." Alex said and Roman nodded in response.

"I'd like to discuss a few things regarding the house with you." Roman said looking at me and I looked at Alex, who nodded after a moment.

"Alright." I said and he nodded, gesturing to come with him.

I excused myself from Lawrence and Alex and walked with Roman. His hand came to rest on the small of my back, the touch sending jolts of electricity through my body as he lead me along the crowd that parted for us to walk through automatically.

I saw the woman eyeing me and whispering to each other. It was probably how I ccame with one man and was now leaving with another.

Although one of them was my brother, but I honestly couldn't care less, rather focused on the soothing patterns being drawn on my back.

We went to a separate room where guards stood outside the door and with a single nod at Roman, the door was opened and we stepped inside.

Here goes nothing.