MVP (VIP Book 3) (36 page)

I glanced up at her. I was in my room and Chance was by my side.

How did I get in here?

“Are you okay?” Brooke asked.

“I don’t know anymore.”

“Sebastian was here?”

“How do you know?”

“Hector said some man was here and that you were upset. I brought you some tea. It’s chamomile.”

She placed it on the nightstand and sat beside me. I lay down, putting my head in her lap. She rubbed my hair out of my face, massaging it at the same time.

“I’m sorry, Bella.”

“It’s not your fault.”

“What happened?”

“He’s pissed that I’m here.”

“Yeah…”

We stayed silent for a while.

“Why are you here?” she questioned.

“It all got so complicated. I love him.”

“I know you do.”

“Brooke, all I know is VIP. That’s it. I’m here because it’s home to me.”

“I understand. It’s home to me, too.”

I rolled over and looked up at her. “Why are you here?”

Her forehead wrinkled in thought. “What do you mean?”

“I mean…why are you a VIP? You’ve been here what? Ten, eleven years?”

She grinned. “A lady never tells her age, Bella.”

“No, don’t do that, don’t laugh it off. I don’t know anything about you and you don’t know anything about me. We’re supposed to be best friends and we know nothing outside of VIP about each other. Why are you here, Brooke?”

“I don’t need to know about your past to feel like you’re a sister to me.”

I smiled.

“I love you, Bells.”

“I love you, too. Now, answer my question,” I reminded.

She scratched her head and rubbed at the back of her neck in a comforting gesture, but didn’t respond.

“You’re gorgeous. I have seen men fall head over heels in love with you. I know you had a bad taste of love but don’t you want more?”

“I have everything I want. I’m here because I want to be,” she reassured.

“Brooke, I had the worst upbringing ever. VIP found me,” I informed, hoping she would open up to me.

“I had the best upbringing but it doesn’t mean shit…it didn’t stop things from happening. It’s life. You move on. That’s what I did. I’m not broken, Bella. I’ve done what I wanted to do. I love my life. VIP didn’t save me…I was never lost.”

I nodded, knowing that was all she was going to tell me.

“I want to party!” she yelled out of nowhere. “Let’s go out!”

“Brooke…no…”

“Oh, come on! We haven’t partied in a really long time. Let’s go do something. You want to go to Vegas? You know you want to go to Vegas!” she taunted in a singing voice.

I rolled my eyes and sighed. “Fuck it. Let’s go.”

She wiggled her eyebrows and called the private plane.

“Sebastian…”

“Mmmm…” I groaned.

“Sebastian, get up!”

I opened my eyes, the light shining in was burning my retinas and my head was throbbing.

“Where am I?” I mumbled.

“My guest bedroom. You’re lucky Christian didn’t see you this morning. He just left for school. You don’t remember calling me?”

I shook my head, covering my eyes with my arm.

“You were wasted last night. You called me from a bar. I couldn’t even understand what you were saying you were that incoherent. I had to finally talk to the bartender. Whom I left a very nice tip, too, so your wallet is going to be missing some bills. He took away your keys. You wanted to drive.”

“Fuck…I don’t remember shit.”

“Well…that’s good. Anthony had to pretty much carry you inside.” She sighed. “What are you doing here? Where’s Ysabelle?”

“Julia, I don’t want to talk about this right now,” I hoarsely replied, rolling over.

She pulled the pillow out from under my head and hit me with it.

“Wake up! You need to explain what the hell is going on? I’ll hit you again, Sebastian, now tell me!”

“Oh my God, you’re so annoying. Stop being so loud.” I sat up against the headboard and scrubbed my hands over my face. “Ysabelle is back at The Cathouse. We broke up or taking a break, I don’t even fucking know whatever it is, but she’s back there and I’m here. That’s all I got for you right now.”

“Why?”

“Because she’s running. What she does best.”

“Well, did you chase after her?”

I glared at her. “Of course. It doesn’t matter.”

“What happened?”

“She hasn’t been the same since you guys left. She thinks you’re fucking perfect, Julia. She thinks she broke up our family. She thinks she’s fucked up and not good for me. I could give you a dozen other answers, but that’s the gist.”

She sat down on the edge of the bed. “Wow…”

“Yeah…tell me about it. I’ve been chasing her around for the last year. I’m at a loss and now she’s back at the whorehouse.”

“She’s not…you know…”

“She said she isn’t. I guess something happened with the ringleader and she’s helping in the meantime.”

“Oh. Anthony has told me about her. She’s ummm…”

“A cunt? The devil? Evil? Bitch? I could go on.”

“Yeah, something along those lines.”

“Exactly. The worst part is she sees her as a mother figure. She actually believes that woman cares for her. She thinks she’s home, staying at her mom’s. It makes me fucking sick.”

“I’m sorry, Sebastian.”

“What do I do? I have no idea what to do anymore. I want to literally strangle her until she understands what I’m saying. I feel like I’m beating a dead horse. The longer she’s there, the more I’m losing her. But the more I push her, the more I lose her. I’m in between a rock and a hard place. Either way, I’m screwed. I just have to sit back and watch.” I pulled back my hair; I wanted to rip it the fuck out.

“Here’s the thing…she’s going to get hurt, I feel it. I know it in my heart that she’s going to get destroyed and I have not a clue how to prevent it. The Madam is obsessed with her and I don’t understand why. It’s like Ysabelle is everything to her.”

She cocked her head to the side. “The only thing I could tell you is to wait. She needs to figure it out on her own. I know that sucks…trust me. I’ve been there, but she won’t realize it if she doesn’t figure it out on her own.”

“How do you know that?”

She smiled. “I’ve seen the way she looks at you. She loves you, Sebastian. Women don’t walk away from that kind of love. Just give her space…give her time. She’ll figure it out.”

“What if you’re wrong?”

“What if I’m right?” she countered.

All I could do was pray that she was right.

It had been three weeks since I arrived at The Cathouse. Madam was living in a residential medical facility. She was adamant that she wanted to come home, but the doctors ordered that she stay where she would be monitored and they could nurse her back to health. Every time I saw her, she appeared to look better. The bruises had faded and she was walking on her own for the most part. They didn’t think she would suffer any long-term impairment.

I hadn’t spoken or seen Sebastian since our last encounter and it made my heart bleed more with each passing day.

We had a private party that evening and our presence was required, according to Madam. I hated looking in the mirror, I found myself avoiding it at all costs, and the fact that Sebastian associated my appearance as a whore left a bitter taste in my mouth. I would remember his last words to me and it would make me physically ache. I hated that we hadn’t spoken. I knew I told him I needed space, but the longer the days went by, the harder it was to stay away.

My heart called for him.

He was everywhere.

It was on instant replay in my head, over and over again.

I couldn’t stop it, and furthermore…I didn’t want to.

What the fuck is wrong with me?

I hadn’t been to a VIP event since The Gala, and this wasn’t even a VIP extravaganza, a client was throwing this shindig. I dressed in a black gown; diamonds were on my ears and neck, along with picture-perfect makeup and a flawless up-do; my matching black heels were sky high.

“Oh, Bella, that bracelet doesn’t match that gown. Here let—”

“No.” I swiftly moved my hand away. “I’m not taking this off.”

She nodded, understanding my silent objection. “Are you ready?”

“As ready as I’ll ever be.”

There was a stretch white limo in the driveway. We arrived at a mansion the size of The Cathouse in less than thirty minutes. The doors were opened and we were greeted with glasses of champagne. We entered into a palace of hedonism. I could smell the sex in the air. It flowed like a decadence of your favorite dessert. Waitresses were everywhere, dressed in nothing but panties and heels. There were dancers on block stages that wore boudoir lingerie. Cocaine was spread on tables with lines already split and rolled up bills beside it.

Lights…

“Ysabelle, so nice to see you again.”

Camera…

“You look amazing, as always.”

Action…

I was on.

I batted my eyelashes and smiled like I had just won the goddamn lottery. “Good evening, Charles, always a pleasure.”

“So the rumors are true. You’ve taken over?”

“Not at all. Brooke and I are just babysitting while Madam gets well.”

“It’s great to see you again. Will you be on the menu tonight?” He winked and I wanted to punch him in the fucking face for even asking me that.

I grinned. “No, Charles, I will not. Like I said, I’m a mere spectator, I don’t get to play.”

“Such a shame…I would pay anything to get another…taste.”

And I would like nothing more than to shove your balls down your pervy little throat. Fucker.

I giggled. “Now, now, you know the rules. All the girls are here. I’d love to set you up with one of them.”

“I’m sure I can be persuaded.”

I spent the next few hours schmoozing and getting reacquainted. I went to the bathroom and made a wrong turn somewhere. I recognized the sounds instantly, and like a moth to a flame, I followed them. I rounded the corner and I was face-to-face with my past.