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And now, I would be working with Elizabeth Cunningham. I was still dizzy with the knowledge that I’d start next week. I’d only met with Harmony Cunningham, her daughter, who also modeled for the label. But I was hoping I’d get to meet Elizabeth soon too.
Dad had his hands in the pockets of his suit when he smiled at me. “I always knew you’d do it.”
“Thanks, Daddy,” I said and let him hug me too.
And in that moment, I forgot all the other bullshit. My family was here. My life was moving in the right direction. That was all that mattered.
“Wait,” Derek said as we took the elevator up Percy Tower to Club 360.
“Yes?” I asked. I checked the delicate Rolex on my wrist, which had been a birthday gift from Camden.
“Where are we going?”
“Club 360. I already told you.”
He snatched up my wrist. “Where did you get this?”
I yanked my hand away. “It was a gift from my boyfriend.”
Derek’s eyes narrowed. “Who is this guy, Amelia?”
“Look, I don’t need the protective older brother routine right now.”
“If you think you’re going to get it, then you probably already know that whatever this is, it’s a bad idea.”
I looked to Ash for backup, but he had his arms crossed, letting us duke it out.
“Whatever, Derek. You introduced us.”
“Fucking hell,” Derek said, leaning back against the elevator. “You’re dating Camden?”
“So what if I am?”
“Fucking hell,” he grumbled.
“He’s your friend.”
“Which is how I know that you shouldn’t be dating him!” Derek snapped. “The guy owns this hotel. He owns the penthouse on top of the hotel. He owns the club that we’re about to walk into. He owns everything in his life. I don’t want him to own you too.”
“He doesn’t own me,” I said with an eye roll.
Derek grabbed my wrist again and held up the diamond-encrusted watch. “What’s this then?”
“A watch,” I snarled.
His eyes widened. “And the new job?”
“I got that job on my own!”
“And he didn’t put in a word? He owns the Upper East Side, Amelia. I know this guy.”
“So?”
“This is a bad idea,” Derek said grumpily. He nudged Ash. “Tell her, Ash.”
Ash finally looked up at me. Our eyes met in that short distance. He hadn’t said much this weekend. There was always something keeping him from his usual buoyant self.
He just shrugged. “Let me meet the guy first.”
“Oh, great. So now, you’re both going to be judging him.”
“If I didn’t think he’d put a hit on me, I’d beat the shit out of him for touching you,” Derek said.
“Put a hit on you,” I said with a head shake. “You’re so dramatic. He’s not in the Mafia!”
The elevator door dinged open, and we were on the top floor of Percy Tower, a highlight of the Upper East Side glam. I pushed away from my brother and to the front door. At the entrance, a line had of desperate men and women hoping to get into the club tonight had already formed.
“Hi, Jerry,” I said with a smile at the bouncer.
“Amelia,” he said with a nod as he pulled back the rope to let me through.
“They’re with me.”
Derek and Ash followed behind me to the grumbles of those in line. I knew exactly where Camden would be waiting for me. He always had a reserved booth, and just as I expected, he was standing around, drinking with his friends, Court and Gavin. A girl I recognized was seated at his side, laughing at everything he said. Her name was on the tip of my tongue … Fiona?
Camden’s eyes found me before I got to the table. A shiver ran down my spine at the possessiveness in that one look. Maybe Derek wasn’t wrong. Maybe he did own me. Because in that moment, I would have done anything for him.
He wasn’t as tall as Derek and Ash, but he was still much taller than me with dark hair and dark eyes, wearing a two-thousand-dollar tailored suit. He extracted himself from his friends, slid an arm around me, and kissed me hard on the mouth.
“Hey, baby,” I said breathlessly.
“How was graduation?”
“Perfect.”
“Good.” He nodded his head.
He didn’t say he wished that he could have been there. He’d never say something that he didn’t believe, and I thought he was glad I wasn’t a college student anymore. He was in his late twenties, and I always felt a little out of place with his older friends. It was better when it was just the two of us.
“You remember Derek?” I said with a smile.
Derek stuck his hand out, and they shook. “Fucker,” Derek muttered.
Camden grinned like the devil he was. “You should have known better when you brought her this spring.”
“I should have,” Derek said. “Don’t make me punch you.”
“Now, that would be entertaining. Punching the owner of the building you’re standing in probably wouldn’t go well for you.”
