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“It’s never just a shirt, not with you.”
Fuck, he was right, and clearly his choice of buying me a floral dress was an indication of who he saw me as.Daisieswere another flower of love, a symbol of innocence, patience, things he must have seen in those quiet moments where he studied me. He was clever, but also purposeful. It wasn't just a dress, it was a message,I know you better than you think, so why even try?
“I don’t need to be taken care of, but thank you.” I raised my chin.
“Still, I’ll do as I please. Just like at The Met. Which, by the way, my lawyers have cleared your name from. I’ll always make sure you’re protected.”
“Even from you?” I asked. Would I eventually be guilty by association? I was now a subtext to another one of his events, something he paid to have erased. The Met ignored it, and the law seemed to ignore it. Was he really that powerful? Maybe in a way he was, keeping his lawsuit from the public’s eyes with unprecedented ability. We all had our secrets, myself included, but what really happened with him at The Pierre?
“There may be a few bumps, but I’m more pleasure than pain.” His rough voice was as alluring as the tattoos on his arm. I straightened my posture, composing myself with an attempt to act unimpressed.
“Still, I had to seek legal counsel. What you did was very compromising.”
“Maybe, but I fixed it, as I always do.” He grabbed my coffee mug, the onemylips touched and took a sip. “Who’s the lawyer? I’ll pay the bill.”
“That won’t be necessary, I wasn't charged.”
“Free?” he asked. “Must be a terrible lawyer.”
“Actually, one of the best lawyers, and also my friend.” I defended, enticing an inquisitive glance from Alejandro’s face.
“Thebest friend?” He asked, almost amused.
“Yes,him.” I snipped.
“A lawyer?” He sighed, giving me a devilish grin, “I thought I hated him, but now I know it.”
“You don’t know him.” I replied, unsure if he actually did. Yes, Parker was hellbent on ruining him in court, but I was still certain Alejandro didn’t even know the difference. He seemed to care less about the trouble he was in and more about me.
“I do know him,” he maintained. “Maybe not specifically, but all lawyers are the same, and nothing is free,” he warned, implying Parker’s guidance was more nefarious than expected, but that wasn’t the case. If I called him now, he’d be here within minutes, and if Alejandro was as bad as he thought, he’d probably kill him.
“You’re right, nothing is free.” I reached in my back pocket, pulling out the check I wrote earlier. “This is yours.” I insisted, placing it in his hands. He studied it for a moment, then placed it down on the counter.
“You don’t want to be paid for your services?” He questioned.
“Yes, but not that much. It’s ridiculous, along with the painting, which I can’t accept.” I clutched my sketchbook to my chest, guarding myself from his eyes.
“You said it yourself, that painting was leaving soon. Now you don’t need to worry about that or an annual pass.”
“That’s a wild way to look at it. You can’t just stop things from leaving with money.” I figured the same was true for me.
“Well then, didn’t I just prove you wrong?” He grinned, “Doing the thing you said can’t be done. So what now, Gemma?”
“So now I’ll return it.”
“Go ahead,” he looked away. “Do as you please, the painting isn’t mine, it’s yours.”
“It’s not mine, it’s a payoff.”
“Payoff?” He asked, more curious than not. He reached across the counter, removing a loose cigarette from a pack ofTranquilo’s.“What am I paying you off for exactly?” He glanced down, lighting up with the flick of his gold lighter. He took a long drag, then emitted a scented stream of smoke through his nose. He looked like a bull, the firm muscles of his shoulders barely confined in designer cotton.
“I don't know, as an apology? Maybe for something else?” I half confessed, tiptoeing around the possibility that it was all an attempt to pay for sex. No… that would be ridiculous, like he’d ever pay for such a thing, but still. It was for something more, and by the sinister glee of his handsome face, I assumed it was for an eternity of my damned soul.
“Are you unhappy, Gemma?” He asked swiftly.
“No…” I replied.
“Do you want to make this suit?”
