Page 32 of A Corruption Dark & Deadly
Chapter 8
Annie wasn'tthe type to dress in short, tight dresses. She didn't particularly care about attracting men who wanted to fuck her in the bathroom without a condom on and preferred sophisticated, successful men who knew what he wanted out of life and had no problem reaching out and taking it for himself. A man like that typically knew how to take care of a woman in every area of life, not just financially. She had been to her share of nightclubs before; a couple of her friends had gotten married early in life and the bachelorette party consisted of dancing until three o'clock in the morning. She actually likes dancing; it was a good way to express herself without actually connecting.
When her friend Carmen had found out she had made partner, Annie demanded that they celebrate. Carmen had been instructed to invite all her closest friends for a celebration that night. Annie had no idea what they were going to do but she knew she wanted to play something spectacular for her best friend.
She thought about what Jericho offered her. A smile had crept into her face, however, at how persistent he was in taking care of her. She had always taken care of herself, even when her parents were alive. She refused to take their money unless it was a gift, and anything that required paperwork, including her college applications, were done by her. Even in her relationships, she typically made the plans, she paid the bills, she did what was necessary to keep on top of everything. And she had always been okay with this because she liked being in control and knowing what to expect and where she was. However, Jericho's insistence at taking care of her was a welcome surprise and it was easier than she expected to allow herself to give up some of the control to him.
Because she trusted him.
She never thought that she would ever consider Jericho dependable but he was. In the couple of weeks that he had been living here, she hadn't seen one bill. At first, she thought that was a little presumptuous and perhaps a tad controlling. But when he explained that as owner of the home, he was responsible for everything except her cell phone bill, she dropped it. There was no point in fighting him.
And now he was letting her invite an infinite number of friends to get the VIP treatment at one of the hottest nightclubs in Seattle.
When she told her friends, they were ecstatic. Bottle service, the VIP treatment at an exclusive nightclub like The Red Door, plus a limo service so they could drink all they wanted without worrying about driving.
Annie had no idea why Jericho… She couldn’t finish that thought. Of course she knew why. She wasn’t an idiot. He loved her and wanted to show her by having her friends come over to his club and treating them like they were some modern princesses. He wanted to make a good impression because he cared about her which meant he cared about her friends.
It made no sense. But then again, nothing Jericho did really made sense. But she was beginning to realize just how much it meant to her. He always seemed to care about her well-being. He wanted to take care of everything but not because he wanted to take the power, more because he wanted to take care of her. It was difficult for Annie to relinquish that control when she had been forced to handle things the majority of her life. However, Jericho was working his way under her skin, causing her to trust in him more and more, even after their discussion a week ago, about who he really was and what he really did. About the fact that he killed people he deemed needed to be put down.
Annie decided to push the boundaries when it came to her attire for the evening. Even going out with her friends, she was rather conservative. Maybe it was because they were going to Jericho’s club, maybe it was because now that they were official, she felt a responsibility to represent him to the best of her abilities – not because he expected her to, but because she wanted to. Which was unlike her, but then again, she had never been with anyone like Jericho before.
Was everything rushed? Oh, definitely.
But somehow, it felt perfect. They were perfect.
Her dress was skin tight and black. It was a sweetheart cut that had a built-in bra, giving her more cleavage than a typical bra would. The straps were thin and resembled the silky material that accompanied bras. The sides were transparent – black but with a hint of her skin tone, teasing without revealing, and the length stopped abruptly in the middle of her thighs. On her feet was a pair of red pumps. Her makeup was more than she typically wore – smoky with nude lipstick.
She turned to look at the way it clung to her frame from behind and how it was cut in a way where it showed off her legs in a flattering light. Her hair was pulled into a trendy messy bun, leaving her full face free from any stray strands of hair. She looked good but, more importantly, she felt good.
When she walked out of her home, the limo was already waiting. The driver gave her smile.
“Hello, ma’am,” he greeted with a nod. “Are you ready for this evening?”
“I am,” she said. “Thank you.”
He opened the door to the limo and she slid inside, texting her group of friends and letting them know she would be on the way and to be ready.
She picked up her four friends at Carmen’s apartment in the city. They all looked stunning and Annie felt reduced to her role as the smart one out of the group. However, while her friends were much more beautiful than she was, she still felt good about who she was. And tonight, she looked hot. She couldn’t wait for Jericho to see her – something else completely unlike her. She always dressed for herself. Even now, the dress looked good and she liked it. But she would be lying if she said she wasn’t excited for Jericho to watch her move.
They arrived at the club at exactly ten thirty. The girls were giddy with excitement. Annie was the only one somewhat reserved. She wasn’t sure if it was because she had been to The Red Door before and it didn’t feel as exclusive as it used to, or if it was because she had never been into the night scene and this wasn’t a big deal to her. However, even she couldn’t deny that it felt pretty good to skip the line and walk past the bouncers with friendly hellos and no cover charge.
And there he was, by the coat check, almost as if he was waiting for them to make their appearance. He looked beautiful in a dark blue suit with a crimson colored shirt that was probably silk unbuttoned to his collarbone. Every hair was perfectly in place, slicked back from his face. The girls were dressed in different outfits, all highlighting their many favorable characteristics, but somehow, his eyes only sought out her, and when he found her, his entire face lit up like the goddamn sun with a smile.
“Hey, Beautiful,” he said, stepping toward Annie and giving her a lingering kiss on the cheek. “These must be your friends. Annie has told me so much about you. It’s a pleasure to finally meet you all.”
“This is Carmen,” Annie said, placing her hand on Carmen’s shoulder. “She just made partner at her law firm. And she’s the reason for the celebration today.”
Carmen Mendoza had gorgeous flowing dark hair that reached just past her waist. She had a heart-shaped face, a Cupid’s bow for lips, and a beauty mark under the right corner of her lips. Her eyes were big and dark brown, nearly black. She wore a short beige dress that scooped low in both the front and the back, with high heels that pushed her taller than even Annie, who was typically the tallest of the foursome, standing at five foot seven.
Jericho shook her hand, giving her a charming smile. “Congratulations,” he said. “You and I should talk. I’m in need of a new attorney. What law do you specialize in?”
Carmen’s mouth dropped open. If she could get Jericho as a client, she would have proven her worth in twenty-four hours since her promotion. “Uh,” she stuttered, completely taken aback. “Whatever you need.”
Jericho chuckled and glanced over at Annie. “Maybe we’ll set something up next week,” he said. “I apologize for bringing up work. Who is everyone else?”
“This is Helen,” Annie said, placing her hand on a brunette vixen from Australia. She was married to a wealthy entrepreneur who probably streamed through the same social circles as Jericho did. Annie wouldn’t have been surprised if they knew the same people.
“This is Daphne.” She nodded over to the sophisticated redhead, her bangs in her face while the rest of her long tresses were pulled into a messy bun. She had a long-sleeved meche dress that clung to her slender body and barely covered her butt due to how short it was. She was a fashion designer, currently working on a line of sexy but practical clothes for the women of Seattle.