Chapter Two: The Gala
We arrived at the gala for my charity. It's absolutely perfect. It's decorated in reds, oranges, and golds the colors of a phoenix. I couldn't be happier. My PA is amazing. Her name is Hailey Wright and she is a very short twenty-eight-year-old blonde single woman with tons of personality. She of course knows my secret. She knows everything, the same as Crystal and Ardin now do. I did tell her though about the past violence with Chris that the others don't yet. Her solution was to give up men and try women. She is so cute and sweet to me which is why I call her my Babydoll or Babygirl.
Hailey comes rushing over to greet us, “There's my queen!”
I blush and smile because she makes me feel cherished and desirable, something I haven't felt with Chris since we were teens, “Hey Babygirl!”
“You look so good,” she says as she runs her hands over my dress, “Wow! Just wow!”
My blush intensifies, “It's just a dress.” Granted I do feel elegant and sexy in this backless, shimmering silver dress.
“That hugs every inch of your very fine self!” she said as she kissed me cheek.
Then I feel that heated gaze from last year, but it's stronger and feral than before. My nipples instantly harden as I look around the room. Leaning against the far wall is that security head from Ethan’s title fight. He is dressed in a fine suit with a bimbo on his arm. Ugh, men! I roll my eyes as I say his name, “Ice.”
Shit. I wasn't supposed to say that!
Ardin looks at me and asks, “Are you thirsty, sweetheart?”
Yep, I'm thirsty, parched in fact! I have to get control of myself. Why can this guy still get to me as he does? Why does my body react this way to a virtual stranger?
“I could use a glass, please.”
Ardin smiles, “I'll go.”
Chris puts his hand out to stop him as he looks around, “No stay with the women. I'll go.”
“Thank you.” He no doubt is trying to keep up appearances since many are staring at us. After he goes I roll my eyes and sigh. It is getting harder and harder for me to maintain my composure around Chris. Maybe it is just my hormones or could something be looming on the horizon? Surely Chris is clean, I need him to be!
Hailey shakes her head, “What's his problem?”
Crystal huffs as she smoothes down her dress, “The way we are dressed.”
Hailey puts her hands on her hips, “You mean like divine goddesses? God, he's such a waste!”
Ardin sighs, “Oh believe me it was worse earlier.”
Hailey asks, “How so?”
Ardin gives me a sympathetic look before turning to Hailey, “He called your goddess a tramp and a slut.”
“He didn't call me that, he said Crystal and I were dressed like it,” I defended Chris. I know that I shouldn't because he doesn't deserve it after the way he has treated me all of these years, but he is still my husband.
Hailey throws her hands up, “That's horseshit! You both look elegant and radiant! Every man here sees that. I mean look around,” She motions around and my eyes catch that guy again. I blush and bite my lip.
Ardin kisses my cheeks, “You know you're beautiful in anything.”
I notice Ice grimace. Is he jealous? There's just no way! We don't even know each other, but I know that look. That look is of a man who is highly interested but just got cockblocked.
Hailey grits her teeth, “Oh what the hell!” That gets my attention as Hailey storms off.
“What's wrong?”
Crystal grabs my wrist and tugs, “Come on we need outside, now!”
“Why?”
Ardin takes my other hand, “Come on!” They each lead me to the balcony.
Hailey’s POV
Meanwhile inside….
“Just what do you think you're doing to my queen?”
I approached Chris and Misty Burns. Misty looks like a supermodel but she's nothing but a gold-digging socialite bitch.
“We were having a nice conversation,” she says as her arm snakes around Chris’s waist.
“Then keep your dirty paws to yourself!” I say as I pull them apart.
“We are just talking. Why don't you go do your job and leave us guests alone!” Chris hisses.
“I am doing my job. I'm keeping sluts away from my Queen's piece of shit husband!”
“That's rich coming from a carpet muncher!” he taunts.
“How dare you!” I kick him in the shin since we are mostly out of eyesight of the other guests.
Chris yells, “You cunt!” as he raises his hand to strike me.
“Oh no you don't!” a tall man grabbed Chris's hand and kept him from striking me. “Ms. Wright I'll handle the trash. My boys will keep them out. Go tend to your queen,” he says.
That's when I look at my savior. I know him, “Thank you Mr. Crane. You are supposed to be just a guest tonight and not working.”
He starts to escort Chris and Misty out, but he smirks over his shoulder, “No problem RSVP Nazi.”
“I heard that you ass!”
Damon Crane and his family have donated to Phoenix for years. He is always one of the last to RSVP. That man gives me nightmares, but he is excellent at what he does.
End POV
“What's going on?”
Crystal sighs, “Chris!”
“What now?”
Ardin pulls me close, “Fucking Misty!”
“One damn night that's all I wanted, just a normal night,” I put my head in my hands. Crystal and Ardin both embrace me and rub my back.
Crystal says, “Everything will be fine.”
Ardin adds, “He's not worth it, sweetheart. Maybe he will just disappear.”
That could happen if Chris gets mixed up with the wrong people again. I am not sure how long I can keep saving him before I put myself at risk too.
“I know, I know.”
Hailey hugs me, “My queen, I'm sorry.”
“Just stop, it's my problem.”
Crystal shakes her head, “And his ass was worried about social media too.”
Ardin nods, “I know just the ass he is!”
Hailey assures us, “It's fine security got it.”
“Okay, we should pay them extra if this stays out of the tabloids.”
Hailey grins, “Oh it will. I only hired us the best! Let's go back inside.” She takes my hand and leads me inside. It's like nothing happened.
“Wow.”
Hailey smiles, “See I told you, everything is fine.”
“Thanks babygirl!”
To my surprise, the rest of the night goes on really well.”
Ardin grins, “Sweetheart I have an idea.”
I giggle, “Don't hurt yourself, now.”
Ardin laughs as he squeezes my hand, “Why don't you just leave Chris at home for these things. I'll be your fake date or Crystal can if I'm working.”
“I guess it's better than being solo with everyone wondering why I'm not with Chris.”
Crystal says, “Hey guys, it turned out well despite Chris.”
“Yeah, it did thanks to you all!”
Hailey hugs me, “What friends are for!”
“Allies!”
Ardin hugs us, “Damn right!”
We all laugh, “Where's security I need to thank them?”
Hailey says, “I'll do it. You all head home. Lynn stay at Crystal’s tonight to let Chris cool off.”
“Thanks you're such a doll.”
Hailey grins, “Don't I know it,” as she fluffs her hair as she saunters off.
We laugh, “I so love her!”
Crystal adds, “We all do!”
Ardin laughs, “She's turning into a mini you though.”
“How so?”
Ardin answers, “Apparently she kicked Chris.”
“She did what?” because she isn't violent just as I am not.
Crystal nods, “In the shin but yeah.”
l laugh as I picture it, “Good for her. If he wasn't my husband and I was her, I'd have kicked him in the balls!”
Crystal smiles, “I hope I get to see it one day!”
Ardin chuckles, “Me too!”
Hailey’s POV
Meanwhile, back at the gala…
“Glad I found you before you left.”
Damon smirks, “Is that so?”
I huff, he is such an ass, “Tone it down, this isn't easy for me. Damon, thank you for removing Chris and Misty as discreetly as you did.”
Damon says, “It needed to be done.”
“But you're a guest tonight, your guys could have handled it.”
“He'd have hit you!” he bellows.
“Wouldn't be the first time,” my hands fly over my mouth.
Damon says sternly, “Hailey!”
“No, I'm fine, it's my mistress.”
Damon motions beside him, “Come sit.”
“Where's your bimbo?”
He chuckles, “Got her a cab. Now tell me!”
“She might kill me if I do.”
Damon grins, “Then she'll never know.”
“Why does the Ice King care?”
Damon sighs, “I don't condone hitting women. Also I just do alright.”
Damon Crane is known as the Ice King because of his past in MMA. He now owns security company and a few charities. Also friends with Ethan and Kim Cane. He is a hardass to most but he has always been a bit less stringent with me.
“Well Chris Powell is a parasite. He's changed and not for the better. He and my queen go way back.”
Damon asks, “What's your Queen's name?”
“Lynn.”
Damon repeats, “Lynn.”
I swear that I see recognition and reverence in his eyes. Does he know Lynn? No, I would know if he did because she tells me everything.
Damon’s POV
I knew that gorgeous woman looked familiar. That's the same Lynn that sang at Ethan's fight last year. She was beautiful then but now even more so. Saying her name just made my cock twitch. There's no denying that I want her. I fucking need her, but when I asked Ethan about her he said she was married and off limits. She's still married but for how much longer I wonder?
She's obviously not a submissive like I prefer, but I'm sure I could break her. Every kitten is tamable! So I will just learn what I can from her friends until I can make that kitten purr.
“How often does he hit her?”
Hailey takes in a shaky breath, “Just the once last year or so ago. He's just so disrespectful to her. He treats her like property not like the goddess that she is.”
“You love her, don't you?”
Hailey nods, “We all do. We all also know that Chris is bad for her. He called her a slut and a tramp today.”
I ball up my fists and shake my head. Yes, a woman dressing like a slut can be extremely appealing in the right setting but she wasn't remotely dressed that way this evening or any really.
“Keep being there for her. I'm sure she'll come around.”
Hailey sighss, “You don't know my mistress very well. She honors her word and she's very stubborn. She swore to stay married to him till death and she means it.”
Lynn is loyal, maybe too loyal. Why is she so invested in a cockroach-like Chris?
“If he's all over women like Misty he obviously doesn't feel the same.”
Hailey looks down, “I know that's what we tell her. You deal with this in your charity. Why do people keep going back to those that hurt them?”
I run my hand over my face. Because I'm just as guilty. I have an old debt to pay and who knows when he will come to collect it. Even if he called it off, I would still feel indebted to him. Does Lynn owe a debt to Chris?
“A few reasons. Some think they are the problem that if they change or are better somehow everything will be fine. Some feel a sense of duty or obligation. Some see it as normal because of how they were raised. There's even some that like it.”
Hailey looks at me with a new-found strength, “That's not my queen! This foundation is her. She's strong and a fighter!”
I chuckle because I remember her taking Sam down, “I don't doubt that your queen has claws, but maybe she needs to be reminded of that!”
Hailey smiles, “You might be right!”
I love hearing a woman say that, “If she'd have seen Chris try to hit you what would she have done?” I know the answer but I want to hear it from Hailey.
Hailey smiles broadly, “Kicked him in the balls!”
We laugh and I pat her shoulder, “Here's hoping!”
Hailey pats my knee, “You know you're not a complete ass.”
“You're still a RSVP Nazi, though.”
Hailey laughs, “Then don't make me have to ride your ass!”
We said our goodbyes and I headed home. Lynn has some good friends. She'll be fine when her fairytale crumbles because it will and soon. I know men like Chris. They don't change if anything they get worse. He hit her once and he will again. I have a feeling that he has no clue that she can fight. Ethan and Sam trained her well. She learned quickly almost like it was a refresher instead of a new skill as if she were made for the life I left.
I've always watched her but never approached her. She's always had a man on her arm, usually Chris. Now I know he's no competition I may just ask her out. Her marriage is over even if she doesn't know it yet. That feisty kitten will be mine!