Selfish Love [18 + Mature]

Chapter Three -- Sadie

Chapter Three

Neon lights zipped by as I sat in the back of the limo with my assistant across from me. Usually, I had a plan for how I wanted the evening to go. People I had to talk to and deals I wanted to initiate but I didn't this time. No, all I could think about was Maxime and that face he made right before asking to leave. Until that moment I'd knew I had him right where I wanted him. Now all I could do was sit in the back of the limo and look at the profile Ernie put together for him on my phone. I knew more about him than he probably did himself. His hopes and dreams all carefully extrapolated from his online profiles, college essays, and personal text messages. No, it wasn't all legal, but I didn't care, I had to be careful.

Besides, he was using IRIS anyway and if he really cared about his privacy, he wouldn't have checked the little box that said he was fine with sharing his data with WAKE. But I didn't need to read the file to know he had submissive tendencies. The most shocking thing I discovered was that he didn't watch pornography.

With a sigh, I set my phone in my lap and looked at Greg who smiled at me looking trust fund perfect.

"So how much damage am I allowed to do on behalf of the arts endowment?" Greg checked his cuffs. He took direction well, but his file was filled with all sorts of fun red flags which was why I could have him as a personal assistant.

"Seventy grand from me, seventy from Ludlow." I crossed my legs and shifted my knee from side to side watching as the little crystals on my dress glimmered. I could reassign Greg and take Maxime from the mail room at L and L. Smirking to myself I smoothed the skintight bodice of my gown. I pushed the thought away, it was a pointless one. The limo came to a stop and I took a long slow breath preparing myself mentally for the next ten minutes of faking excitement on the red carpet. Exhaling I forced a smile as the door opened and my driver Cole helped me stand. Greg scrambled to the side as I smiled for the camera so long and so wide that my face hurt by the time I reached the door.

As always was the case at the arts endowment one of the artists in residence was busy performing on the stage with a band behind them. Old jazzy standards filled the air as I walked around the push of people. And then I saw him, dressed in a tuxedo that was surprisingly well tailored. Maxime stood off to the side actually looking at the displayed art. Most of the other people only cared about the other people but there he was staring up at some abstract realist monstrosity. My feet, traitors that they were, carried me right to stand beside him. It was worth it to watch his whole body react as he saw me. His hand pressed to his stomach, long fingers toying with his vest buttons as those green eyes washed over me. He didn't speak first, though his lips parted as though he thought about it.

"Hello stranger," I purred with a grin as my eyes met his and he closed his mouth lowering those lashes again.

"H-hi," he swallowed, "I... don't know why I'm surprised to see you here." He chuckled nervously and rubbed the back of his neck.

"Because I should be over there self-congratulating myself with everyone else probably."

"It's a shame. Some of the art is very good."

"And some of it very isn't. This..." my eyes flit to the little white card. It was one of Collin Emery's paintings Aidan's brother won the grant the year before. Heaven knows it wasn't nepotism, Aidan doesn't believe in helping family out like that. "Is very good," I continued. "Though it's Collin Emery's work, it would have been disappointing for someone to go through so much pain and have it account for no talent at all."

"What do you mean?" His brows knit and as always there was that genuine concern for a stranger. It was like he was the male version of a Disney princess brought to life without the excuse of youth to make up for his naivete.