Paris sat around the house for a while, her bags already packed. The night stretched on, her last in New York, and yet she was spending it indoors. She smirked to herself before dialing Jessica. Kelsey had fallen asleep on her, leaving her alone. The kids were asleep, her mom was asleep, and she was left alone with her thoughts.
"Yeah?" Jessica answered, her voice distracted.
"What are you doing?" Paris asked as she walked to the window of her penthouse, gazing down at the thousands of flickering lights. The city stretched beneath her, a perfect view of Central Park illuminated in the night.
Paris exhaled sharply, pressing her forehead against the cool glass of the window. "I don't wanna be anywhere near Shane right now. Kelsey's asleep, and I refuse to waste my last night in New York stuck in this house. Send a car for me?"
A soft laugh drifted through the phone. "I'll let Shane know."
Paris rolled her eyes. "Yeah, okay," she muttered before ending the call.
She climbed the stairs, her footsteps light against the hardwood as she made her way to her mother's room to let her know she was heading out. Afterward, she slipped into the bathroom, running a brush through her hair before gathering it into a sleek ponytail. It was the longest and healthiest it had ever been. All she needed was a silk press, and she'd be good to go.
She wore only lip gloss—no makeup—paired with a sleek black two-piece lounge set that hugged her body like a glove. A platinum Richard Mille graced her wrist, diamond earrings shimmered against her skin, and a Saint Laurent crossbody bag and matching heels completed the look. This was Paris' version of keeping it basic.
She had no idea where she was going, but it didn't matter—fitting the criteria of any room she entered had never required much effort. Even on a chill night, Paris gave off the kind of energy that made people pay attention. She looked like she had someone making sure she was good—because she did. Kept, polished, and never out of place.
She was escorted downstairs by security, slipping into Jessica's GLE Mercedes before they sped off into the night.
"Where we going?" Paris asked, leaning back against the seat.
Jessica glanced over, tapping her nails against the steering wheel. "I got a few stops to make, then I gotta meet up with your husband. I can drop you back at your place before that if you want."
Paris kept her eyes on the city lights fading into the distance. "About what?"
"Business, per usual," Jessica said nonchalantly.
"I can't say too much, but you know Shane and Shamar—they're always coming up with new ways to make more money," she added.
"Don't I know it," Paris muttered, unimpressed.
Jessica switched lanes, glancing over. "How's everything going with the vineyard?"
Paris shrugged. "Fine, I guess. Don't get me wrong, I'm excited, but Kelsey's way more into it than I am."
Jessica reached into a compartment, pulled out a pre-rolled blunt and a lighter, then tossed them to Paris. "Light this," she said.
Paris smirked, taking the blunt between her lips. "Maybe I shouldn't. You might snitch on me later," she joked, teasingly.
Jessica laughed. "Whatever, I was just trying to help you out."
"Mmhmm," Paris hummed as she took a slow drag, letting the smoke swirl in her lungs before exhaling. The space between them filled with a hazy cloud as she passed it over to Jessica, a sly smile playing on her lips.
