I looked up at Alejandro as we waited in the elevator. He looked so handsome in his tuxedo, and his amorous affections in the car on the way here had me a trembling, hot mess. It was a pity we had to go to the awards dinner.
The elevator stopped at our floor and we stepped out, and right into two blonde Amazonian goddesses. I swear I had never seen two more beautiful women in my life.
I sensed Alejandro tense beside me and he stepped forward, partially shielding me from their view.
‘Alejandro,’ the slightly taller one said as she turned and caught his eye. ‘We’ve been wondering where you were.’ Then she wrapped her arms around his neck and gave him a kiss on each cheek. The second one did the same while I stood there looking and feeling like a Z-list extra at an A lister’s movie premiere.
Alejandro turned and placed his hand on the small of my back. ‘Ladies, this is my wife, Alana,’ he said and I held out my hand in greeting.
They both looked at my outstretched hand and then at me as though I was something that was stuck to the bottom of their Jimmy Choos. I let my arm fall to my side and willed the ground to swallow me whole.
‘Alana, this is Keira,’ he indicated the taller one. ‘And Michaela.’
They gave me a half assed, fake smile and then turned their attention back to my husband. ‘So, where have you been, Alejandro?’ Michaela purred as she placed her hand on his arm. ‘We’ve missed you.’
He cleared his throat and then checked his watch. ‘This thing is about to start, and I think I’m needed on stage,’ he said as he walked past them, pulling me along behind him.
‘Who were those women?’ I asked as we walked towards the conference suite.
‘No-one important,’ he said dismissively.
I stopped in my tracks, causing him to stop too, and he turned to me and sighed in frustration. ‘What?’ he snapped.
‘Are they your ex-girlfriends?’ I asked him. They looked just like some of the women I’d seen him in magazines with – impossibly skinny, tall, blonde and beautiful.
‘I dated them both for a few weeks, that’s all.’
‘At the same time?’
‘Yes!’ he growled.
Jesus! He dated those two goddesses at the same time? Just how much woman did one man need? ‘How many weeks is a few?’ I asked.
He bent his head so his face was close to mine. ‘I have a past, Alana. I’ve dated plenty of women, and we are going to run into them occasionally. But they are in my past. So, please stop acting like a spoiled child and behave yourself.’
I glared at him. He knew that accusing me of acting like a spoiled child would push my buttons, and now I had to behave or I would risk having him say he was proven right.
‘Fine. Let’s go,’ I said and plastered a fake smile on my face.
The awards dinner had turned out to be quite entertaining. Alejandro and I were sitting on a table with the mayor and his wife as well as some of the senior council officials and I had enjoyed talking all things politics with them.
Alejandro had joined in too. His knowledge of the inner workings of the L.A machine was impressive and I found myself having a thoroughly enjoyable evening.
Alejandro was charming and funny and he had these people eating out of the palm of his hand. I was having such a good time that I’d almost forgotten about the way his ex-girlfriends had looked at me earlier.
I’d excused myself to use the powder room and was sitting in one of the stalls when I heard their voices.
‘Oh, my God, can you believe Alejandro married that?’ one of them said.
‘I know,’ the other one replied. ‘I saw her in that magazine article and thought they must have caught her at a bad angle, but nope – she’s just fat,’ she said and the two of them burst out laughing.
I choked down a sob, not wanting to alert either of them to the fact that I was there.
‘He is sooo out of her league. Have you seen how she’s squeezed herself into that ridiculous dress? What the hell was he thinking?’
More laughter.
‘Oh, honey, it won’t last. She’s clearly not his type. Do you think he likes to do all of that freaky stuff with her?’
‘God, no! Could you imagine her? I bet she’s a strictly missionary with the lights off kind of girl,’ they shrieked with laughter.
‘I’m sure he’ll be looking for extra-marital fun soon enough,’ one of them cackled. ‘Maybe we can convince him to send her home early tonight and remind him just what he’s missing?’
They carried on talking about me as they left the powder room and I felt the salty tears running down my cheeks. I wiped them away with the back of my hand and took a deep breath.
What a pair of bitches!
Alejandro had fulfilled his role for the evening. Perhaps I would ask him if we could leave – together? Suddenly, the night wasn’t so much fun and I wanted to change out of my dress and into my comfy sweats.
I fixed my make-up in the mirror and then with my head held high, I walked out of the restroom. I was making my way back over to our table when I saw them with him – draped over him while they all laughed.
Were they laughing at me?
I looked at the three of them and the realization that I didn’t belong here hit me like a punch to the stomach. Kiera and Michaela looked like they belonged here. They looked like they belonged on his arm.
I looked down at my ample breasts straining to break out of my dress and realized I must have looked like a complete fool.
I felt the tears threatening again and I turned and fled to the elevators. I’d sneak out through the service entrance and catch a cab home. Alejandro could have his blonde goddesses and leave me the hell alone.
The elevator stopped at the underground entrance and as the doors opened, I was greeted by one of Alejandro’s guards, Jose.
‘Good evening, Mrs. Montoya,’ he said with a smile. ‘I’m afraid I can’t let you leave just yet.’
‘Why the hell not?’ I sniffed.
‘Because Mr. Montoya has asked me to escort you to his suite.’
‘What?’ I snapped. I’d only left two minutes ago. How the hell did he even know I was gone?
‘If you’ll step back inside, I’ll take you there now.’
‘No, I’m leaving,’ I said as I tried to push my way past him.
‘I’m afraid you can’t do that.’
I put my hands on my hips and glared at him. ‘What are you going to do? Carry me up there? I’m pretty sure your boss wouldn’t be very happy if you manhandle his property?’
‘I’m sure he wouldn’t, ma’am. But he’d be even more unhappy if I let you leave here and don’t escort you to his suite. So, I’ll take my chances,’ he said with a shrug.
I stared at him. He was serious. ‘Please, Jose, I just want to go home.’
He looked down at the floor and shook his head and then looked up at me again. ‘I can’t.’
‘Fine,’ I snapped as I walked back into the elevator.
Jose accompanied me to the top floor and let me into Alejandro’s suite.
‘Goodnight, Mrs. Montoya,’ he said as he closed the door behind him.
I pulled on the handle after he’d left and realized it was locked.
Damn Alejandro!
How dare he keep me prisoner until he deemed it fit to grace me with his presence. I had no idea how long he was planning on staying downstairs and making me wait for him while he flirted with his ex-girlfriends.
I kicked off my heels and walked around the suite. It was absolutely beautiful, with incredible views of the L.A skyline. If I wasn’t so bloody mad, I might have enjoyed it a little more. But as it was, I was pissed, and I sat on the sofa and glared at the door, waiting for The Devil to arrive.
A few moments later, he did.
