I head over to chat with the investor in question, Michael Warrington and say my farewells to the Sheik, some business colleagues, and finally, Andy the Architect, who informed me that Toni had already gone to bed.
Thank God for that.
I can’t see Nathan and Abby in the crowds, they’ve probably decided to do what he intended to right now and go upstairs together and have their own party of two. I fire off a quick text, explaining that Lu and I are off to bed, and head off to the foyer. A quick glance at my watch tells me I’m pretty much on time. I’m just about to head past the Reception to the lifts, when I hear a female drawl that is unexpected and disappointing.
“Well if it isn’t, Sebastian Silver - Boss of the Year - I’d hoped I’d run into you.”
Taking in the female’s dishevelled state, I can see she is more than worse for wear, her eye make-up smudged and eyes glassy. She’d removed her mask and her hair lay limp around her forehead. Crap!
“Toni - how nice to see you. I’m about to go meet someone but hope you have a good night.”
Well done. Succinct and to the point - now keep moving.
“Now, is that any way to speak to someone you haven’t seen for a month?”
“Has it been that long? How are you settling in with Andy?”
“Andy is just fine but he’s not you, Seb.” Her fingertips run small circles over my pecks and I take a step back. I’m still wearing my mask, not that it had been any kind of deterrent against Toni, but it might hide my persona from any onlookers.
“Andy’s a good guy, Toni - you just get your head down and get on with your job and you’ll do fine, now I really mu…”
I watch as the cheaply dressed woman in front of me drops to her knees with a smile on her face and lipstick on her teeth and I panic, a nasty feeling of her intention irritating me low in my belly. As she moves towards my crotch, wrapping her arms tightly around my thighs and anchoring me there she nuzzles against me, “Don’t you worry, Seb, I’ll get my head down and give you the best job of your life - I thought you’d never ask, you naughty boy!”
“Toni, no!” I grab at her arms, to lift her up, away from my body. The petite woman was surprisingly strong. Jesus Christ! Get her off me!!! I’d never been a violent man, nor ever hit a woman, but the panic of Lu walking to meet me and seeing this was making me question my values.
“Oh, darling - that bitch Lucia can’t give you what you’re looking for, she’s far too old and dried up - I am ripe and fertile and will be whatever you want me to be.”
“Gone!”
“Excuse me?” Her eyes refocus, as the alcoholic fog parts and she looks right up at me, with a lop-sided slur.
“You said you’d be whatever I want you to be - I want you to be gone.”
“Well that’s not very nice. Stop pretending, Sebby - you know you’ve always wanted me - Lucia came along and spoiled everything.”
“Did I hear my name being mentioned?”
Holy shit! Lucia - here! Looking classy and beautiful but extremely angry and fucking hell, talk about being caught red-handed, except I am genuinely innocent of all charges.
“Toni, would you kindly remove yourself and your manipulative hands from my man.”
“What?”
“You heard.”
Toni looks up at me in question, and I hold my hands up to the sky without protest. “Whoa, don’t look at me love. You better do what the lady said…”
When Toni continues to look dumb but does not remove her arms from my waist, I hear Lu’s deep breath - God she’s stunning and like a wild cat, elegant and strong but will take no prisoners. Toni is dust.
She leans into Toni and gently grasps the back of the offending woman’s dress, pulling her upwards in the process. “Stand now, and hold on to what remains of your dignity. You’ve had a little too much to drink and I’m going to place you in this chair and ask Reception to help you up to your room. Ok?”
“Why are you being so nice to me? Your boyfriend was about to cheat on you with me?”
I hear my own growl and am about to intersect when Lu holds her hand up to stop me.
“Seb - I know exactly what…” Lu pauses to point at the situation with her finger in irritation ‘…this was!…” Before continuing to rain fire and hell almighty, on the woman who’d just had her head buried in my crotch “…and whilst I’m not against three-ways, tonight Toni, this man is all mine and I trust him implicitly - OK? Now bloody sober up.”
I watch my woman with pride - she’d just proved to me that we’d moved past the hurdle that was Toni and Ray. She trusted me. She’d walked in on a woman with her face buried in my crotch, albeit clothed but it can’t have looked good and she had not once questioned my loyalty to her.