My eyes were glued to the ground. I tilted my head one way and then the other. My mouth opened but closed shortly after. I was at a loss for words. On the dining room patio was my phone, a place I knew for a fact I didn't put it. Behind me, the door opened. Christopher followed my eyes and took a step so that he was beside me.

"That's your phone..."

"Yes."

"And it's on the ground?"

"I don't quite know why, or how it even got there."

"Who knows, anyways are you ready?"

"I guess." I picked my phone up off the ground, and followed Christopher back into the condo. My uncle was waiting by the door, his eye going to the watch on his wrist and back up at us to indicate we were taking too long. I just flashed him my most innocent smile and moved past him without a word. We were half way to the living room when he stopped us.

"So where is it that you two are going? I know you Mia...you don't wear dresses." He commented towards the choice of clothing I had chosen. I rolled my eyes and faced him.

"Christopher is escorting me to a yacht club thingy that Veronica invited me to. She told me to were a dress if I had any. That is what I am going in." I said with a flap of the light wintergreen dress a friend had bought for me a few years back. It was either this or something black or white. I decided to go for a livelier color.

"Bring her back at a reasonable hour please. She does have an event to attend tomorrow, and she tends to get ancy when low on sleep."

"I do not!" I argued as Christopher nodded his head in response to my uncle. I looked at them both and gave them a grunt. Men! With a smile, my uncle headed back into the kitchen, and Christopher and I headed into the elevator.

We moved to the front of the lobby, the car was pulled around, and then we were on our way.
Christopher made a few calls about security stuff, took a few notes on his phone, and then pulled out a laptop from underneath the seat. I eyed it curiously. "Did you put that there while I was getting dressed?"

"All of the vehicles have one. We have access to plenty of the cameras around Cross companies and other venues, and the computers give us access to the video footage. Just making sure we have a clear path to the docks."   

"Just how much does Killian own?"

"A lot, though most of his ownership is outside of Chicago."

"Really...why?"

"Mr. Cross isn't one to be cooped up. His ownership is outside of the area so he is able to roam about."

"What's his favorite thing in the city?" I asked, curious if anything about him was the same or not.

"The Double Edge."

"What's that?"

"A club about seven blocks away from the company. He likes to go there and drink."

"Does he dance?" He use to all the time. Always sneaking me into different clubs, forcing me to dance with him to loud music. It had been annoying and bugged the hell out of me, but somehow the whole thing had put a smile on my face.

"Not really. Just sits and drink."

"No one asks him to dance?"

"It's more like he denies them."

"I don't believe that."

"Would you like to hear a little secret?" My ears instantly tuned in.

"Secret?" All these wonderful blackmailing opportunities just falling into my hands. I hoped it was a juicy one.

"Mr. Cross may sleep around with plenty of woman, but all of his close friend and most of the security knows that there is a girl out there he is in love with. I think he doesn't dance with any girl because that was 'their' thing."

"Really?" I grinned, "That's quite interesting."

"Oh?" He asked, but I ignored him and dialed Veronica's number the moment I pulled my phone from the clutch that I had grabbed before looking for my phone. What if she also goes to the club? Could he also only go in hopes of seeing her? So many questions were popping up in my mind, I was getting excited just at the thought.

"Hey can I make a change to the plans?" I asked the moment she picked up.

"Why, and what changes?"

"Ever been to a club called the double edge?"

"Killian's club? That's exclusive. It's hard to get into, even for me."

"Well then you're in luck, because you have me."

"I don't know..."

"You're telling me that your rich friends wouldn't kill for a shot at getting into Chicago's most exclusive club?"

"They would die at the chance...are you sure we will be able to get in?"

"Yes."

"Alright..."

"I'll still meet you at the club since I can now see the yacht," I said as the vessel began forming from the driver's window, "And we can take your limo to the club."

"See you soon then!"

"Yup!" I closed the call and turned towards Christopher with a grin. "You know what to do?"

"He might not like that..."

"Well...fuck him!"

"Look Ms. Renee, I just don't want to cause any problems. I much rather like my job and don't feel like losing it."

"He won't fire you...he won't even know that I'm there. He probably already made plans to go bang some random chick he's going to pick up off the street, and won't even show up. I'll be fine, and your job will be secured." The car came to a stop and I immediately got out.

Veronica was waiting for me with three other girls by the front doors. She flashed me a smile, and met me half way.

"You're wearing a dress!" She exclaimed as her eyes roamed the green dress, "Wait, you own a dress?"

"A friend bought it for me."

"And you chose to wear it...are you okay?" The back of her hand found my forehead before I could reply. I rolled my eyes at her and waited for her to remove the hand before I made my comment.

"I'm not sick."

"Are you sure? If you're not feeling well, then we can do this some other time."

"I'm not sick! I was being nice and didn't want to stand out among your friends! I was being nice Veronica!"

"Okay," She flashed me a mischievous grin and then pulled me to her side and dragged me to the three girls who had been watching our conversation with quite whispers. "Everybody this is my good friend Mia. She works with my brother. Mia, the blonde is Amber," She gave me a smile, "This lovely brunette is Chelsea," A wave, " And this strawberry blonde here is Zoey, " A wave and a smile...lucky me!

"Hi." I said with the most fake smile I could manage. It's not that I didn't like them, how could I, I didn't even know them. It was more along the lines of every time I looked at them all I could see was the word 'FAKE' written across their foreheads and that they were judging me.

"That's a cute dress." Zoey managed. I smiled and let it fall.

"Please, I know none of you like it. Your dresses probably cost about ten times the amount of this one. I don't like dresses. I can't fight in dresses. And before you three think of anything rude about me, you guys should realize I don't care."

"Seriously!" Veronica sighed the moment my little spiel left my lips, "Why is it that, that is the way you feel you need to introduce yourself? Every damn time Mia..."

"Would you rather I lie and pretend to be all buddy, buddy with the girls that are clearly judging me?"

"Yes."

"Now, now Veronica...you and I both know I don't lie well..."

"You...woman!" She glared at me for a second before turning back to her friends, "Look guys, I'm sorry. Mia isn't like us...as I'm sure you can tell...but she is a close friend of mine. Can we all try and get along?"

"I guess." Amber mumbled before taking off into the club. I followed her with my eyes until she was gone. When I brought my attention back to the other girls, only Chelsea seemed to have an interest in me.

"So you're an officer like her brother then?"

"No... enlisted. Her brother is the boss of one of the divisions on the ship. I've been around rich people all my life, so I didn't stand for Veronica's rich girl bull shit whenever she came to visit. We just clicked."

"So we've heard. Killian Cross?"

"Yes, I've been stuck with that bastard all my life."

"Has he ever tried anything with you..." She asked without meeting my eyes, and in that instant, I knew he'd slept with her at some point. Whores everywhere!

"Nope...we aren't like that. Most of the time we don't even have time to think. The moment we enter the same space it's war. He's like a brother to be honest."

"That's good. Men like Killian don't even deserve to walk on earth if I'm being honest with you. I'm sure you know how they are...they think that they're better than everyone else and that woman need to fall to their feet and worship-"

"Killian's not like that." I interrupted rudely, "He's nothing close to that. Sure, the man has a sleeping around problem, but the only woman he thinks need to fall at his feet, are the ones that do. Just because a man looks good and has money doesn't mean he is a god. In fact, most of the time men like that have some issue they are too scared to face. If Killian treats a girl like that, it's because that's how she's acting. Lesson one about Killian Cross, he treats you the way you act. Lesson two, he really hates apples. I don't know why...but he does..." I looked up and instantly went into my defensive mode. Behind Chelsea stood a grinning Veronica. I saw the look in her eyes and instantly looked away.

"I didn't realize what I said was upsetting," Chelsea commented realizing I hadn't liked what she'd said about Killian, "I was only telling you what I thought."

"A thought is best not shared when it is opinionated."

"Alright ladies!" Veronica jumped in before I could say anything else, "I'm glad you two are becoming such great friend and all, but how about we go inside?" Without saying anything, the three of us still outside made our way into the club. As we moved throughout the building and to the yacht, my eyes were able to roam the crowd that Veronica was made for.

Everyone was quite honestly very beautiful. It was like 'hey I'm rich so I get to be beautiful to'. Of course, as I eyes them I could see the darkness beneath the glamor. As we walked to the back doors a small group stood chatting. There was a taller man with an arm resting around the waist of a young petite ginger wearing a yellow sundress. They looked cute together, but if you paid close enough attention you would notice - by the way his eyes would flicker to the brunette across from him, and the way she responded - that he was cheating.
On the other side was a larger group. Counting quickly in my head, the number came to be eight. All of them girls. They were talking about something, a few of them eyeing Veronica, and then of course me. Judging. It was a look I've been given multiple times since I showed up to Chicago. It didn't really bother me; the look of a disappointed chief was a bother, but not a stupid girl that was to stuck up to realize that she wasn't as perfect as she thought she was.

By the time we made our way to the dock, I could feel the weight of their stares on my back. It took everything I had not to give them the middle finger, one of which being Veronica's hand attached to my wrist.

"You know I didn't bring you here to be judged, right?" Veronica asked as we moved towards the ship. I looked at her and smiled softly.

"Of course I do. You can't help how other people act Veronica."

"I just feel bad you know...I didn't even think the girls would act like this towards you..."

"It doesn't bother me, really it doesn't. They are acting the way they do because I'm different and to them it's probably a type of threat. I can't help it I'm so awesome..."

"Of course you can't." She said with a smirk. I grinned and followed her to the brow where she showed an I.D and was given access to the fancy vessel. We walking into the first door and moved up two levels. Once there we walked for a few minutes until we came upon two large double glass door. Inside was a room filled with glitter, and by that' I mean the girls were covered in shimmery dresses. I looked a Veronica who had a malicious grin glued on her face.

"You bitch!" I gasped knowing that she knew very well just how much I loathed glitter.