Company Ink by E.L. Lewis

t w e n t y – s i x

I twirl my head around towards the familiar low and husky timbre of Adrian's voice.

"Hi," I whisper, my eyes flickering down to his outfit; dark grey double-breasted tuxedo, charcoal black tie, and a brass pocket watch attached to his vest. Hello Peaky Blinders.

Blake drops my hand slowly and takes a step away from me, his cold glare landing on Adrian. "Of course," Blake says in a strained tone. "I need to go follow up with Elliot Wagner anyway." Blake's eyes soften when he looks at me. "Will you be okay, Cassandra?"

Adrian scoffs, taking a step closer to me and twisting me into his arms. "You're making it seem like you're leaving her alone with a criminal, Pearson." Adrian winks at me. "She knows I don't bite." I grin in spite of myself. How does he do that?

"I was under the impression that all dogs bite," Blake mutters under his breath so quietly I don't think he meant to say it out loud. Thankfully, Adrian doesn't seem to hear. "I'll be around, Cassandra, if you need anything."

Adrian rolls his eyes. "Yes, yes, she'll shoot up a flare if she needs saving, right Cassie?"

Oh my God! I narrow my eyes and let out a nervous giggle. "I'll be fine, Blake. I'll find you in a bit," I say, smiling through my sudden anxiety. Being around Blake and Adrian at the same time is too much for me to handle.

Blake nods, taking a breath. "Not too long I hope," he says and walks away, leaving me in the arms of a man who makes my knees turn into Jell-O.

Adrian places his hand around my waist and tugs me closer, swaying us to the music. "You look absolutely radiant tonight, Cariño," he whispers, his hot breath fanning against my neck. "But then again, you always do."

My heart flutters. "Thanks, you don't look half bad yourself."

Adrian twirls me around the dance floor until we're in the center. "How is your night going? You've been with Pearson all evening and haven't died of boredom yet, so that's a good sign," he says.

I swat his shoulder as he spins us around to the smooth and slow blares of a saxophone. "Blake is not boring," I insist, sounding a little too defensive. "He's just...mellow."

Adrian laughs. "That's a very diplomatic way of saying that he's boring."

I push myself away from Adrian and loop around his arm, frowning as he spins me around. "And you don't think that you're boring?" I ask, an edge in my voice.

"I know I'm not," Adrian smirks, pulling me back into his arms. "And you know that too, Cariño."

I roll my eyes. "You know that some people find humility to be sexy, right?"

Adrian's chest vibrates as he laughs. "But you're not one of those people, Cassie. Nor are you humble yourself."

Damn it. He's not wrong. It's not like I think of myself as Queen of the World, but I've been told I could simmer down on the brazen cockiness now and again. Such a double standard; men rarely get told to be more humble.

"Ah," Adrian says quietly. "No witty reply?"

"I'm thinking!" I mutter, frustrated by his keen observation.

Adrian's eyes crinkle as he faces me. "It's not a crime to be confident, Cariño. Don't be offended, it's a compliment, truly."

I can't help but smile. "Well, thank you," I laugh. "I guess we're both going to hell then. Apparently, pride is a sin." As is lust.

Adrian smirks. "With a face like yours, Cassie, you'll definitely go to heaven."

"I don't think you're admitted through the pearly gates based on appearance," I muse as we fall into a comfortable rhythmic swing. "I heard there's some crap about soul and heart."

"Then you'll definitely get in," he winks.

"Cute," I say, rolling my eyes.

"I try," Adrian says lightly, just as the song is ending. He tilts his head and adds, "I want to show you something, Cariño. Come with me."

My forehead creases as he leads me off the dance floor. "What is it? Blake might be looking for me..."

"Pearson is capable of keeping himself entertained for a few minutes," Adrian says icily. "Trust me, you'll love it. Let's go." He grabs my hand and leads me out of the ballroom.

"Where are we going?"

Adrian grins. "You'll see soon enough."

We walk down the forest green-carpeted hallway until we reach the elevator, Adrian presses the up button.

"Are you taking me up to a room?" My eyes expand at his audacity. "If you think I'm going to sleep with you—"

"What?" he laughs. "I mean, I'm flattered that's where your mind automatically goes but no, I'm not taking you to a room, Cassie."

"Oh..." My cheeks flush. Kill me. "Where are you taking me then?" I mutter. Ugh, this is awkward now.

Adrian presses the button to the top floor. "You'll see in a minute."

We ride up in a comfortable yet somewhat tense silence, our bodies so close to one another but not touching.

"Follow me," Adrian says, leading me down the hallway past all the suites, and through a door I wouldn't have even noticed was there. I furrow my brows when a small flight of stairs comes into view. "Come on Cassie." He holds out his hand. "It's fine."

I take it hesitantly. "Something tells me we're not supposed to be up here," I whisper.

Once Adrian opens the metallic door at the top of the stairs, a cool breeze blows through my hair.

"You brought me...to the roof?" I ask slowly, my heels sinking into the pebbled ground. I crane my neck and look up at the star scattered sky. "Wow, it's so clear tonight."

Adrian leads me to the edge of the roof. "Lucky us," he whispers, his eyes flickering up to the heavens. "Do you see that 'W' right over there?" He points his long finger high up into the sky.

"Kind of? Why?" I ask, squinting my eyes, trying to make out the string of stars he's referring to.

Adrian lowers his head, his eyes now focused solely on me. "That constellation is called Cassiopeia."

"Really?!" I exclaim, flinging my neck backward again and staring at the 'W'. "That's so cool. I wonder if that's why my parents named me Cassandra."

Adrian lets out a quiet laugh. "I would hope not," he says.

"What? Why not?" I ask, frowning.

Adrian rubs his chin. "That constellation is named after a queen in Greek mythology."

My eyes widen with glee. "A queen?"

"Yes, a queen." Adrian presses his lips into a thin line. "But before you go and start getting all giddy let me finish the story."

"Fine, go ahead," I concede. "What did this queen do?"

"Well, according to legend, Cassiopeia was very vain and boasted that she was more beautiful than the Nereids, the sea nymphs. Her proclamation angered Poseidon, the god of the sea, so he sent a sea monster to destroy her kingdom. Not wanting her livelihood destroyed, Cassiopeia tied her daughter Andromeda to a rock near the ocean as a sacrifice, in order to appease the monster."

"That's horrible!" I exclaim. "Did she die?"

"No, she didn't," Adrian chuckles. "Luckily, Perseus swooped down on Pegasus and saved her."

"Awe that's so romantic," I pout. "But what happened to Cassiopeia?"

"Well, the gods were so happy that they ascended everyone up to the heavens in the form of stars. But because of her vanity, Cassiopeia was bound to a throne, so that when she revolves around the north celestial pole, she's sometimes upside-down, an 'M' instead of a 'W'. And if she lets go of her chair, she'll plummet from the sky into the ocean, and get devoured by the Nereids that she insulted."

"Damn," I say in a long-drawn-out breath. "The gods did her dirty."

Adrian smiles. "Yes, they did."

"How do you know so much about astronomy," I ask, leaning against the railing.

"My older brother put me on to it when I was younger," Adrian sighs, his deep eyes scanning my face. "My father used to travel a lot for business, I'd hate it. I was a... needy child. Every time he'd leave, I'd just break down into these pathetic sobs."

I frown. "I think that's normal. Children always want to be with their parents."

"I suppose." Adrian lets out a long breath. "Anyway, one night when my father left, my brother took me outside, pointed to the sky and he said to me 'when you miss him, just look up at the stars, they're the same stars Dad sees'."

The pained look on Adrian's face causes my heart to clench. "Sounds like you have a really good big brother."

"I do." Adrian briefly closes his eyes. "I would do anything for him. He basically raised me."

"He did a good job," I whisper. "You turned out okay."

Adrian's face softens. "Just, okay?"

I shrug coyly. "No one's perfect."

Adrian's eyes flicker between mine. "Are you sure?"

My chest expands as my heart skips a beat. "Yes," I murmur, a chill tingling my spine, forcing me to shiver.

"Oh," Adrian says, shaking off his jacket. "Here, take this."

"Or we can just go back inside?"

Adrian drapes the jacket over my shoulders. "I didn't bring you out here to show you constellations, Cassie."

"You didn't? Why are we here then?" I ask, gripping his blazer.

Adrian pulls out his cellphone and types a quick message. "You'll see in about ten seconds." He grabs my shoulders and twists me around, so my back is against his chest. "Look."

"What am I looking a—" My question is cut off by two glowing spurts shooting up into the sky, exploding into thousands of red and white sparks, tumbling over themselves like waterfalls. "Oh my God! Fireworks!"

"You missed the Fourth of July," he whispers quietly into my ear.

I crane my neck, my eyes wide with disbelief. "You did this? How?"

"It doesn't matter how," Adrian smiles. "Just enjoy it."

I turn my head slowly and watch the cascading and swirling lights fill up the night sky, dancing together, creating breath-taking shapes and patterns. I subconsciously lean into Adrian's chest, he doesn't touch me for a few minutes but then he gives in, wrapping his arms around my waist as we watch the fireworks together.

When the last spark fizzles, I realize that we're intertwined. I spin myself around, taking a step backward. "That was amazing," I whisper, feeling embarrassed. "Thank you."

Adrian tucks a wayward piece of hair behind my ear. "It was nothing," he says softly.

He takes a step closer towards me and my breath hitches. No. "Adrian—" I grab his hand and lower it. "You can't do this to me."

"Do what, Cariño?" he asks quietly.

"This!" I point to the smoke in the sky. "And the shoes and the flirting—" I take a deep breath. "You just can't. It's not fair."

"Life's not fair, Cassie," he says mournfully, his eyes strikingly sad. "But it's the only one we have."

I bite my lip, frustration and an uneasy sense of vulnerability flowing through my veins.

"If we keep going like this, I'm going to fall for you," I admit, surprising even myself. "And I know you're not going to be there to catch me, so please, stop."

Adrian lifts up his hand and cups my face, his thumb grazing the apples of my cheek. "Cassie, I'd catch you," he whispers.

I lean into his touch for a second before forcing myself to pull away. "No, Adrian, you wouldn't." I close my eyes, taking a step away from him. "And I—We are going to have to accept that this—" I motion between our two bodies. "Is never going to happen, because I'm not willing to budge and it seems that you're not either."

Adrian grunts and runs both his hands through his hair, cursing under his breath, muttering something in Spanish.

"Why is it so important to you that we have a label? Can't we just spend time together, have fun, make love, and not worry about anything else?"

I laugh at myself. Where was he two months ago? When life was simple?

"My best friend in the entire world is getting married in a few weeks," I explain. "She's going to buy a house, start a family. She's...growing and I—I need to grow too. I don't want a fling, I want something stable, something that matters." I sigh, kicking some stones with my feet. "I don't want to be the only person at her baby shower that's alone."

"I—I understand. You need more." Adrian nods, licking his lips, pacing in front of me. "And I can't give you what you want—a future." He continues to mumble words in Spanish. God, he's losing it.

I take a step closer to him and put my hand on his shoulder. "Why can't you?" I ask quietly. "There must be a reason."

Adrian closes his eyes and shakes his head. "It's not—" He swallows. "You wouldn't—"

"You know what? It's fine," I say, not wanting to push him. He already looks like he's unraveling. "You don't have to explain yourself to me, it's none of my business." Oh my God, did I just say that? Wow.

"I'm sorry, Cassie," he says. "I wish I could."

"Yeah, me too." I nod, shrugging off his blazer and handing it back to him. "We should get back inside, Blake's probably looking for me."

"Pearson—" Adrian stills, his emotionless eyes piercing mine. "Right." He gestures towards the door. "Wouldn't want to keep the boss waiting. After you."

We head back to the ballroom in silence. My head slightly hurts, and I feel quite blue. In another life, we could've had something magical, of that I'm sure, but as Adrian said, we only have this life, and in this life, I guess it wasn't meant to be.

"I'll see you on Monday?" I mutter as we approach the ballroom.

Adrian tries to smile but I can see the sadness he's masking. "Of course, Cariño." He pauses. "I mean Cassie."

"We're okay, right? I mean...we can still be friends," I offer, not wanting to only be two ships passing in the night.

Adrian sighs. "I guess that's what we're left with."

"Yeah," I smile, trying to ignore the fact that my heart is hurting. "Try to enjoy the rest of the night, okay? The silent auction should be starting soon."

Adrian nods and then disappears into the crowd. I let out a breath and straighten my shoulders. Despite what just happened, I need to get it together. There's still an hour left of this event and I need to have my host face on. I survey the tables, trying to spot Blake's white suit, a difficult feat when half the attendees are dressed alike. In the corner of my eye, I spot a walking cane. Ah, there you are.

"Hey," I say, approaching the table that Blake's mingling at.

"Cassandra, there you are," he says, his eyes bright. "Where have you been?"

"Oh, I had to go and deal with a catering mix-up," I lie. "I'm back though."

Blake tilts his head. "Are you okay? You look a little—something."

I giggle nervously. "Yeah, I'm great, don't worry. Everything is fine."

"Are you sure?" he asks in a concerned tone. "Do you need anything?"

"A drink would be nice actually."

"Alright, let's get one." Blake excuses himself from the group of clients and leads us to the bar. "After you finish your drink, how about another dance?"

"Really? You want to dance?" I ask hesitantly.

Blake shrugs. "Might help take your mind off of whatever's causing that little wrinkle on your forehead."

I gasp, slapping my hand over my face. "What?" Oh my God, Adrian is literally aging me.

"I'm kidding," he chuckles, handing me my drink. "You look lovely."

I roll my eyes and take the shot of vodka. "Okay, let's dance."

The next hour flies by faster than I anticipate. After a few dances with Blake, I take the stage to wrap up the night with the silent auction. All the proceeds from the auction will go to The Pediatric Cancer Research Foundation, an idea Blake actually had during one of our meetings. With a few lingering drops of alcohol in my system, I manage to sound perky and enthusiastic as I auction off vacations, jewelry, art, and other miscellaneous items.

By the time I'm finished, my throat is dry and I'm thoroughly exhausted. Hosting is hard.

"You were fantastic, Cassandra," Blake says, helping me off the stage. "We managed to raise over $75,000 tonight. Incredible."

I suppress a yawn. "That's amazing."

"Are you ready to go home?" he asks, leading us back to our table.

I grab my shawl and wrap it around my body. "Are we allowed to leave before the guests?"

Blake laughs. "I'm the boss, Cassandra, I can leave whenever I want. The night is winding down, we've talked to virtually every person here, I think we can slip out."

I bite my lip. "I think I want to walk home. Your car, though quite cool, honestly scares the shit out of me."

"It's late, Cassandra, you should let me drive you."

"I'll be fine, it's only seven blocks, right?" I collect my purse off the table.

"I'll walk you then," he says firmly.

"You don't have to, it's fine."

"I insist." Blake holds out his arm. "Wouldn't want you crashing into any strangers now would I?"

I narrow my eyes. He's referring to the day Stella died. "You crashed into me!"

Blake laughs. "We can argue about it on the way. Let's go."

The fresh air fills my lungs as we walk slowly back to my condo. Blake recaps the conversations he had with our clients. Apparently, Mr. Wagner is a huge fan of mine. I guess getting Blake's car towed ended up paying off. We stop in front of my apartment after a little over ten minutes. I can't wait to get inside and take off these heels. Although beautiful, these shoes were evidently crafted by the hands of Satan.

"Well, I guess this is it," I say. "Thanks for walking me."

"Thank you for hosting the best Client Appreciation Night we've probably ever had. My father will be thrilled to hear how successful it was."

"The best? Really?"

"That's what everyone was saying," he grins. "Well, goodnight, Cassandra." Blake reaches for my hand and brings it up to his lips, placing a soft kiss on my skin. "I had a lot of fun with you."

A warm sensation spreads throughout my body as he lets go. "I did too. Goodnight, Blake."

I turn around and head inside. Mr. Hyatt opens the door for me. "Welcome back, Miss Carrington," he says. "Looks like you had a good night."

I smile at our precious doorman. "Yeah, I guess I did."

When I get up to my floor, there's a package sitting outside my front door. I scoop it up and bring it inside. As soon as I open the parcel, I frown. It's the shoes Adrian got for me. I toss them to the side and head straight to bed, not bothering to take off my make-up or dress.

That night I dream in black and white.

About Adrian.

And about Blake.