Page 15 of The Consequence of You (Heathley Academy #2)

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

CALLIE

I pull another dress out of the wardrobe and throw it on the bed. It’s a black silky number with spaghetti straps.

Not right.

Why did I agree to this dinner?

Because that infuriating jerk left you no choice, remember?

He threatened Rossi, and he meant every word.

There’s no double bluffing with him. God, I love Dahlia and Grayson to pieces, but the side order of Asher that comes along with them is testing my patience lately.

What’s his game? He must have a thousand better things to do with his time rather than torment me.

Surely, he could have asked any of his regular hook ups to go to this dinner with him tonight?

Why would he choose to spend extra time with me?

Especially after what happened between us the other day.

We haven't talked about it, but I’m sure he regretted it as much as I did in the cold light of day.

He clearly gets off on winding people up. Despite his suave exterior, he’s like an overgrown child in the way he wants to play games the whole time.

That’s it.

His game is to wind me up, and I won’t rise to it. I’ll bite my tongue. I’ll turn a blind eye, and like most children, he’ll grow tired and give up eventually, once he realises it’s not working.

And in the meantime, two can play at that game.

Heading back into my large closet, this time I pull out something completely different.

It’s a red corseted mini dress. It’s unworn, so the tags are still on it.

I ordered it a while back in black and they sent me the wrong colour.

By the time I got around to sending it back, I was out of the exchange period, so figured I’d keep hold of it, in case I ever grew out of my black phase. I was still waiting.

Asher’s words echo in my head, ‘ wear something black ’ – how dare he dictate to me what I can wear?

Slipping off my bra, I step into the dress.

It laces with ribbon at the front so when I fasten it, I cinch it in tightly, giving myself an hour-glass figure.

My reflection catches my eye. The red is bold, and contrasts completely with my almost black hair and pale skin tone.

I look… different. I’m not sure if I like it or not.

But fuck it. If it annoys Asher, then I’m wearing it.

I rummage in my make-up bag for a lipstick in exactly the same shade of glossy red and apply it.

Just shoes now. I have a pair of Louboutin heels which will go perfectly, but they’re classy and that’s not what I’m aiming for.

Instead, I opt for my black ankle boots with spiked heels and leave my legs bare .

As I’m putting my phone in a small black clutch bag, I hear the doorbell chime. He sent the car early. It can wait. I’m not giving him an extra moment of my time.

ASHER

It’s the first time I’ve been inside the Messina’s mansion.

That’s what it is. A sprawling, modern, European looking mansion.

I can see the appeal. The enormous glass walls must let in so much light.

Don’t get me wrong, my home is … impressive.

Impressive brickwork, gardens, history. But Callie’s place is designed to be lived in, to bring the outside in, and I’m pained to say I like it.

I glance at my watch. I’m early. Deliberately early. I want her on edge tonight. I need her snippy rudeness to be on show for all to see, so I’m going to poke and poke until she snaps.

I ring the doorbell for the second time. This time it is opened almost instantly by her bodyguard, Rossi.

“Lord Pennington, Miss Messina will just be a moment. Please come and wait in the hallway.” I’d forgotten I’d told him to call me Lord .

I hate the title, but I use it to gain respect.

Something tells me that’s not what’s going through the man’s mind when he uses it.

I have never seen him be anything but one hundred per cent professional, but there is a hell of a lot more going on behind his eyes than he lets on.

I am more than aware that I’m able to be around Callie because he’s allowing it.

Following him in, I admire the building's interior which is all gleaming marble and polished chrome fittings. Very nice.

“Is Mr Messina home? I’d very much like to meet him. ”

“No. Not this evening.” I wonder how often Callie is here alone. She clearly has staff like I do. But actual family. Where is her father tonight?

Rossi clears his throat. “I appreciate you sharing your observation with me last week about Carlo. He wasn’t the right man for the job. It’s not like me to miss something like that.” I’m taken aback. I wasn’t expecting Rossi’s honesty.

“I think we can both agree Calliope can be… distracting. I’m sure you’d have picked up on it, eventually,” I concede.

Fucking hell, have I gone soft?

Talking of distracting, a flash of colour catches my eye.

Fuck my life.

Calliope Messina is a fucking vision.

She’s dressed in a striking deep red. The dress has a tight corset top, which pulls in her already tiny waist, and pushes her breasts up where they are almost spilling out of the top.

The bottom half of the dress hugs her hips, but with just a little movement in the silk.

It finishes mid-thigh, and despite her petite stature, her legs look like they go on forever.

I’d been expecting her to wear stilettos, but instead, she’s wearing black heeled boots which add at least three inches to her tiny stature. They show off her slender ankles, and the whole ensemble has my cock jumping in my dress pants.

I told her to wear black, and the naughty princess disobeyed me. Just like I hoped she would. I never dreamed she’d do it as spectacularly as this, though. My parents will have a fit.

She grasps the bannister and slowly and gracefully descends the stairs. As she gets closer, I see her slow appraisal of my own outfit. I’ve gone for a classic black dinner suit, but it’s tailored to perfection. Her throat bobs as she swallows hard.

I look good. Better than good, and she isn’t able to disguise she likes what she sees.

“Asher. You said you were sending a car.”

The sound of my name on her lips makes my cock jump again. Fucking traitor. It needs to behave if we’re going to get through tonight.

“Calliope. You said you would wear black.”

“I did not. You told me to wear black, but our deal was that I attend this meal. The black was an unrelated request.”

Rossi shifts his stance in my periphery. He’s privy to this entire conversation, and I’m sure he’s curious about our deal. I don’t imagine Callie has elaborated. If she had, I’m sure our doorstep exchange would have gone down differently.

“We don’t have time for you to change, but you should know I don’t take kindly to being disobeyed.”

“I don’t take kindly to being ordered about either.” She snipes back at me. She’s in a feisty mood tonight. Good.

“Jacket? It’s cool tonight.”

“I’ll be fine.”

“I said, jacket.”

“And I said… I’ll be fine.”

Fuck me. It’s going to be a long night.