I stomp back into the party, push my way through the people, and walk out to the driveway where all the cars are located. I find our driver and our car parked about one hundred feet up the road and make my way to the car.
“Oh, Miss Emily.” Yanis, our driver, looks at me startled. “Are you ready to go?”
I open the door and slam it shut. “No. Louis hasn’t finished screwing some woman in the bushes yet. I guess when he’s done, we can go.” Yanis nods but doesn’t say a word while I busy myself on my cell and wait.
An hour later, Louis opens the car door, his blue eyes are wild with fury. “I’ve been looking for you.”
“Well, now you’ve found me.” I barely look up from my cell, texting my girlfriends like crazy. I also may have Googled ‘ten ways to kill your boss and not get busted’ because why not.
“I thought something had…” He doesn’t finish his words as he angrily rakes his fingers through his hair.
“I’m fine. Have you finished? Or are you simply taking a break so you can go back for round two? I’d like to know so I can plan my night.”
Rage seethes behind Louis’ eyes. “I never go back for seconds. No one is worth it.”
He’s one hundred percent a dick.
“Yanis, looks like we’re ready to go. Louis has finished fucking for tonight.”
Louis slams the car door, and I hear him cursing as he rounds the other side. He opens his door and slumps into his seat, then slams that door shut. I can smell her perfume on him, and it makes me want to gag. He pulls open the mini-fridge in front of us and pulls out a bottle of vodka. Taking off the lid, he throws back the bottle taking a hefty sip. Then he surprises me by handing me the bottle.
“I don’t know where those lips have been. Eww.” I turn my nose up at the vodka.
“Places that you’ll never get to experience.” He takes another swig directly from the bottle.
“Good. I’d rather stay disease-free, thank you very much.” I fold my arms across my chest.
“You’re the most infuriating woman I have ever met.”
He takes another gulp of his precious vodka.
“The feeling is most definitely mutual.”
Louis huffs beside me, cradling his vodka like it’s some sort of precious artwork.
It’s a long, silent trip home.
14
Emily
“How did it go?” Daniel calls me the next morning.
“It went okay.” Honestly, I’m not sure what to tell him.
“Looks like he behaved. There’s nothing in the press this morning.”
Phew, I have to say that makes me feel better.
“Yeah, I guess he did.”
Daniel doesn’t buy it and then asks, “What did he do?”
“You could have warned me it was a sex party.”
“What?”
“The host is a swinger.”
“Oh my God, Emily… I had no idea.” I can hear it in his voice that he’s telling the truth. “Were you okay at the party? Fuck! I should have been there. I didn’t mean to put you in that kind of situation.”
“Daniel, you didn’t know. I was okay. I waited in the car with Yanis while Louis finished up.”
“Finished up?”
“Yes. I found him in the garden behind the bushes with the host’s partner. Apparently, it’s all above board… the host was fine about it. I thought it was best I give Louis his space.”
“Fuck.” I can hear the frustration in Daniel’s voice. “I’ll talk to him. He shouldn’t have left you, not… dammit! Not in a place like that.”
“Daniel, it’s fine. I’m fine. I can look after myself. Please, we don’t need to make a big deal about it.”
“But—”
“No. Seriously. It’s fine. Eye-opening, but okay.”
Daniel’s not convinced, but I don’t need him rocking the boat with Louis. After last night, I haven’t seen him yet, and honestly, I’m not sure I want to.
“You’re doing a great job. I know he’s a difficult man to live and work with, but you’re handling him fantastically. I know Louis isn’t surrounding himself with the greatest of people right now, but I’m hoping it’s a phase.”
“Isn’t he a little old to be having phases?” I ask, honestly.
“Yeah, he is.” Daniel lets out a sigh. “But I don’t know what else to do with him.”
“Maybe he needs to get away from France for a bit. It holds so many memories for him here. Maybe he needs a change of scenery.”
“Are you trying to score a holiday?” He chuckles. “I mean, you do deserve one, especially after last night.”
“I hear the Seychelles are nice this time of year,” I tease.
“Why yes, that does sound nice, but I get what you’re saying. Maybe he needs to get away from it all… away from the bad influences.”
“Maybe he needs a shock to the system to get back to being the great artist we all know he is again.”
“Leave it with me, I’ll see what I can do.”
“He’s destroying it.” Gabriel runs into my office, his face is panic-stricken.
“What are you talking about?”
“Louis, he’s destroying his studio.”
Shit! I jump up and rush out to where I can hear crashing. I pull open the wooden door, and there he is bare-chested and in ripped jeans, tearing into his canvases, paint up-turned everywhere, and he’s pulling everything apart.
“Nothing. I have fucking nothing,” he shouts while he pulls the dark canvases off their stands.
“Louis,” I call out to him, but he’s lost in a haze of what looks to be tequila induced. I make my way through all the broken canvases, brushes, and paint tins.
Louis is staring at the now blank wall.
“I feel nothing when I’m in here.”
“Maybe you should try and paint somewhere else.”
“No,” he yells as he turns. “You don’t understand.”
“Yes, I do.” He ignores me and continues to kick shit around—his temper is out of control.
“I may not be some kind of art genius, but I used to paint,” I tell him. “But I haven’t painted in five
