High Card Bluff (House of Car...

Adri had gone through a hair and makeup process before and she was pleased to see wardrobe was satisfied with her own attire, the brands unidentified due to its simple nature. As she had the camera makeup and microphone pack added to her, Desmond went into greater detail about how their day would go.

The mentoring was to occur the morning, so the simple attire worked. Adri would be running a catwalk breakdown, getting the models to adjust to the rigors of a real show; and despite her efforts to prepare it had proven unnecessary as the show runners had created a guide she could refer to 'to keep the episode on topic.' The afternoon was the real action; a photo series where Adri would be facing off against the contestants in the sponsoring brand's style. After the shoot ends, there'd be dinner and drinks, giving the girls a chance for a more casual question and answer period with Adri. They would be filming until past midnight, at least all here at the hotel.

Poor Goon, he was on a couch in the main filming area, with only his phone for company. She'd almost expected him to take off to find something to do for the day, but when Desmond had told him about the couch, that's where he stayed.

She couldn't spare more time I worry about Tom, he was a grown ass man who could decide for himself if he wanted to stay and be bored all day. The fact that he had done that left Adrianna feeling a little off, weirdly nervous to have him see what it was she did to be a model.

She hadn't been lying when she'd told him that for the sake of work she was more mild mannered then her loved ones would expect, but Desmond had also been telling the truth when he referenced her reputation. Knowing that some of the more gossiped about pieces of her past were about the aired on to left Adri feeling a little annoyed but it was inevitable. She hadn't done anything to be embarrassed by, but she had handled it all on her own. Now everyone would see the episode eventually, so they would be hearing carefully edited versions for the first time.

Introductions to the models took her focus, and Adri was amused to realize that once again, she was the shortest one in the group. Though at least this selection had some curvier body types too, she wouldn't be hearing any comments about being 'luscious' today. Since the season they were filming was well under way, Adri only had five girls to try and mentor, the other six already eliminated.

May and Sarah were the typical model look, but Geraldine was full Vogue Italia hourglass, Chanel was 6.5' and the tallest model Adri will have shot with, and the last model Erin had some heavy tattooing.

If nothing else it'd make for some striking pictures later.

The nerves that Tom had gotten her to admit to fell away one Adri started to work, becoming immediately unaware of the camera in the same way she had at catwalks. She was always careful of her body but her eyes never looked. The room they were filming in was the conference hall with careful prop design, and it was similar enough to a real catwalk behind the scene to feel familiar. If she didn't look at the lighting and camera set up, it'd feel like working with Honey before a show. As it was the barrier of lights helped her from being able to see Tom on the couch, watching.

They were on the catwalk, Desmond had done the official introductions while filming, and the models were looking to her. The guideline from the show runner had suggested giving advice on how to work on difficult runways, so Adri started there.

"I don't need to show you ladies how to walk, you've got that part figured out even if you can't catwalk yet." she pointed at Geraldine and crooked her finger to have the tall model walk towards her, another hand gesture stopped her immediately. Adri pointed to May, then the others, getting them all to walk and stop without telling them to. "The trick to handing runway, difficult or practice, has nothing to do with your bodies."

Adri turned her back to the models and walked forwards a few steps to demonstrate. It wasn't her show stomp, she wasn't trying to show off, but even this was more controlled than a simple stroll.

"Your intent is what counts. Sometimes the audience is never going to see your face," She'd had a literal bird cage on her head for one show, "and they're not there to see you," that was something it took a lot of models time to learn, "they're there to see the clothes. You're the canvas, the art is put on you. So don't get into the habit of thinking you're the masterpiece," she was facing the models again, the conversation as easy as if she was on a script. "Your job is to make the outfit on you show the best aspects. If its flouncy, have some swish; if it's architectural, walk with a stink, and if it's uncomfortable it's haute couture and you've made it." the joke had them laughing, all of them likely experienced with how bad high fashion could be. Generally the higher the price tag the less comfortable it was to wear.

The models got underway, Adri and Desmond both running the girls through the paces of catwalk modelling. They had to change outfits and hair themselves, based off of a sketch of how the designer wanted it to look, they had to walk in certain styles either one called out, and then each model got some one on one time to work on their walks while all the others started to disappear for the hair and makeup required for the afternoon shoot.

Adri got a few minutes to eat a tasteless salad before she too got whisked away for the afternoon shoot. This time her simple outfit had to go; the sponsor for the episode was one of those sexy makeup and filter apps, so Adri found herself literally laced into her shorts and matching bustier. Her hair got pulled back into two tight Dutch braids, and the colours from the brand emblem were used for the makeup palette, all golds and green.

The other models were in pajama outfits, the photo set so it looked when Adrianna was the vision in the mirror the girls were becoming in makeup. It wasn't subtle, or even a good message, but Adri had learned a long time ago that her options were to shut up and do it, or find work elsewhere. So she switched off the part of her offended by the idea and just posed using the girls' own body language as much as possible. Which was hilarious because Geraldine was almost as tall as Tom.

It wasn't until all the girls had shot with her that things turned poorly.

Desmond swaggered out in an outfit to match Adri's and she should have seen the end result coming. But instead, she was the professional. With the girls she'd been the vision in the mirror, but Desmond had as much green and gold makeup as she did, so instead he wanted a 'matched set' image. His leather pants were as laced on as hers were, and they both creaked as he kept trying to press against her body for a sexy pic of him doing her makeup. Not only was it uncomfortable because she wasn't expecting it, Adri knew Desmond was trying to provoke a reaction for the show's sake. He'd made all that reference to her reputation for a reason.

But it wasn't until he grabbed the laces tying her bustier closed and pulled that she finally went from coldly professional to enraged enough to act. In a quick grab Adri had the top carefully held in place and the other hand grabbed his finger and swiftly bent them back until he was yelling in pain. And then like she had with Adrien, she drover her knee into his groin as hard as she could, which felt terrible against leather pants.

"I expected better of you Desmond Pope," Adri had a second to realize the cameras were still going she simply turned and walked off set to the dressing room her own clothes were in.

She hadn't even gotten a chance to fix the damn top she had on before Tomas was there, not saying anything but grabbing her into a tight hug. Her hands were stuck against his chest, keeping what little modesty the latter provided now that the laces had been pulled, and he blocked out the world for just a minute.

Just long enough for Adri to feel the adrenaline pass and the shaky urge to cry start. Which was ridiculous, she'd been through worse on a shoot before but she was just so tired of it happening at all.

"Get changed, we'll eat and go home tonight." Tomas sounded strangely calm; she'd expected him to be swearing his anger out, but although she knew he was furious he handled her almost gently.

She was going to argue that he had gotten up at the same time she had, and even if they traded driving again it was still at least a five hour drive back. But even as she took a breath to do it, Desmond knocked at the door and let himself in.

"I'm so going to rip your face off," Tom's voice was an eerily scary sounding calm, he'd turned to face Desmond and Adri took the momentary cover to fix the laces of her top so she could have her hands free.

Desmond held up his hands, Adri having to look around Tom as he stood like literal wall between them. "I come to apologize," he sounded sincere, "the producers told me to push and get a reaction; see if the stories held any water but that was taking it too far."

"And after yesterday you decided what? If I was going to hurt you any way you might as well get some joy out of it?" Adri demanded, standing next to Tomas instead of behind him. She'd pulled to mic pack off on the way to the dressing room, and was glad to see no camera with Desmond despite the dramatics. "It doesn't matter, you're paying me for my time and I'm leaving. I expect the scene to be edited out entirely and if I have to take legal action to assure it I will." Adri turned her back on Desmond in clear dismissal and grabbed her clothes, preferring to change back at the suite where she could lock the world out.

When she turned back around Desmond at least looked appropriately contrite, "I am sorry, and it will be edited out. You don't have to leave, though you aren't expected to do the Q&A session after this either."

As Adri again stood next to Tom, his hand rested on her back, the same careful reminder that he was there to help if needed. "Not for all the money in the world Desmond, shit like this is why I think of quitting all the damn time."

"And yet that never shows on your face, the untouchable Adrianna." Desmond was seeming less sorry by the minute, "Even you looked surprised by that at least." His bosses might have told him to push, but it was him that had tried.

"Get out of my way Desmond, and be grateful that I don't want to make a scene; stilettos do an awful lot of damage to soft tissues." She was still in the spike heeled boots and leather outfit from the shoot, so digging her heel into his anatomy might help her feel a little less dirty. Desmond moved, either her threat on the scowl on Tom's face enough warning to not stay in their way.

Tom stayed silent, his hand on her back the entire way to their room. "Go take a bath, I'll get food to the room."'

"I thought you just wanted to earn and go?" She'd love to relax in a bubble bath but that would take time.

"Reinita, I want to take a go in the Jacuzzi, and guys don't do baths." His grin helped her feel a little better. "Besides, asshole has to pay for the room serve right?"

She laughed, imagining the size of the steak Tomas was going to order just to cost Desmond. "Can you please get me something that's not a salad?" she walked in to the bathroom and started running water, knowing that it was easier to peel of leather and go straight in. It looks sexy as hell, but leather makes you sweat and she wanted that bath.

It gave her time to wash the makeup off, her wipes almost as good as Honey's. And the braids she left as it kept her hair out of the way. But getting the boots off finally let her toes have circulation and the laces that hadn't helped earlier were unthreaded now so she could slip into the bubble bath. Through the door she could hear him ordering food, the sound of his voice making it through but not the words.

Adri had to admit it'd felt nice to have him there if things had gotten uncomfortable. She'd been in worse positions and handled it, but even being careful didn't always help. She'd lived the experience, at 16 one of the press parties had ended up with someone slipping something in her pop glass. It'd been a pair of older models that had kept anything from happening to her then, and she'd always been so cautious after that, but the lesson had been learned. Sometimes only luck will save you. But this was the first time one of these incidents had been witnessed by her personal life.

She had enough bubbles in the bath that Adri didn't freak out when Tom opened the bathroom door and walked in, but her eyebrows were raised. Instead of explaining, he closed the door, sat on the floor next to the tub, and lit a joint. "Food'll be here in 30, got you chicken." he reached an arm up to share the Kush.

"Thank you," she didn't elaborate for what.

He managed to stay quiet while they smoked, the heat and Jacuzzi jets helping Adri actually feed her muscles relax. It was like she was still tensed to run away, even if there was no threat, but the sense of tension eased in time for her to get out. Tom had left after the smoke finished, but she got out before food arrived, using the housecoat the suite provided.

"There's probably time for you to have a bath too, if your manly pride will let you." she offered, going to her bag for clothes.

"Men don't do baths," he sat on the couch and watched her move around. "If a man's in a bath, its with his woman, and it ain't far bathing." she suspected that he was speaking from experience on the matter and tried not to blush.

She retreated to the bedroom, closing the door to dress in her driving clothes, this time cashmere instead of a cable knit dress, the soft fabric so much better after the chafe of leather. The nightmare boots from the shoot were replaced with her own boots again, and when she opened the door the food was there.

As predicted, Tom got himself a steak, though she was surprised to see a bottle of the champagne, still closed, with their meal. "Apparently shitstain sent it as part of his apology."

"I'Il put it in my bag with the other one, we can save them for later." A thought made her smile, "Now you'll have 2 bottles of good champagne to keep your antibiotics company."

They fell quiet while eating, the bags quickly packed after, and without any other delay they left. Tom had said he'd drive and wake her at the half way to take over, so Adri didn't feel bad letting herself doze in the passenger seat.

"Reinita, we're home, wake up." Adri blinked awake, eyes and neck sore from sleepy sitting up. It took another gritty moment for Tom's words to sink in.

"You were supposed to wake me," she grumbled out at him, feeling guilty that he had to do all the driving back.

"It was faster for me to just go," he already had the bags out, "Now we can sleep in my bed where I'll get a good night's rest instead of that weird 'this is not my bed' shit hotels give." He sounded tired despite still arguing with her.

"Well you sleep the fuck in then," she wasn't operating with all her brain awake, stuck between still tired and grumpy at being woken up.

"Can you just not argue with me until we're home in bed? I've been up for 24 hours and I'm hungry again." Tom was matching her crankiness, this wouldn't end soon.

She had her bag over one shoulder, following him towards the apartment despite their argument. Thanks to living with Nate and their bat eared parents, Adri had learned to whisper argue with the best. No need to piss off the neighbors over what was essentially a little cranky spat. She'd had a hell of a day, and he'd had to watch her go through it, neither one seemed to know what to do with it.

Inside Tom's apartment she set her bag on the couch and gratefully took off her knee high boots. Before they could restart the argument, the lighter fell out of Adri's boot and to the floor with a clatter.

"How the hell?" Tom sounded stunned "You were in a bath!"

Adri just leaned against the wall and laughed, barely able to recall herself when she'd done it. Probably as they were packing but it might have been on the way to the car. She'd definitely had it before falling asleep though.

"You know what?" He asked almost rhetorically and Adri was too tired to offer a smart an response. Tom once again picked her up on his shoulder and quietly dropped her in the bedroom, momentum flopping her onto the bed with an oof: "Get into your shirt and get to bed. I'm putting the wine in the fridge and I'll be right there." His grouchiness trumped hers thanks to her little giggle fest over the lighter.

So she got changed out of her clothes and into the shirt she wore to sleep here, climbing into bed without argument. The wine was in her bag, but Tom had gone through her purse repeatedly; she really didn't care about her luggage. Tom came back through the room to go shower, and Adri fell asleep enough that he had to reach across her to turn off the lights. Adrianna fell back asleep entirely as he snuggled else behind her.

--

Tom was in trouble. They hadn't even left for the party yet and he knew he was in trouble. Their arrival was supposed to be for 10pm, and the brat started getting ready immediately after dinner. Tom had showered and prepared, taking a little longer gets into his nearly black suit vest, the jacket too warm just yet so he left it off and rolled his sleeves, his tie already bothering the hell out of him. But that wasn't why he knew he was in trouble.

Her dress slithered. He could hear it now across the floor behind her as she walked around, the door closed for so long he'd once again asked Dri if she'd died. Last time the brat had popped out immediately after, ready to go. This time she told him to bring a bottle of the champagne with them since she didn't trust open drinks being carried across a room. And then took even more time while her dress slithered around behind her, making Tom jumpy. He nearly dropped the champagne bottle when she finally came out.

Leanne had told Dri that the ladies were to be a distraction, and good god the brat was. Her dress was golden lace, and looked painted onto her skin; the heavy beady worked into it adding weight, glitter, and the damn slither Tom couldn't ignore. The gold seemed to be a few shades darker than Dri's natural tone, making it hard to tell what was skin peeking through lace and deep cleavage, and what was the lace or beads themselves. The skirt was less transparent at least, though the high, open thigh slit meant the skirt still provided plenty of its own distraction. He couldn't spot a trace of nylon or stocking ether, just her bare leg down to the high heels.

She hadn't gone for much jewelry, despite the reference picture Tom had googled, but he guessed the beads were their own bling. Her hair us up, a series of curls and loops carefully pinned in place but with a few strands still wafting around her face softly, and Tom saw the difference in her makeup too. A darker eye colour to go with the fancy dress and a red lipstick he doubted would survive the night. Her purse wasn't as small and ridiculous as all the others had been, so Tom wondered what she had brought along tonight.

"Shall we?" This time he offered to elbow instead of his hand, seeing her cheek out his outfit in return. He'd even grabbed one of the champagne bottles, more than willing to split it with her over the course of the night, and the cash he had on hand for poker but he wasn't stupid.

She looped her arm though he with a smile, "You do clean up well Goon, so we shall."

Being in the heart of downtown meant there should have been no parking, except when Jerred did a fancy party, the event had valet parking. Though Tom hated to hand the keys over, he just resigned himself to searching for more trackers later. At least it let him come around and walk in with Dri at his side.

She was supposed to draw attention, and Tom could see the eyes turn to take her in as they walked through the crowd, up the stairs, and into the unremarkable building, to the party inside. His hand was on her back, trying not to fidget with the beads under his fingers, and the bottle of champagne was in his other hand; an afterthought.

Inside was the most decadent poker game he'd ever seen, the large open room had tables and chairs set up in small clusters around the outskirts of the room, on different levels so they could watch the middle of the shallow amphitheatre, where the poker tables were. Tom figured quickly that there'd be a dozen players at each table maybe, and he spied three tables.

"Let's find out what table I'm at and get you set up nearby." Tom couldn't help but kiss her cheek after whispering to her; there were no signs of the shit day she'd 'endured yesterday showing on her face.

Even in a room full of people trying to dress well, the brat stood out. She wasn't the tallest, or wearing the most revealing, or flashiest looking dress, but Tom could still see people stepping out of the was as she walked in with easy confidence. She walked like all the space in the room was hers and she was just sharing it with everyone else. It was the exact right attitude to take as they approached where Jerred was sitting in an expensive suit.

As much as Tom wanted to, he couldn't even blame the man for the long look he gave Dri. And he had to give the man credit for seeing the bottle of Champagne in Tom's hand, figuring it out quickly.

"Your lady has particularly exquisite tastes," Jerred knew the brand names apparently, "You're at the green table unless you cash out on the games or the games go fast enough for the top four at each table to faceoff." he had a little notebook with the names of the players listed, and Tom wanted to know what else it had inside.

"Time to lose some money." Tom smiled so Jerred would think it was a joke.

The Green table was to the left of the amphitheatre, so Tom led the brat to the lowest, closest table. It was still up a riser compared to the poker tables, and as they approached it one of the clever waiters spotted that they'd brought their own champagne and set a pair of fancy glasses for them to use. Tom didn't hesitate to pop the cork on it after that, happy to hear the brat laugh softy.

"This is a bad time to ask, but you do know how to play poker right?" She asked teasingly.

So Tom leaned over and kissed her, risking the red lipstick. "Yes I know how to play," he confirmed. Trying some of the champagne again Tom still found it fussy tasting, "Any red?" He had to check, not wanting to walk around in her colour until necessary.

"Not yet you're good." He liked that answer, taking his glass with him to the Green table but leaving her the bottle.

Tom sat so he was looking across the table and still able to see Dri, unsurprised to see the blonde Leanne had already come over to sit with her once he'd left. He wasn't at Jerred's table, but he was amused to find himself at a table with Adrien. Well Tom knew whose night he was going to ruin.

An hour later and his glass was empty but the chips were up. Tom folded out of a round early, not wanting to bleed money on a bad deal, so instead he looked to see the brat watching. Her posture was perfect as always, he was an indolent sprawl in his chair, so Tom turned his palm upwards from where it'd been resting on his leg and raised his empty glass with the other daring to try an entice her over to fill it.

Tom swallowed as the brat gave a slow smirk in response, a warning sign of danger that used to only mean yelling. Now as she looked away briefly to say something to Leanne, Tom felt his heart rate pay attention to how gracefully she stood and damn near sashayed towards him. The bottle of champagne was in her hand, so he was getting his request, but Tom shill braced himself for it. Even though there were still players betting at his table, not a damn eye did anything but watch her walk as she came to him, and to Tom's utter delight Adrianna played to being a distraction for the right.

She sat on his lap to pour the champagne into his glass, and Tom felt a lazy grin on his face as he had rested against her back, just above the swell of her ass. The brat left the bottle at the edge of the table as if she were staying a while and Tom watched the other players out of his peripheral. She'd stopped the betting cold, and more than one player kept paying closer attention to her than the game. Tom nearly laughed as she then drank from his glass before passing it over to him, somehow not a smudge of her lipstick had faded and he was more determined than ever to ruin it.

"You're supposed to be a distraction to the other players at the table Reinita," Tom smiled as he reminded the brat in Spanish.

"Aren't I?" She challenged right back with a confident shrug, her Spanish flawless.

It was inevitable after that for Tom to get his hand behind her neck, pull her mouth to his, and try to ruin that perfect lipstick. There was a poker game going on, he was certain of it, but he'd known he was in trouble when her dress had first stated to slither across the floor, and here he was. They could be stealing his chips or dealing the next round, and he couldn't care less because her hand was against his chest for balance, and he was going to kiss her like it was a good idea to get used to this.

They actually had dealt the next round, but only just, and Tom took a second to drink the champagne before he tried to think about his cards. He was fairly certain that the brat's lipstick had left its own mark on him, because he'd finally made it fade a little. He could keep trying later, she fished his glass and used the last of the bottle to top it up before winking at him and walking back to her seat.

While everyone else watched her ass, he checked his damn cards and tried to remember how to think. Her little distraction had worked wonders though, and Tom found the chips stacking up and the players falling down until even the buffoon Adrien lost the last. The Blue table had already finished, the players dispersed to drink or wait a potential final game of the top four; but Jerred's Red table was still going strong.

It gave him the chance to take his chips for a walk and talk to the brat away from the table. Spanish was relatively safe, but with that many people around someone was bound to know it. They both tried to be careful with it still, hell the brat mostly swore or taunted him in it, but it was better to converse less openly.

The blonde didn't seem surprised to see him come over, disappearing from the seat she'd been in with a brief wave. He sat, pulling his chair close beside Dri's and leaned in to ask, "You have my lighter again don't you?" seeing his breath make the wispy hairs dance around her neck.

She gave that uncontrolled laugh he loved, where her hand dropped to her bely like she was trying to hold it in. It wasn't the same laugh he'd heard her use to schmooze for model shit either, this was all Dri, and it drew many interested eyes.

"Yes, though the smoke is back home," she warned with her voice still holding laughter.

"If you get a chance, Jerred has a note book..." Tom knew he didn't need to elaborate, the brat's eyes were twinkling.

"You get to the table when they start the last game, I'll do the rest." she sounded too confident about it, but Tom still couldn't catch her lifts, and he was looking for it.

The Red table was finally finishing the last bets, so Tom gathered his chips, ready for the last table to fill finally. He grinned, once again catching the brat into a kiss, this time trying to get a little red on him. Red seemed to be Jerred's preferred colour and if he was going to make an impression, this was actually subtle. His hand was on the back of her neck again, fingers almost tangling in the loose hairs curling, and even though they were sitting Tom thought he felt Dri lean into it. He walked away when they called for the top four players from each table, proud for having the willpower to remember his damn job. How the hell she kept picking his pocket while they kissed was beyond him, though he was determined to return the favor somehow.

As intended, Tom sat down at the Red table Jerred had dominated, and the other man couldn't help but remark, "Your girl leaves a hell of a mark," he offered Tom a real cloth handkerchief.

"With word and deed," Tom agreed, taking the cloth to wipe the lipstick off. He kept the handkerchief too, the bright red stark against the white fabric, and Tom saw Jerred watch the red like a bull does a matador.

It was almost more of a chess match than poker, Tom wasn't playing to win the game but learn his opponent. Jerred liked to low ante until he was certain he had a winning hand, didn't rush a bet, and generally played like a damn professional. What Tom couldn't figure was who the man was performing so hard for. Dri was right, the whole night was a show, and it left Tom uncomfortable because he had no idea who was watching. But they were certainly there, Jerred kept getting little notes from someone though the messages would appear before Tom could spot the sender.

So Tom deliberately let himself lose the next hand, no caring about the money lost as it gave him a chance to look for Dri at their table. When she wasn't there, his tension level skyrocketed, trying find her without making it obvious he hadn't seen her move. He had faith Adrianna would have made a scene if someone had tried something, so logic tried to calmly point out that she had simply gotten up herself so nothing was wrong. But dammit all to hell he couldn't spot her without making it obvious he was looking for her, so he was stuck waiting on her to make her move. Which she did by coming up behind him and passing a drink. Some women were hell in high heels; hell had never met Tom's woman though or else she'd be Queen there too. He hadn't seen her move, he hadn't heard her coming, and until Adrianna spoke, the other players almost didn't notice her arrival yet, even Jerred.

"It's not Moet, but there are no bubbles worth having here anyways." she passed him a glass of what smelled like good Scotch, and suddenly every eye at the table was on him as she leaned over his shoulder to put a bottle at the table for Tom to fill up from. Tom worked on a bar; he knew his liquors, he also knew a $400 bottle for what it was; a distraction.

She was going for Jerred's book and all he had to do was play along with whatever came next. So he drank the damn good Scotch, figuring she bought the sealed bottle to stay in control of it, and noticed that Jerred had skipped upping an ante to watch both Dri and the drink.

"Could I talk you into sharing a splash of that?" Jerred asked the brat still just behind him. Tom could feel her hand resting on his shoulder and he kept his body language relaxed.

"I don't let alcohol I plan to drink out of my possession, I'll pour it." Adrianna picked the bottle back up and prowled around the table, finally giving him the chance to watch her in action.

Tom's jaw ached from how had his teeth were clenched as she bent slightly forwards to pour the Scotch into Jerred's empty glass. By necessity he'd sat back a little, cards held protectively to his chest as if that was her target. Jerred's eyes were thoroughly glued to the brat's carefully presented cleavage and even watching for it Tom barely spotted the lift.

And then she was back around the table to Tom's side, reaching across him to settle the bottle and damn near shut his brain off by putting her damn mouth against his ear to whisper, "If you drink enough I'll have to drive," she reminded in a teasing tone, task accomplished and everyone watched her walk away.

Apparently it was a flip the brat could switch because she'd snuck over before, and Tom had to focus on the card game, wondering how the hell he was supposed to concentrate now.

Devil woman.

Before Tom finished the first Scotch, he had to decide when to lose out, not wanting to risk being the big winner on his first night in. Adrien had gotten run off the table quickly, but Tom let himself chip out more, eventually cashing out when he had as much as he'd walked in with.

"Getting too rich for you?" the asshole that had once tried to crash him mocked, still playing. Tom could tell Jerred was draining him but just smiled at the fuckface.

"I know when to walk away.'' he didn't directly disagree, watching the dealer cash out his chips.

Tom could hear the dress slither closer, the sound warning that she saw his plan, but it seemed the brat was still playing one of her own. She came with Leanne on her arm, the women passing on Jerred's side of the table.

"Adri says you need to start giving better details when you text her man, you hadn't said anything about the theme for tonight." The blonde was apparently a combative drunk.

"I apologize Jerred, it seems the Moet was more effective on your stepsister here." Dri maneuvered carefully in front of a room full of witnesses and Tom could do nothing to help.

He didn't even know what she was doing, he just had to trust her to do it. Tom put his cash away, the bottle of Scotch in hand as he rose, and he waited for her to finish handing Leanne to Jerred's people.

"Not at all Adrianna," Jerred still played the gentlemen and Tom murdered him in his mind. "My stepsister is in good hands."

Tom smirked when Dri nodded as if expecting to be forgiven, and came around to his side without further farewell. His hand once again rested on her back, feeling the beads and lace shift as she walked; the dress slithering. He hadn't won the night's big game, but he hadn't been trying to, so Tom couldn't help but feel a little victorious.

The valet brought the Supra, a silent reminder that he'd have to sweep for trackers again, and even that couldn't ruin his good mood. With the event being in the heart of downtown they had less than an hour to the apartment, and the ride felt faster on the return than the trip out had been, and they remained silent all the way back.

"How'd you get Leanne so drunk if I had the bottle?" He asked as he put the still mostly full bottle in Tom's cupboard, anything to keep from looking at the brat in that dress.

"Someone kept sending her drinks, all I did was use it as a way to put the book back in his pocket so he never knows it was lifted." That made Tom turn around to look at her. He'd wanted to see that book. She'd taken the heels off, bare feet silent and the dress not slithering as she'd lifted the hem. "I took pictures of each page in detail, grab the phone and I'll be quick." the brat closed the bedroom door while Tom still watched in silence.

Tom spotted her purse on the table and went through it, amused to realize that a bigger purse definitely meant more stuff inside. Her phone was easy to find, but now he was curious. A full pack of gum, the lipstick, his lighter, and a billfold with more cash in it than Tom had brought for poker. If the bottle of booze hasn't tipped him off, this would have; apparently the brat had money. When he thought about it, it made sense; she lived at home, took the bus, didn't seem to go out to many lavish parties outside of the ones with him, and had been working since she was barely a teenager. He loosened the damn tie and top button, wanting to ditch the monkey suit now that they were home, but the brats 'I'll be quick' wasn't.

As soon as he thought it, the door opened and she popped back out. Her dress was replaced by his t-shirt, the makeup gone with no help from him this time, but her hair was still up in the fancy curls. "It's going to take me forever to undo these, go change." She bossed him around in his damn apartment, and if Tom hadn't wanted to kiss her so bad he'd have argued with her.

Instead of either, he went and got changed.

When he came back out she was siting at the table, looking at the pictures from her phone with a frown on her face. "Once I saw the notebook I realised I had to get it back; other than one or two pages, everything is written in code." she warned, showing him the picture series.

"He was also getting messages out from the crowd, I wasn't able to spot the sender, and he used the waiters to deliver them so I suspect it the same." Tom could see a million bobby pins holding the curls of her hair in place, and since she was showing him the pictures he started to pluck the damn things out.

He knew enough about long hair to start at the neck, each curl dropping down onto her shoulders while he tossed the metal pin on to the table. On the brats phone he saw initials next to numbers and started to try and decipher any meaning from them.

"Your theory about tonight being a demonstration to attract attention seems to fit well with encoded messages. Jerred is likely a mid level player in whatever world he's involved in." Thirty-three pins later, her hair lay in tempting waves around her shoulders and he'd run out of excuses to keep touching her.

"Hmm, and I'm not going to be much help while all the families are up at the Party; Honey's already told me were practicing for the Catwalk." she shot him a look over her shoulder, "Starting Monday until the show she's going to be riding my ass at every opportunity."

"It's supposed to be a chance for everyone to relax," he pointed out, still keeping her brother's impending proposal to Grace to himself. He'd have to text Nate later to get a picture of the ring once he picked it up.

"Tom, Catwalk is June 20th; we're entering mid May." She reminded him of her actual job.

"I'm certain the families will keep Honey from making it all about work." he'd get the others involved somehow if he had to, the brat needed the chance to relax just like the rest of them.

"Well we're there for 5 days, so I'll have to work some of it. It's simply a matter of there not being enough time before the show to perfect everything." Tom had figured out by now that the brat didn't like to do things unless she knew she could do them well, and it has more to do with perception than pride.

"Considering you went full James Bond in there tonight with no practice or much warning, I'm not all that worried about how you'll do. Now where's that smoke you mentioned earlier?" she'd fight with him if he tried to offer just comfort, so he had to change the topic.

"Check your pocket." Dri had laughter instead of stress in her voice as he reflexively swatted his pocket.

Lighter, joint; Devil Woman.