Chapter 11: Masquerading
Gia cupped her breasts and kept her back towards Ezra.
“You shouldn’t be here.”
The bridal suit was lighter than the garden. He could see the tan and make up. She was definitely, caught Gia thought.
“Are you nervous now? We’ve had sex before,” Ezra said.
“Yeah… but you don’t remember.”
Ezra stepped forward. He breathed down on her neck. “How do you know I don’t remember that night?”
Gia swallowed the lump in her throat. Ezra’s rough hands fluttered across her shoulder blade.
“Natalie,” he breathed out.
The door burst open. Gia startled and grabbed her dress of the ground to cover her exposed flesh. Hanah strolled into the room with a huge fake smile on her face.
“Ezra, shouldn’t you be out there entertaining our guests?” Hanah laughed nervously.
“My fiancée needed help,” Ezra replied.
“Oh, I’m finished I’ll be right out.”
Ezra stared between both women. He clenched his jaw, nodded and walked out. Gia thought he was suspicious. This was a risky move. She didn’t want to be caught. Hanah slammed the door shut.
“What are you doing? Are you trying to ruin things for us?” Hanah raised her hand to strike her.
Gia jumped out of the way. “You want to send me out with a red face? You still need me Hanah.”
“You little brat!” Hanah stomped her foot.
“You don’t have the same scar as Natalie. Ezra must have noticed.”
Gia slipped back into her dress. “I’m sure he doesn’t know that.”
“Get back out there. You can leave after thirty minutes. No more hiccups. I’m doing too much as it is!”
Gia composed herself. She had to be Natalie for one night. She could handle this. Besides, it was for her Mother.
***
Ezra returned to the party where everyone he met gave their congratulations and shared their opinion on how lovely a couple they were. Every seemed to think Natalie was a lovely well-mannered girl. Ezra tried to remain grounded but something struck him while he was in the room with Natalie.
The day he woke up beside her and his sheets red with her blood. He noticed a distinct scar on her back. He hadn’t imagined it then and he hadn’t imagined it not being there now.
“I bet you can’t wait to drag Natalie back to your penthouse,” Keegan chuckled.
Ezra tugged on his collar. “I don’t kiss and tell, Keegan.”
Keegan barked out a laugh. “She looked gorgeous. Subtle and innocent almost. If only that was the case with Natalie.”
“What do you mean?” Ezra asked.
“Natalie has… a reputation in our circle for being a party animal and she hits the bottle pretty hard.”
Ezra raised his brow. “Are you insinuating my fiancée’s an alcoholic?”
“Pretty much.”
Ezra growled with deep displeasure. “Why didn’t you tell me that before I committed?”
“Come on man, it’s not that big of a deal. Besides, you’re a Warren, I’m sure she knows what comes with being your wife.”
“I’m back,” Gia announced.
Keegan and Ezra took her in. For a second Keegan’s gaze lingered too long on her. She thought he might see right through her. She inched closer to Ezra and he instinctively wrapped his arm around her waist. The action felt right when he did it. She felt safe in his grasp.
“So Natalie’s where’s your doppelganger? I haven’t been able to get her out of my mind lately.” Keegan looked around.
Gia’s chest tightened and heat scattered across her nose.
“Oh, Gianna. I fired her… yeah, one too many mistakes.”
“What? Where is she?”
“Uh… I don’t know… frankly, I don’t care.” That sounds like something Natalie would say.
Keegan scowled. “She’s a maid. How could be so cold?”
Keegan shook his head and walked off. Gia didn’t like being Natalie but she reminded herself it was for one night.
Ezra’s hand slipped from her side. “Did you have to fire her?”
“Why do you care Ezra?” Gia took the opportunity to get answers for herself.
“I don’t. However, we both know she doesn’t have the luxury we do.”
“Right… she’ll figure it out. I don’t want to talk about the help, if you don’t mind.”
Ezra picked up a wine glass from a passing waiter instead of responding. A woman in a rose gold dress sashayed over to the couple. She had an hourglass figure, her lips were as red as blood and her hair was as smooth as honey.
“Emma, I didn’t think you’d show up,” Ezra said.
The woman smiled at them. “I didn’t plan on it since you decided to marry Natalie Bentley but I had to see things for myself.”
Who was she? Gia questioned internally.
“She’s going to be a Warren soon, Emma, you’ll be family.”
The pieces were coming together slowly but Gia still didn’t like the woman and her ill facial expressions.
“I must say Natalie you’ve got quite the catch. I hope you know how lucky you are.”
Gia lifted her chin. “I don’t think you know anything about me if you think that.”
Natalie had a yacht named after her sitting somewhere on her Father’s private sea side home and she made sure everyone knew it.
Emma placed her hand on her chest. “I’ve known you for years. You really are as pompous as the girls at the country club say.”
Crap, Gia thought. She should have listened to Hanah when she told her not to speak much tonight.
“Enough, Natalie and I have things to talk about. I’ll see you later, cousin.”
“You sure know how to pick them, Ezra,” Emma puffed and strolled off.
“What do you want to talk about?” Gia asked as she was being hauled away from the party.
“About the rules. Since you’re going to be my wife. I need to set a few ground rules.”