For You

Chapter one

"It's going to be fun, Ivy." My sister picked out a dress from my closet, put it next to her body then placed it back on the rack. She bit her lip picking out another dress, sighing.

"Maybe you can get to meet someone better than Jason," she mumbled, digging more into the closet.

"Emma, I told you multiple times." I raised my eyes from the computer screen. "I have work to do. I am up to my neck in projects and if I don't get them done by the end of the month I'm out." I can't risk getting fired. Just the thought of it makes shivers run down my spine. Me and Emma live in a small apartment and I'm glad I can afford to pay the bills. A couple of years ago our father died in the military and left his fortune to our mother who spent it all on gambling and then died.

For five years I've been Emma's legal guardian until she would be sent off to college. The worst years of my life. No, not because I had to raise her but because I wasted my most beautiful years suffering just because the person who birthed me was selfish. God blessed us when she received the news that she got a scholarship and I wouldn't have to pay her tuition.

If she didn't get the scholarship, I had to marry some rich old guy for the sake of her education.

"Please Ivy," she begged coming behind me and wrapping her arms around my neck, placing her chin on my shoulder. "We won't be living in the same apartment in a few weeks so let's have a little bit of fun. I'll help you if I can with your projects." I bit the inside of my cheek thinking about it. She's right, we won't live under the same roof in a few weeks. I looked at her and she stuck out her bottom lip.

"Come on you are twenty-three once in your life." she pinched my cheek.

"Fine." I tugged at my ear. I looked at her and she had the biggest grin on her face.

"Will you get me drinks?" She looked at me with puppy eyes.

"Sorry Em, you are a mess when drunk and I don't want you doing something stupid," I remember the last time I gave her some booze. It didn't go quite as I expected. I was stupid too for drinking and not being sober to supervise what she was doing.

Or who she was doing.

I combed my fingers through my hair and straightened my back, hearing and feeling every pop of my spine. I feel old.

"Pretty please?" she stuck out her bottom lip in a pouty way.

"No more than one shot of tequila understood?" I pointed my finger at her as a warning.

"Yes ma'am" I grabbed her by the cheeks and kissed her nose. I could pinch the hell out of her cheeks, just like grandmothers do. Except I'm not a grandma but I feel like one.

"Pick me a dress." I prepared to shut off my computer. "I'll go get a shower."

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"Don't drink anything a stranger offers you," I warned Emma. We went to a small club in the city and somehow the bouncer let Emma enter. He had a skeptical look, narrowing his eyes at her ID and then back at her but decided he didn't want to fight with her tonight. I think she had a fake ID or something.

I knew the risk of the bodyguard not letting her get inside and prepared a plan B. Glad I didn't need to use it, I wasn't in the mood to call my friend Scarlet to do some calls.

"Fine boss." she rolled her eyes. "You should try getting out of your work attitude sometimes"

"Another word out of your mouth and I'll send you back home miss." I pointed behind me with my thumb. I didn't know how to not mother her. It got in my habits. She sealed her lips and threw away the key before walking off to dance. I massaged my neck to let some tension ease.