The Besotted

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This chapter contains material of a sexual nature. Reader discretion is advised.

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"Imani?" Someone taps my shoulder from behind.

I turn to look back---

And with a big smile, I get a, "Hi. It's me, Zora. You helped me with my baby a while ago when she wouldn't stop crying at Dixon's.."

"From that day, he got beat up. You're his sister, right?" I check.

I think I only met her once. I'm not sure. I didn't even really get a good look at her, I was pissed at Dixon and frustrated that I couldn't do anything about it. Then there was suddenly a bunch of people in the kitchen, the baby was wailing... I couldn't.

She looks amazing, though, in one-shoulder gold dress with a snitched waist. Clearly, she works out a lot. Hair is up in an artfully messy ponytail with golden drop earrings.

Luckily, she nods, still with the smile, "Nice to meet you again, I saw your name next to Dixon's. He never comes to these things."

"And yet he invited me... "

"Yeah, kind of shocked everyone with that one. Every time he doesn't have a choice but to make a public appearance and has to have a date, he only ever does it with Lana."

I don't say anything. I don't even get why she's telling me this.

She looks at me like I'm supposed to have an opinion, but I just look at her back. What does she expect me to say?

"How does it feel being the anomaly?" She peeps the look on my face.

I just shrug, "I would know how to feel if I knew why it's such a big deal."

"You don't think Dixon is a big deal?" She's sharp.

I've been trying to avoid conflict all day. I even turned the other cheek with Mariska and Nandi earlier tonight, so I'm definitely not going to start something with Dixon's older sister.

"Well, judging by how everyone around him reacts to him, he probably is, but I just know him as this guy I work for."

I remember that force field that always seemed to surround him. Always made him seem so untouchable and inaccessible.

He's powerful and private, so naturally, he's this popular. People are always fascinated with what they don't have access to. People will always want to get close to him because he has something everyone wants-- money and power.

"The guy you're working for is the current seating president of a billion dollar multi-national conglomerate, so..."

"So, pretty big deal. Which then makes sense that he'd also be seen in public with Lana, less drama and scandals that way, I suppose. They seem to have known one another for a very long time, and they seem to work well together."

"And you're okay with that?" She asks, grabbing a glass of champagne from the passing tray.

Am I being tested? What even is this conversation?