Unedited
Chapter 3. Drunk
"Coco, get up." A small body jumped on Jericho's thighs, as the man slept.
Jericho groaned, rubbing a hand down his face, he peeked at the young boy. "Lennox, didn't your mother tell you to never wake a sleeping tiger?"
Lennox giggled, his long brown curls resembling those of his mother's. "You're not a tiger."
Jericho sat up, with the boy still on his lower thighs. "Are you sure?"
Lennox, nodded his head, a big grin on his face. Jericho lunged forward, while making a growling sound that mirrored a tiger and tickled the boy.
A knock on his bedroom door, made Jericho put a stop to playful behavior. "Come in."
With an expensive dress, leather flats and a floppy hat on her head, Jericho's sister walked into his bedroom a tight smile on her face. "Hey Coco."
Jericho playfully threw Lennox onto the other side of his bed, before standing up to greet his sister.
"Alyssa." He kissed her cheek. "How are you?"
"We're doing good." Alyssa sat down on the king sized bed, as Jericho pulled on a shirt. "Lenny go get mommy a water please."
The young boy dashed out of the room, following the orders of his mother. Alyssa pulled a few magazines and newspapers out of her bag, handing them to her brother.
"What's this?" Jericho asked, glancing at the headlines and the cover pictures.
"The Smith's are having Tori's case retried."
Jericho felt his heart clench, his eyes flying over all the headlines that were similar.
Murder case of Tori Smith to be renewed ...
Reopening the case of Jericho Maverick's deceased girlfriend ...
Jericho sat on the edge of his bed, gripping the last newspaper in his hand. The words replayed in his head and he couldn't bare to look at another one. He wasn't going to cry or even get emotional, that wasn't him.
Alyssa hugged her older brother, placing a chaste kiss on his cheek. A silence between the siblings, before the ball of energy known as Lennox walked back into the room. "Here, mama."
The boy with the caramel skin glanced at his emotionless uncle, who had been happy just moments ago. "What's wrong Coco?"
Jericho glanced at his nephew and forcing a smile, he said. "I heard you are going trick or treating tonight without me."
Lennox believed Jericho without a second thought, because his favorite uncle never lied to him. "Do you want to come?"
"I can't." Jericho replied, while standing up to throw the newspapers away. "I've got to work, but if you want you can save me some candy for Sunday dinner."
Lennox climbed on his mother's lap, wrapping his small arms around her neck. "Maybe."
"Maybe?" Jericho chuckled, with his eyebrows raised as he glanced at the boy.
"Mhmm." Lennox nodded, his green eyes bright as he hid his grin in his mother's neck.
"Well then, I'll just have to bring my own candy." Jericho smiled.
..
Jericho let the cold liquid slip down his throat, warming his chest and the taste of the vodka and orange juice still fresh on his tongue. He watched the dancing guest enjoy themselves as the party was in full swing. The up beat music was loud and the party was similar to high school costume party. The classic red cups, slutty costumes, cheap alcohol, grinding bodies and random guest fucking upstairs.
Jericho wasn't one for parties, especially parties like this particular one, but he knew that if he would have stayed home, the bad memories would have caught up to him. He didn't want to think about her, or the thought of her case being reopened. It had been almost four years, but a gruesome scene like that couldn't be forgotten -she couldn't be forgotten.
Tori Smith, beautiful young actress, bubbly personality, and deceased girlfriend of billionaire Jericho Maverick.
The two had met in a café on a cold winter day -the typical romance novel setting. They had been friends for over a year, before things got serious. They dated for almost three years, a seemingly happy match. They were the perfect couple on the outside, but behind closed doors -
"How are you holding up?"
Jericho glanced at his assistant and friend, Ethan -the host of the party. "I'm fine."
Both of them could see through his lie, but Ethan played along. It didn't matter if Ethan knew he was lying, because nothing he would say would affect Jericho in the slightest. The man was emotionally and socially closed off, with shields, layers and locks he kept everything hidden. On the outside he was well known billionaire and lawyer Jericho Maverick. After years of creating this shield, nobody knew what lie beneath -not even his siblings.
The two men watched the dancing crowd, their backs leaning against the expensive bar, drinks in their hands. It had to be at least the fourth drink Jericho had and he could feel the buzz kicking in.
"You didn't dress up." Ethan noted, he himself dressed in a blue outfit, white print on the shirt -Thing 1-.
Jericho glanced down at his black suit and expensive shoes. "MIB agent." He hadn't dressed up, but the excuse was good enough.
Ethan chuckled, pouring himself another drink.
"Where's thing 2 ?" Jericho asked. He might as well make conversation, rather than slipping into the old memories that were bound to come the second he was alone with his thoughts.
"Ella, she's dancing ... I think." Ethan replied, while searching the crowd for his twin sister.
"There she is." Ethan pointed to the girl with the red costume, that matched her brothers, but had thing 2 printed on the front.
Ethan led Jericho through the dancing crowd over to his sister Ella, her girlfriend Victoria and ... Daisy. Jericho lifted a eyebrow at the cute costume Daisy was wearing, a faint smirk on his lips.
Daisy had a pair of black cat ears on top of her head, while dressed in black skinny jeans that hugged her lean legs and gentle curved hips. A striped shirt that showed off her arms and an inch of her lower back and flat stomach. The shirt was tight fitting, enhancing her thin waist and round breast.
The way she had her arms tightly wrapped around her midsection, gave Jericho the impression that the girl was uncomfortable in her figure-hugging clothes.
"Ladies, this is Jericho." Ethan introduced the three woman to Jericho.
Daisy gasped quietly, when her bright blue eyes met dancing silver ones.
"Daisy." Jericho smiled at the blushing girl.
There was something about Daisy that drove Jericho crazy -in a good way. She wasn't exactly the woman he would go for, but her blue eyes and timid nature had him focused on her from the second he met her. The beautiful blush that he would receive just furthered his attraction for the shy girl.
Daisy glanced behind her for help from her best friend Victoria or even Ella, but even Ethan and both woman had disappeared into the dancing crowd.
"Let's dance." Jericho called to Daisy over the loud music, eyes stuck on the innocent face.
Daisy looked like she was ready to decline the idea, just as a guest bumped into the girl, knocking her into Jericho's chest. His arms wrapped around the 5'2 girl, a sexy smile on his face as she blushed heavily, before thanking him.
Jericho cautiously slid his hands around her thin waist, watching her reaction to the innocent touch. Daisy glanced up at him with big eyes, her small hands placed on his hard chest. Jericho began to slowly move them to the beat, eyes never leaving hers. They were dancing too slow for the song, but neither of them seemed to care. The sexual attraction between them was something Jericho hadn't experienced in quite some time.
Tori Smith and everything that had to do with her, forgotten as he looked into Daisy's pure eyes.
As the minutes passed Jericho drew Daisy closer into his chest, his hands now on her back. He continued to guide her through the new song, their movements speeding up.
"I didn't think you'd come to a party like this." Jericho leaned down to her ear, so she could hear him over the loud music. "But I'm glad you are here."
He leaned back just a little, to watch her reaction. As wished, Daisy blushed, her eyes darting to Jericho's. Her blush always seemed to be present whenever she was around Jericho, or at least he hoped so.
Jericho wanted to hear her sweet voice and he knew he'd have to compliment her, because there was no way she wouldn't express her gratitude.
"I like your costume." Jericho breathed against the shell of her ear, the heat of his breath making Daisy shiver.
Daisy leaned further into his chest as to hide her permanent blush. "T-thank you."
"Are you a cat burglar?" Jericho asked, her body pressed against his causing a stirring within him.
Daisy nodded softly, her breathing hitched when Jericho slid his hand lower on her back, just above her ass.
Jericho leaned down, their foreheads touching as their bodies swayed to the music.
He wanted her.
Jericho wanted Daisy on his bed, beneath his body as they moved together, their skin damp with sweat from the hours of passion. He wanted to kiss her pale skin, caress her gentle curves, - he wanted to love her body, have her begging for more.
They continued to share a lusty gaze, their movements slowing down as the obvious attraction simmered between them.
Was it lust? Did Jericho just want a taste of her sweet body? Was he just infatuated -or was it more?
Jericho couldn't ponder on the question with the loud music, the alcohol in his system and the innocent but heated way Daisy glanced at him.
Their lips were just inches apart, and all Jericho wanted to do was give her a mind numbing kiss. His breath caressed her pink lips, that parted slightly at the action. Just as Jericho made the move to capture her lips in a heated kiss, she pulled back.
The people around them continued to dance, oblivious to the existence of Jericho and Daisy.
Daisy placed one of her hands on Jericho's face, her cerulean eyes searching his deep grey ones. "H-have you b-been drinking?"
Jericho didn't see a point in lying, when Daisy could clearly smell the vodka on his breath. "Yes, but I'm not drunk."
Daisy gently pushed his hands off of her body, removing any physical contact that they had. "I ... we can't."
"Daisy, I swear I'm not drunk." Jericho replied, gently taking her hand in his just for her to pull it away again.
Daisy shook her head, a weird expression on her face. "I hate alcohol."
Jericho didn't know what to reply with. She wouldn't kiss him because he had been drinking. He never heard of being rejected because the small consume of alcohol, but that was her choice and he wouldn't push her.
"Then let's just dance again." Jericho didn't want to end the night. Despite his foul mood when he arrived at the party, he now wanted to stay. If he couldn't kiss the sweet girl in front of him, then they could at least continue to dance.
But Daisy didn't want to. "I s-should go. I have to work t-tomorrow."
Jericho nodded, gently pushing the fallen strands of hair behind her ear. "I'll try to stop by if I'm not too busy."
His answer was rewarded with a soft smile and little blush that formed on Daisy's cheeks. "Okay."
"Do you want me to call a cab?"
Daisy shook her head, unconsciously wringing her hands. "Victoria will d-drive me."
Near the door of Ethan's house, Victoria and her girlfriend Ella stood there watching the two.
Jericho nodded, before quickly placing a soft kiss on her heated cheek. "Thank you for the dance."
Jericho watched Daisy disappear in the crowd, afterwards making his way back to his original spot at the bar. He spotted a closed bottle of bourbon and made the quick decision to pour him some. With Daisy on her way home, Jericho had no reason not to get drunk.
And deep down he knew that the memories of Tori Smith were just waiting to haunt him.
A few minutes later the alcohol was kicking in and Jericho was by definition intoxicated. What happened from there on out was just a blur and Jericho would have never drunk that last cup if he knew how much he'd be regretting it in the morning.
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