UNEDITED
When they arrived at the venue, Ryan was immediately pulled away by a group of men probably three times his age, and River and Anastasia took a seat at one of the tables. It wasn't regular tables, they were rectangular, long, and lined in the corners of the room so the entire middle was free and clear for mingling guests. Light and vibrant instrumental music played in the background, and waiters walked around with glasses filled with pink champagne. River has never been to such an elegant party before, hell she's hardly been to any party. She had to stop herself from gawking at the shiny simplicity that was set in every inch of the venue.
"Do you see what I mean about having no one to talk to?" Ana glances around looking at all the people at the party.
All were older than sixty and mostly men. River and Ana were sticking out like sunflowers in a patch of grass. "There's a girl." River points over near the bar where a very attractive brunette hung onto an older gentleman.
"Those aren't the type of females I want to hang around." Ana crosses her legs. "Especially with daddy almost marrying one of them. Thank god he seen her true colors before it was too late." She grabs a glass that had been set in front of her and takes a large gulp.
"You seem nervous." River just notices.
"Its a big day. My dad is trying to impress most of the men here."
"Why? Are they like big-time investors?"
"Technically No, They're big-time chairman of huge multi-billion dollar corporations. We're hoping to get them to sponsor some of our drivers." She takes another sip.
"Oh." River glances around at the faces in a whole new light. She curled her hair behind her ears as she remembered a can of soda she had earlier. She was now wondering if the owner of that company was in there somewhere.
"See that guy over there wearing holding the pocket watch?" Anastasia subtly points.
"Yeah."
"He owns three television channels, one of them highly watched by men. It would be amazing if he would air our races." Ryan's fiancé stares at the man as if she were dreaming. "Let's go talk to him." She seems to have an epiphany as she grabs River's hand and squeezes a little too tight.
'What?" She pulls her hand away.
"Yeah." Ana downs her drink, makes a sour face and wipes her mouth. "Why not? It's never going to happen unless we make an attempt at it. Are you coming with?" She stands.
River cowardly shakes her head. "I wouldn't be any help."
"Okay." Anastasia blows out a breath. "I'm on my own then." She struts confidently toward Mr. Pocket-watch.
River's eyes followed her all the way to her destination and then watched her introduce herself, but had to look away because she was starting to have anxiety for her.
She looked around the room for the youngest guy around and found him. Her breathing picked up a notch because she found him watching her.
Ryan makes a subtle movement with his head asking the silent question, 'Need Something?'.
She shakes her head and looks away hurriedly but, then she realized, he was looking her way first. She looked back, and he was still looking at her. She didn't know what to do so she picked up a fork that was set in front of her, and held it up. She shows it to him and sets it back on the table. It was her funny way of letting him know that she is staying safe.
His lips didn't curve into a smile but, his eyes, she could tell they were smiling.
"Where is Anastasia?" He mouths back.
She points in her direction.
He looked over and didn't hesitate to excuse himself from the conversation he was in.
River didn't let her eyes follow him, she didn't want to see him encircle his fiancé. She decides, she was going to go to the bathroom, if for nothing else other than to look at herself in her borrowed dress.
She watched her feet as she made her steps, she was close to almost being there when Ryan's shoes appeared in front of hers. "What are you doing?"
She barely had a chance to answer before without warning, he snakes his arm around her waist, pulling her out the way of several men trying to get past.
She gasps and when she inhales, the scent of his cologne coming off of his shirt inflated her nose; and if she wasn't mistaken; he intentionally let his palm glide over the bare skin of her lower back before dropping his hand.
"Where are you going?" He asks a different form of his earlier question.
"Bathroom." She forcefully takes a step backward.
"Come." He escorts her the rest of the way.
Once they finally make it there, she thanks him and goes in. She spends approximately seven minutes dilly-dallying and finds him waiting for her. He stood in his normal stance only his back was towards her.
It stunned her really. She taps him on the shoulder, and when he turns she asks. "Aren't you supposed to be impressing some people?"
"Where are you going now?" He didn't bother to answer.
She looks around and shrugs her shoulders. "Back to my seat, I guess."
He takes her, and even pulls out her chair and tucks her in comfortably. "What is Anastasia doing?" He moves to her side.
"She said something about that guy being the owner of a television channel."
He looks over at Ana and see's Mr. Pocket-watch with his arm around her waist.
"I'm sure she's just being nice." River tries to defuse the situation.
He turns back and then notices the empty glass sitting on the table. "Have you been drinking?"
"No." She denies it straight away.
"Then whose is this?" He holds it up
River's mouth opened but nothing came out. Would Ryan be angry with Ana?
"Ryan." Anastasia's father, who was amongst a circle of men, waves a hand to call Ryan towards him.
Ryan nods and then looks back at her. "Come with me."
"No, I'm fine here."
"I wasn't asking." He latches onto her forearm and helps her up.
Was he getting touchy, or is it her?
She is pulled into the midst of the mingling and made to stand near him as he barged in on his fiancé's conversation. "Excuse her." He tugs her away.
"What are you doing?" Ana irritatedly pulls out of his hold.
"I would like to know the same thing. Do you know what theses men want? Do you know what you are getting yourself into?" He sternly questions.
"Relax." She smiles and reaches out touching the stumble on his jaw. "I'm going home with you tonight."
"You're wasting your time then." He throws back.
River couldn't help but feel jealous, almost envious. She didn't like it that these emotions were dwelling within her right now. Wrong; all wrong. This is not who she is, or who she wants to be.
Anastasia crosses her arms. "Fine. Come talk to him with me."
"Go get your father then." He agrees.
"Yes sir." She happily goes in search.
He grabs River's forearm and tugs her in front of him. "Just stand near me. Understood?"
She nods.
"Come on." He guides her back to Mr. Pocket-watch's circle and introduces himself. "Ryan Price."
Mr. Pocket-watch hesitated before reaching his arm out. "Milton White." They shake hands.
Milton's, snake-like glare leaves Ryan's eye contact and rakes up and down River's body. "Your wife?"
She unintentionally grips Ryan's bicep. A feeling of shame overcame her like she did something horrible but, it was the way Milton was looking at her.
Ryan hesitates before answering. "No."
Anastasia comes back at that moment. "This is my fiancé." She puts her arm around him.
River releases Ryan's arm, as he puts his other arm around Anna."
Milton rolls his eyes. He is obviously upset about Anastasia not being single.
"This is her father, "Arthur Winifred." Ryan continues with his introduction.
"Very nice too meet you." Arthur puts his hand out.
Milton ignores him. "Who is this exotic looking thing?" He continues to practically rape River with his gaze.
Exotic? First, anyone has ever called her that. "I'm River."
"Do you have a boyfriend River?" He lazily curves a smile at her.
Awkwardly, she shakes her head. This man was making her feel really uncomfortable.
"First let me say-" Ryan starts, but is cut off.
"Turn for me, sweetheart." Milton orders.
"Excuse me?" Her face turns red.
"Let me get a good look at you." He explains.
"Alright enough." Ryan grabs River's hand and tugs her behind him. "She's not a painting, she wasn't made to please the eye."
"Ryan." Ana pulls on his arm. "Stop it."
Milton was calm, not bothering to get worked up over Ryan's words. "You shouldn't have brought these women here if you wanted to talk business gentlemen." He walks away.
Ana throws her hands up in the air. "Why did you have to go and do that?"
"Not here Ana," Arthur warns his daughter. "Let's go home." He was ashamed and disappointed, and Anastasia saw it written all over his face.
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