Chapter 9: Priceless

KIANA

“I’m back,” I announced, stepping through the door.

I heard the soft patter of feet rushing toward me.

“How did it go?” Mia asked, her eyes sparkling with anticipation.

The idea of lying crossed my mind, but the excitement in her eyes was too much. Besides, she was the one who encouraged me to do this.

Mia wouldn’t tell anyone. I knew she wouldn’t. So, I spilled the beans.

“I can’t believe your sugar daddy is one of the wealthiest men on the planet,” she exclaimed, a mix of jealousy and joy in her voice. “And he’s incredibly handsome,” she added, biting her lip as if lost in a private fantasy.

I just rolled my eyes. “You can’t tell anyone, Mia,” I warned her sternly.

“I would never,” she replied, feigning hurt. “At least now you don’t have to stress about your tuition fees,” she pointed out.

“What time is it?” I asked, rummaging through my bag for my phone.

Mia beat me to it. “It’s a quarter past seven. Why?”

“I have to be up early tomorrow. But first, I need to eat! I’m starving!” I walked toward the kitchen, removed my plate from the oven, and dug in like a starved woman.

“Easy there, you’ll choke.” She giggled, rummaging through my boutique bag and gasping at the £4,999 dress inside.

“What’s this for? Your first date?” Mia glanced at me, friendly envy dancing across her features.

“It’s for tomorrow night. There’s a charity event he needs me to attend,” I replied, stuffing a meatball into my mouth.

“I hope you’re not there to eat. You’ll send him dying for a refund before the night’s out with your table manners,” Mia quipped, scolding me as I ate. “But seriously, this is gorgeous! Your first purchase from your first sugar baby paycheck.” She gawked.

“Ha ha,” I responded with sarcasm. “He actually didn’t let me pay for it,” I said, fishing the black card from my pocket and holding it between my fingers.

“I’m telling you, Kiana. These sugar daddies do know how to take care of a woman. I know you’re not accustomed to indulging in luxury, but you’ll have to get used to it.”

~If only she understood the truth behind that statement.~

***

~Beep. Beep. Beep.~

My alarm clock forced me to rise from my bed at the crack of dawn.

I silenced my phone and sat up straighter when I saw a notification on my screen that instantly brought me wide awake.

Chase had paid me, as promised.

I was ready and out of the house in less than an hour, reaching campus well before class started.

It only took a moment to settle my tuition fees.

Relief washed over me as I walked out of the finance office. My shoulders relaxed as if the burden of nine thousand tons had been lifted. It was the best feeling I had felt in a long time.

Lessons went by faster than I had anticipated, and a slight nervousness at the thought of seeing Chase again stayed with me throughout the day.

When I arrived home, Mia had already set up her entire vanity with everything we needed and more.

“Sit, we need to get you ready!” she squealed. She knew more than I did when it came to makeup and all things girly.

“Mia, it’s not for another two hours.” I giggled.

“Then we’re already running behind schedule!” She ushered me toward the bathroom.

“Have you eaten?” she asked.

“Yes, I had—” I began, but she interrupted.

“Good. Now take a shower. You smell of old books and Mrs. West.”

I was taken aback but decided not to argue. When Mia set her mind to something she was passionate about, she was impossible to talk out of it. You just had to let her do her thing.

***

An hour and a half later, Mia stood back. “Ready!” she said, admiring her work before helping me slip on the rich silk dress.

I turned toward the floor-length mirror that she had forbidden me from looking into until she was done. I gasped, almost jumping at my own reflection.

Mia gazed at me, her eyes wide with admiration. “Kiana,” she breathed, her hands covering her mouth.

~Is that really me?~

The dress clung to my body like a second skin, accentuating my curves in all the right places. The diamonds sewn into the fabric sparkled, catching the light and making me shine.

Mia had worked her magic on my hair, transforming my slightly unruly waves into a cascade of controlled curls. They framed my face in a vintage style. Two strands playfully fell over my forehead, adding a touch of elegance.

My makeup was flawless—soft but glamorous. The blush accentuated my high cheekbones, and the golden-brown eyeshadow made the green of my eyes stand out.

I felt a surge of confidence, a sense of beauty I hadn’t experienced since…since I left my old life behind.

A frown threatened to mar my face, but the sound of a car horn snapped me back to reality.

“Ready to go?” Mia asked.

“Just a sec,” I said, rummaging through my medicine bag for my insulin dose.

Once a week, I had to take a shot. If I didn’t, my body could go into diabetic ketoacidosis, a potentially deadly condition. It had taken my childhood doctors some time to find a long-term solution that worked for me.

There were other, newer ways to administer my insulin, but they were far more expensive than I could afford.

I was born with monogenic diabetes. My dad was a carrier, just like my grandma. There was a twenty-five percent chance a carrier could pass it down to their kids. Sadly, I fell into that twenty-five percent.

“I hate it when you have to do that.” Mia grimaced as I injected my upper inner thigh.

Taking a deep breath, I readjusted my dress, took one last look in the mirror, and headed out.

I carefully descended the stairs, mindful not to trip over the dress. By the time I reached the bottom, Mia was nowhere to be seen. Chase was already at the door, his back to me, his gaze lost in the night sky.

I cleared my throat, drawing his attention.

He turned around. “You’re pushing it…,” he began, but his words trailed off. His eyes held a suggestive sparkle as they slowly traveled from the hem of my dress to the neckline.

Under his intense gaze, a blush crept up my cheeks. I silently thanked the dim moonlight, hoping it would hide my flushed skin.

CHASE

A soft cough alerted me to her presence behind me.

We were cutting it close on time.

I turned and started to chastise her for her tardiness, but the words died on my lips.

She had transformed, exuding a confidence that was undeniably attractive. It took monumental effort to tear my gaze away.

I cleared my throat. “Let’s go. We can’t be late,” I said, holding the door of the sleek black SUV open for her to climb inside.

Sliding in beside her, I instinctively leaned over to fasten her seatbelt. It was a habit I hadn’t adopted in a very long time.

Her breath hitched as she turned toward me. Our noses almost touched, and her intense, mesmerizing green eyes locked onto mine. My hand moved on its own and rested on her hip.

I was so lost in the moment—I failed to notice when the driver shifted the car into drive.

“Th-thank you,” she said with the cutest stutter I’d ever heard.

“There’s something I think we should get out of the way before our first outing.” The words already left my lips before my mind had time to catch up.

“And that is?” she replied, a light flush tinging her tan skin.

Seeing the proof that I had at least some effect on her made me smile.

“I think we should kiss…for practice. We’re bound to do it eventually, and we may need to put on a performance at some point tonight. I think it would be better to have our first kiss now, while we’re alone, instead of with an audience. Don’t you agree?”

I don’t know what I was thinking. In all honesty, my reasoning was rather transparent. Maybe I wanted to kiss her just to put an end to the suspense. It was the intrigue that drew me in.

I had never encountered a girl who hadn’t thrown herself at me, so this pull of attraction would fade after our first kiss.

I was sure of it.

“Um…” Her eyes drifted down, her teeth nibbling at her lip.

“If you don’t feel comfortable…” I started to pull away, shaking my head at the foolish notion.

Her hand grasped my upper arm. “N-no. I think you have a point.”

“Are you sure? I would never do anything or push you into something you don’t want to do,” I asserted firmly.

She nodded her head.

“I need your words, Kiana,” I insisted, her name rolling off my tongue with surprising ease.

“Yes. I’m sure,” she murmured, her gentle, sultry tone becoming a raspy whisper.

~Was she nervous?~

My free hand slid behind her neck, my thumb caressing her cheek as her lips parted just enough for me to lean forward and steal a kiss.

She stilled. But after a moment, her lips puckered, and she began responding.

It felt as if she were sculpted just for me. The perfect contour of her full lips aligned with mine, as though meant for more than just one practice run.

As I pulled away, she produced the softest sound, marking the end of our first kiss.

For the first time in ages, I found myself at a loss for words, and it didn’t seem like I was the only one.

I noticed her constricted chest heaving, which reminded me of one little thing I had forgotten. “You’re missing something.” I managed to speak clearly, though I was struggling to maintain a steady voice.

I pulled a slender black satin box from my inner pocket. Her eyes widened at the sight of the pearl necklace nestled within, and her bashful reaction brought a subtle smile to my face.

~Priceless.~

I removed the necklace, and she turned slightly to allow me to clasp it around her neck.

My fingertips grazed her warm skin, and I thought I noticed her holding her breath. I cleared my throat once more and swiftly completed fastening the necklace.

I needed Kiana to look her best tonight. I had a point to prove.

I wanted Joanna to feel the sting of jealousy and betrayal in the same way I had. I wanted her to believe she had little effect on me and that it had been easy to move on from her.

Yet, even with my ulterior motive, I couldn’t deny the joy I felt when I saw Kiana smile.

Pride surged through me as I watched the surprise in her eyes when I unveiled the necklace—and the graceful way she adjusted the pearls around her neck with her dainty fingers.