TACKLED BY FATE

Chapter 4 -Parading

Becca POV

My mother made me wear this dress. It was quite a sexy white number. I have no idea why, but she wanted to parade me like merchandise, but I was certain that tonight would be a very long night.

The dress was a beautiful white gown that contrasted with my tanned skin, and the makeup enhanced my amber-green eyes. The dress was not openly revealing, but it was a mermaid-style dress that hugged my curves like a second skin. It was for sure the most daring outfit I have ever worn in my entire life. The cleavage was modest, at least she gave me that one… because it was an off-the-shoulder cleavage that restrained my mobility. But despite being uncomfortable, I looked good.

Georgette made sure I was styled perfectly. Earlier, she sent a complete crew of hair and make-up stylists. They styled my hair in a half updo, with my long ashy blonde curls loose on the back. It was simple and comfortable. My make-up was natural and enhanced my exotic features to the max. I stood in front of the mirror and stared at my reflection in the mirror, and I could barely see myself back in it.

“Good Lord! You look presentable for once!” My mother said and I sighed… She was definitely not the motherly type. Her passive-aggressive comments usually lifted me up and then dropped me in a free fall, usually without a safety net.

“It is too tight…” I complained… and she laughed,

“The Lord didn't give you those curves to cover and hide them… you have to make the most out of those assets… trust your mother.. She knows best…” She patted my cheek in an unusual caring way, and that show of affection made me crawl.

My mother was wearing a tight number in electric blue. It was a gala, and she was showing up in a very disturbing color… I bet she wanted to draw all the attention her way. Her hair was styled in an updo, that gave her at least 4 inches more in height, aside from the extra 10 inches those murderous hills gifted her…

“You look…” I paused, searching my brain for the right word to describe the carnival she was putting off, and she gave me a broad smile…

“I know, I look out of this world… I even got you speechless…” She said confidently and at that moment, I wondered how I hadn't inherited that boldness and confidence.

“Shall we?” I said and she nodded. I was sitting in my suite. My mother said that she didn't want me to invade her privacy, whatever that meant, thus, I went along with her and stayed in a separate room… I wished to be back in London but for the lack of options, at least, back in LA with Cal.

We made our way to the elevator, and I leaned on the wall… “Perk up.. Boobs out, butt out, back straight, and head up… Wide smile” She said, and I saw her like a transformer getting ready to walk out in an attack position. Damn! This woman… I just prayed Uncle Diego would show up at some point and rescue me from this torture.

The elevator doors opened, and she walked confidently out, with me following her close. I was completely out of my element….

She made her way around the room… “Come on, we don't have the whole day…” She said, and I rushed to close the distance between us…

“Good Lord Georgette, Aren't you a sight for sore eyes?” A middle-aged man said, roaming her body in a nasty way…

“Good Lord, Mike… Aren't you a charmer?” She said, giggling like a schoolgirl… I have no idea why, but somehow she knew how to entice a man like a siren's song, a pirate…

“And, who would this beauty be?” The middle-aged man, close to my dad's age, roamed my frame disturbingly and uncomfortably.

“Oh… Mike… this is Miss Rebecca Alves…” My mother said, and I couldn't help but notice that she was not introducing me as her daughter… “Rebecca, this is Mike Holly…” she said, and my brain almost short-circuited…. The name was awfully familiar…

Mike Holly, an almost 50-year-old, retired football player, was now the main investor in a sports clothing company… One of the big names in the industry… no wonder why my mother made me wear this gown… All the big shots would be in attendance.

“Nice to meet you, Mr. Holly…” I said, extending my hand, and the guy reached out for it and lifted it up to his lips and, sensually, he kissed my knuckles. The simple action almost made me puke… what is wrong with this guy…I am way younger than him… nasty.

After having a little casual conversation with the guy, stepping from one side to another, avoiding his wandering hands… I decided to excuse myself and headed toward the ladies' room. Of course, I didn´t have anything to do in there, so I just sat in the little lounge there for a while… I just needed a moment to myself. I had to hide away from the nasty stares and wandering hands...

I exited the place and decided to hit the bar… “What's your poison, Miss?” The bartender asked, and I chuckled… Usually hanging around my friends at home, we would hit a pub and drink lots and lots of beer… but right now I needed something stronger, way stronger…

“A scotch…” I said and he lifted his eyebrows. Don´t blame me! I have lots of Irish friends… My best friend, Orla Cavenaugh, is Irish… so I learned to drink like a leprechaun… How much I miss her and I can't wait to be back to tell her all this s**t…

You may ask why I haven't called her. She is the heiress of the most important beer company in Ireland, and her parents decided to take her on a trip this summer… A lavish private cruise hitting the most beautiful places around the Mediterranean… and while at sea… she has no sign… bummer… I just hope she gets my messages as soon as her phone connects with her service provider.

The bartender handed me the scotch and I downed it like a pro… He chuckled and lifted his eyebrows… I shrugged and turned around…

It was time to look for my hellish mother. Locking her was not a hard task… she stood out like a sore thumb with that color… In a sea of white, silver, black, navy, or forest green... Her electric blue color stood out for miles to come…

She was talking to another man… I walked closer and she looked at me… “Oh, Donnie…this is Miss Rebecca Alves…” She introduced the man to me… It turned out to be another middle-aged man… this one was a well-known TV Sports anchor…

“She is a lovely woman… Gigi…” He said, licking his lips, and this guy gave me the creeps… My mother flirted openly with Donovan Price, and after ten minutes of inappropriate remarks and flirting, we decided to split…

In her rounds, Mother was sure to introduce me to an array of powerful people, many of them doubled me in age, and they were quite touchy or inappropriate… Alvaro Cuevas, owner of the Polar Bears, another rival team… Connor Carter, a high football sponsor and agent for football players… to mention some…

The night seemed to be a never ending one… A parade of old guys, and an endless struggle to get away from here, from their nasty stares, from their nasty innuendos, from inappropriate comments... and an endless night indeed, one that can only be bared by a high intake of alcohol, and thus... I will be coming for my fourth visit to the bar.