2

❚ SLUMBER PARTY ❚

Seagulls flocked to the shores of Dume Cove Beach. Pacific Ocean waves crashed into the bottom of a rock cliff. The sun sets over the horizon. A spacious multi-level building nestled in the most decadent location. The exterior exhibits a modern design, while the interior is of a minimalistic nature, featuring wide-open rooms with ample furniture. Right on top of Point Dume, a California State Park, resides Toni's mansion.

Her house is situated on a sea-side cliff along the coast of Malibu. During its construction, architects had difficulty planning the design, seeing as every material they propped on board would be a landslide hazard. Later, Pepper stepped in and made it possible.

The memory made her grin. Whenever they visited the site, civil engineers would whisper amongst themselves and judge Toni's idea. They said that she's crazy about acquiring building permits in the area and very insane about establishing a house on top of it—and she didn't care at all. The Stark girl likes to live dangerously since nobody can stop her...

...and nobody would miss her if she died.

She rubbed the back of her neck, easing the ache that surfaced.

Roughly ten years ago, Pepper and Happy lived with her after her graduation (and her parents' death). Two years after that, she decided to go their separate ways. Now, against their wishes, she let them stop by solely for work and for business purposes.

Toni's ears pricked off from the sloshing waves outside, their tides gyrating as they met land. She shut her eyes, enjoying the atmosphere. Natural sounds comforted her. It grounded her, reminding her that she had everything she wanted—a big house, lots of money, and the freedom to practically do whatever the hell she wanted, regardless of the consequences.

She opened her eyes and shifted her view to her right, towards the wide pane of glass overlooking the sea. Fascination leered at her core as the sun last dipped, throwing the world into a purplish-pink hue before it truly vanished, eaten by the deep.

She breathed out and turned her attention back to the mirror. Her face crumpled. Hidden behind her eyes emanated a strange sadness.

Toni's brows knit together, and she blinked, hoping the empty feeling in her chest would dissipate.

She gulped the lump in her throat and realized that what she'd been longing for couldn't be simply acquired. No amount of wealth could buy happiness, and that's a fact.

As the sea stifled, heartbroken by the sun's disappearance, its powerful waves became gentle rolls. The moon, rising calmly towards the night sky, takes the sun's place—endearing, mysterious, and beautiful.

Toni winced. The silence hurt her ears. It got louder, almost deafening.

She sighed and longed for Pepper and Happy's presence.

Every so often, they offered their time, but, no matter how concerned they were for Toni's well-being, she refused, valuing her pride above everything else. She reassured them of the lie that she could "take care" of herself.

Toni stared long enough at her reflection to notice that her sweat had melted the eye concealer she was wearing, revealing dark shadows beneath. Her lips curled manically. Despite her awareness of the consequences of her lack of sleep, this does not cease her relentless behavior.

A soft golden light illuminated her face behind the oval mirror. Toni stood upright, scanning every feature of herself, trying her best to detect a flaw—a refined jawline, intoxicating cat-like eyes, contoured cheekbones, a hawk nose, and subtle freckles near her cheeks—but to no avail.

She glared at herself. I know I'm ugly, her mind mused.

A few weeks had passed since her first encounter with Speed, and she had become restless. She's still unaware of his nature. It was a miracle that he knocked them out. If Happy had inched the car closer to the crosswalk, the fast object could have killed them right on the spot. She gritted her teeth, frustration welling up inside her.

"Fuck!"

Imagining Happy and Pepper's dead bodies sent chills down her spine. Those two unknowingly became her "proxy parents." Hence, she values other people's lives more than her own. Besides, she's already too damaged.

Unlike her inventions, she can't fix herself.

Toni could sum up the people who gave two fucks about her: Maria (her deceased mother), Edwin (her former butler), Pepper (her personal secretary), Happy (her personal chauffeur), and Rhodey (her best friend). The rest of the people not mentioned on the list took advantage of her intelligence, wealth, and fame.

She rubbed her face with her left hand, uncertain of what to do next.

No matter how consistently she asked Rhodey—the man who knows pretty much everything about government secrets before the press—regarding the event that transpired after her visit to the Expo, his lips remained sealed.

Toni slammed her hands between the edges of the sink, inflicting pain on her knuckles. Her fingertips dragged deeper into the obsidian marble, ridding herself of angst.

This was some straight-up bullshit. She feels helpless since she doesn't know where she can obtain more information about Speed.

Shouldn't best friends not keep secrets from each other? Can't she be trusted with confidential information? Her genius decoded the government's motive regarding hiding the sighting of unidentified flying objects in Nevada.

She even remembered buying the secretive military facility in that region. Dubbed "Area 51," the government quietly put it on the market a couple of years ago, and Toni, being fascinated by aliens and technology, impulsively purchased the site.

She shut her eyes and clenched her fists. She's absolutely certain that her answers regarding Speed wouldn't be found in her lot. The only thing she could think of that would get her what she wanted was by illegally accessing information inside the government's database (again).

However, she never attempted hacking into the U.S. Administration anymore, solely for James Rupert "Rhodey" Jones. The poor colonel had covered her ass countless times already, and she doubted he would save her this time.

Rhodey is known as an officer in the United States Air Force and a liaison between the military in the Department of Acquisitions and Stark Industries. The two had met in the division and eventually grew into close friends. She remembered the press mistakenly considered him as part of her sex scandals, and instead of falling for the bait, Rhodey shut the media down with his grim humor.

A small smile escaped her lips when she recalled the memory. Beyond their relationship, they're nothing more than trusted confidantes. Also, he treated her like a sibling—to put it precisely in his words, "a very annoying little sister." He became her mentor through shrewdness and comedy, but when it comes to captivating the crowd, Toni is the natural charmer.

Nothing can surprise or scare her since she's an expert at pulling herself out of a particular situation. If it turns dangerous, she can usually talk herself out of it or, as quick-witted as her sarcasm is, escape.

She glared at herself again in the mirror and shuffled her feet, the coldness of the tiles crawling up her heels. Toni's eyes locked on her collarbones, which formed the perfect shape of a clavicle. It almost seemed like her bones were jutting out of her skin. Give her a few more days to eat unhealthy foods partnered with insomnia, and she will transform into a walking skeleton.

Quelling her thirst, she swallowed. Her stomach growled afterward.

She rolled her eyes. "Come on, man," she grumbled. Her own body is failing her. Even more so, she's surprised her system hasn't shut down yet.

System? Toni snorted as she slapped her forehead. Since when did she consider herself a machine? She shook her head in disbelief and pursed her lips, thinking.

She hardly remembered the last time she had a decent meal. Most of her diet, that she could recall, consisted mainly of coffee, booze, and fast-food chain French fries. It's only when Pepper visits her occasionally that she'll be forced to eat healthy foods.

She took a deep breath and checked herself out clearly in the mirror: her brunette hair was incredibly dry from the lack of brushing, her lips were chapped from not drinking plenty of water, and her hands had calluses that never disappeared since childhood, no matter how many times she slapped lotion on her skin.

She shivered. The room felt hot all of a sudden, and she didn't know the reason. Her body feels warm, sticky, and sweaty.

Her heart felt heavy, and she became nauseous. Her vision started spinning, so she clutched the vanity cabinet below her in order to steady herself.

Her breathing became uneven. Her eyes narrowed. She undoubtedly needed something to eat.

A mellow voice broke her reverie. "Toni, come back to bed," she urged.

Toni's blue eyes, a shade darker than her mother's, shifted towards the newcomer in the mirror.

The voice sported blonde locks, Nordic eyes, and ivory skin. Toni's breath hitched. She's too pretty, she thought. It didn't help, though, that the newcomer towered over her at the height of five feet and eight inches, or that Blondie reminded her of Steve Rogers.

Toni turned her attention back towards her reflection in the mirror. Her brows furrowed, realizing that her actions were beginning to resemble Howard's in the way they obsessed over the super-soldier. Except hers gravitates more towards disgust rather than admiration, whereas even the mention of Steve's name makes her blood boil.

Toni faked a smile in Blondie's direction, but her libido diminished. With her arms crossed, the newcomer leans casually against the doorway. The silk gray robe that she borrowed from Toni's closet did nothing to hide her voluptuous body.

Toni's eyes widen, envious of her figure. Pepper constantly advised her to take care of herself. Her assistant even added that if she wanted to grace the covers of Vogue magazines (the only brand that had not yet published her), she should prioritize herself instead of those "damn androids"—as she begrudgingly calls them.

As usual, she brushed Pepper's comment off, for the brunette had mastered the subtle art of not giving a fuck about what everybody thinks. But could anyone blame her?

She inherited her narcissistic tendencies from her father.

Toni sighed, thinking about their similarities.

Her father is known as a wealthy, brilliant, and powerful industrialist. He's a marvelous engineer, inventor, businessman, and founder of Stark Industries. He is the mastermind behind the company that she inherited, while she is the infamous industrial engineer's daughter, a title reserved exclusively for her. Her mind is so exceptional that it rivals even the great Elon Musk. Also, with all of her parents' legacy and assets, she's insanely rich, and only a stupid person wouldn't date her.

Toni, lost in thought, didn't notice the new girl approaching. She hugged her from behind. Slowly, Blondie stripped off her work clothes. "You kept your lady waiting, baby," she cooed in her neck. Her fingers traveled below her thighs—gently prodding her legs open.

Toni watched her caress her body carefully in the bathroom mirror. Her eyes glazed as Blondie's fingers expertly loosened the buttons of her white blouse. Her eyes fixated on her as she creeped her hand inside her skirt.

Toni instinctively shut her eyes and a moan escaped her lips. She tilted her head to the side and threw her arms behind her head, gripping Blondie's hair tightly. The latter responded by sucking the skin of her neck.

Toni bit her lip. There must be something in her gin because she seriously loves the feeling—practically begging—of being violated. It was ecstatic! She could relate to lust more than shame.

They sexually frolic in the bathroom. Once they got used to each other's pace, Toni grabbed her shoulders and pushed her back violently towards the sink. Blondie leered, enjoying the aggressive foreplay.

Then, the Stark girl frowned.

She reveled in the idea that she was kissing Steve. Toni bit her lip, and the latter yelled in pain. She didn't apologize as she cupped her face and stared intently at her features.

This is why I avoid dating blondes.

Toni began kissing her partner ferociously, attempting to prevent a painful memory from emerging, but failed miserably.

An old man spoke, "Steve,"

Howard was sitting on the couch. He brushed a strand of blonde hair away from Maria's eyes as she gazed up at him. "Would you believe me, honey, that he used to be this pipsqueak—a 98-pound weakling who grew taller after we used the serum on him?" He smiled. His brown eyes shone in delight.

Toni rolled her eyes and continued tightening the bolts of her new invention. Of course, of all the pleasant places her amazing father would chatter about the super-soldier nonstop, it was always after dinner.

The three of them were in the living room quarters. It was late in the evening when her mother decided to have a little family gathering before they would leave.

Maria told her daughter that Howard's presence was required at the Pentagon. For what reason, the Stark girl was unsure. However, Toni assumed that it must have a connection to what her father was doing in his library a few weeks ago—she caught him transferring blue and odd-looking blood bags inside a silver briefcase.

Unfortunately, that was the last night Toni would ever see them again.

The item in Toni's palms lit up faintly. Howard carried on his story of Captain America successfully and single-handedly infiltrating Hydra's base in order to save his best friend, Bucky.

Toni gritted her teeth. She couldn't help but overhear Howard's praise of Steve Rogers. Somehow, the Stark girl felt terrible for the super-soldier, but only for a mere moment. Her father didn't want to let the poor man rest. She could almost imagine Steve rolling in his grave.

Howard continued his story, which had gotten her annoyed. "Rumor has it that he got trapped on ice as he sacrificed himself, preventing the detonation of a Hydra bomb." He laid back on the couch. "He is truly remarkable."

Toni scowled. "Remarkable," she mocked as she shook her head in disbelief. Howard's infatuation with Steve is unhealthy. She was glad she didn't inherit her father's eyes, for if she did, she would be one step closer to being the spitting image of the female version of Howard—minus the moustache, of course.

And there's no way in hell she would adore "America's Sweetheart."

A whizz can be heard as the machine comes to life. "All done!" Toni glanced at her parents and smiled. The couple's conversation stopped. Maria regarded her with a look of pure adoration.

Howard pointed to her machine. His almond eyes flickered with curiosity. "What's that?" he asked her. He was fascinated by the deceptively simple, small red box, roughly the size of a compact powder.

Toni beamed, "It's a prototype of the Anti-Gravity Device," She then continued babbling its specifications when Howard held his hand up, stopping her.

"That will not work," Howard simply stated.

Maria gently squeezed his arm. "Howard," she began, but she was cut off from talking by her daughter.

Toni stood up and contested her idea. Howard ignored Maria's pleas to listen to their daughter, and the two geniuses of the house carried on with their bickering, almost to the point of arguing, when his wife stepped in.

She cut Maria off again, "You can't even know if it will not work if we haven't tried it," Toni picked up her device, and Howard snatched it from her hands.

"When I say it will not work, it will not work!" Howard snarled, and this shut the Stark girl up.

Toni looked away and gritted her teeth. "So that's it?" She looked at him dead in the eyes. "You're just going to confiscate another one of my inventions just as long as it doesn't work?" Her jaws were set. She was fighting back her tears from falling.

It is so unfair.

Howard's expression softened, as if he regarded her feelings until they settled upon her face. His voice was cold and apprehensive. "Yes," Howard said. Toni's eyes were nestled in pain. The look her father gave her was like he is talking to a stranger.

"Why?" Toni questioned and raised her chin, challenging him to do the unthinkable.

"Because I'm your father, and you do as I say!" Howard growled as he threw the device towards the wall.

All of them watched in horror as the device bounced on the wall and a horrible crash could be heard. The force knocked the vase near the fireplace off, and this caused both items to break. Wires, metal, and glass shattered and landed with a clunk on the ground.

Maria gasped, surprised at what he did, while Toni was left shocked and speechless. The Stark girl lowered her head, not giving him the satisfaction of defeat.

Howard, realizing his error, raised his hand in surrender and moved in closer. "Toni," he started.

Toni's vision was blurred with tears. Her body shook. Her fingers curled into tight fists. "You motherfucker," she cursed under her breath.

What apologies should be made there? Instead of giving his daughter comfort, Howard slapped her.

"Howard!" Maria scolded and he ignored her.

His final words rang in Toni's ears. "You would do better to show some respect!"

She glared at him. "I hate you," Toni spat before retreating towards her bedroom.

Toni was awoken from her memory by Blondie's deep kiss, and her thoughts wandered to a different topic.

Steve

What kind of name is that for a soldier? She knows people who lived during her father's era should have had names similar to her old, cranky dad, like Stephen or James.

"Stupid name," Toni rambled, gripping Blondie's robes and tearing them off. She lunged, leaving hickeys on her neck.

Blondie brushed Toni's hair and angled her face towards her chest. "Whose name is stupid?" she asked her.

The Stark girl gently bit her skin, and the woman gasped. "Nothing," she stated, while cupping one of her breasts on her palms.

Blondie chuckled, grabbed Toni's face, and kissed her again.

Her mobile phone rang, but she ignored it as they trailed towards the bed. Two more ladies lie in wait. One of them pulled the Stark girl in their direction, and they took turns kissing and touching her.

She turned her head towards the ceiling so everybody could access her more freely. Her heartbeat faster and her breathing got heavier. Their kisses deepen, and Toni's cheeks redden. Muscles throughout her body tense up.

One woman pushed her towards the bed. Two of them held her down as the one in front slipped herself inside her. She arched her back as satisfaction grilled her insides. Her breathing became uneven, her heartbeat grew louder, and her blood pressure rose as they both reached their climax. However, the sensual music paused abruptly, followed by complaints from her guests.

Toni's eyes snapped open.

"Jarvis!" She shrieked. "You better have a good reason for killing the mood!"

The ladies giggled and resumed prodding her body, but her enthusiasm vanished. She became enraged at her A.I.

A male's British voice echoed in the room, "My apologies for the inconvenience, ma'am, but this call takes precedence," The tone is adamant about ruining the moment.

Toni grinned. She occasionally reflected on her intentions to endow Jarvis with human characteristics.

She hummed in frustration and demanded a reason.

"It's Mr. Colonel James Rhodes, ma'am," he replied.

Shit

Suddenly, her mind blasted an image of a conversation with her best friend two nights ago, in which she assured him of her attendance to accept the Apogee award. She then glanced at the clock on her bedside table—she's late.

Toni climbed out of bed and opened her mobile phone.

Rhodey's voice is louder than the audience claps. In the background, she could hear a man speaking in her place on stage. "What the hell, Toni, you're supposed to be here receiving the award and not your business partner," Rhodey returned to the other line. The mobile phone vibrated, and she checked her screen. He's requesting a video chat.

Her brow rose. "Don't be like that," she grimaced. "Obie's nice."

Blondie whined and urged Toni to come back to bed.

"Who's that?" Rhodey asks as soon as Toni hits accept.

Her back immediately faced the wall. "Uhh, nothing?"

Rhodey paused, assessing the situation, yet he was unconvinced. She examined his striking appearance. The sharp features on his face, along with wearing a navy-blue suit, made the colonel's coffee skin stand out.

His russet eyes sharpened, checking Toni's flustered face on the screen. "Don't lie to me," he warned.

She jested, "Now, why would I lie to you, honey bear?"

Rhodey pointed to her face. "No one does that 'I was nearly fucked, and I felt great-face' other than you," he indicated.

Toni chortled.

"Are you having one of your late-night sessions again?" he asked, and he saw her wearing nothing but her lingerie.

He looked away. "God, at least put some robes on or something," he suggested.

She leered. "You like what you see, sour patch?" she asked flirtatiously, as she angled the camera down to her body, showing herself fully to him.

"No, I don't like it," he frowned. "Enough with the nicknames, Toni, please," He shifted uncomfortably in his seat.

Toni rolled her eyes. "This marriage thing has honestly gotten you so serious, huh, cupcake?" she jeered.

His left brow rose. "Seems to me that you better get one for yourself," Rhodey asserted.

She shook her head and waved her hands dismissively. "Not a good look on me," she countered. This had been the second time in a month that two important people told her to get hitched.

It's not that she's not ready. She just hasn't found the right person yet. Toni snorted. If I ever find one.

She glanced at the ladies. "And to answer your question earlier, no," she lied, grabbing a martini on the nightstand.

Rhodey frowned, disappointment etched on his features. "Really, Toni?" He leaned forward. "I practically begged you to come here a few days ago so you wouldn't get used to being cooped up in your house all the time," He clenched his jaw. "You promised, but you always find ways to stay inside. Again," Sighing, he added, "If it's not downstairs, it's your bedroom."

The Stark girl sauntered towards the tall glass window, overlooking the ocean. "Hey, in my defense, I sometimes get out here." She sipped the martini and noted its awful taste.

"Yeah, right. Business," Rhodey listed.

"Business," Toni repeated.

"And apparently, pleasure," Rhodey quipped.

She chuckled. "That's why it's called 'business and pleasure,' boo bear."

She took another sip and puckered her lips—the flavor was stronger than usual. "You know, you're more than welcome to join us," Toni flipped the phone and finally showed her together with the ladies on screen.

"Come on, girls, say hi to the light of my life here."

Rhodey ignored the ladies' enthusiasm. "You just said a while ago that I'm married," he commented.

Toni leans away from her drink. "Did I, platypus? Well, that's perfect!" Her smile was lazy as she added, "You can ask your wife to join us, too," she teased. "The more, the merrier!" She raised her glass, finishing her drink.

Toni's eyes twitched and her head throbbed.

His brow rose. "You know what? This conversation is getting nowhere," On screen, she watched Rhodey stand up from his seat and walk towards the exit. "I'm leaving this place," He checks her out. "I'll see you tomorrow, Toni," he uttered after a brief pause, "...don't be late."

Toni smiled and nodded her head. "Okay, buddy, see you tomorrow," Her vision doubled.

As soon as Rhodey hit the end call, she tossed the mobile phone over by the bed and placed the empty cocktail glass back on the nightstand.

She faced her three guests. "Jarvis?" she called for her A.I. as she blinked several times, grasping her surroundings. Toni disregarded Blondie's presence behind her.

The voice echoed in the quiet room. "Yes, ma'am?" Jarvis responded, his voice low and somewhat distant to her ears.

Her heart beats rapidly. The Stark girl smiled in the ladies' direction. "Play Slumber Party by Ashnikko," she slurred as she lazily stripped off her lingerie.

Upon hearing the music number Toni suggested, the two women squealed in excitement and pulled her in their direction.

Ignoring Blondie, Toni continued making out with the two ladies on the bed. She alternates between the two of them, kissing and sucking every sensitive part of their bodies, which they reciprocate with the same movement.

Toni lies on top of one of the ladies. She ignored the slightly faint warning from Jarvis about security. The woman below her moves forward and rests her head casually over her right shoulder. "Bon débarras (Good riddance), Stark," she whispered.

Toni's brows rose in confusion. "What do you?"

At that moment, the world spun around her, and darkness engulfed her vision.

https://youtu.be/UkYpdM3aup8

C R E D I T S

Yvette-Valadez or "Yvette" as the chapter editor
pennyloppy  or "Alison" as the chapter proofreader