Chapter 50：The Mane Problem

Lana disappeared immediately after the performance and didn't want to admit how the simple gestures that Jordan was doing to get her attention were weakening her defenses. She didn't want to admit it but she knew it was a matter of time before she gave in. That's when she decided that she would go to Manhattan earlier than planned and she wouldn't tell Jordan until the last minute or not tell him at all-lest he try and convince her to stay.

"Are you okay?" Lisa asked as they drove to the mall.

"Yeah." Lana's hand tightened on the steering wheel.

"He's really trying Lana..don't you think it's time-" Olivia added.

"Can we change the subject?" Her friends nodded and lapsed into silence until they arrived at the shopping mall.

"By the way-everything is on me today." Lana slipped on her shades and slung her handbag over her wrist.

"What?!" Her friends cried out.

"I'm the wife of Jordan 'freakin' Carter-I have more money than I know what to do with. So why not?" She pouted and tossed her hair back dramatically. Lisa and Olivia screamed as they jumped up and down with excitement.

By the end of the shopping trip, Lana had bought a short sexy black romper with a choker and gold rhinestone strappy Gladiator stiletto heels to complement the outfit. Lisa got a short white bandage dress, a leather jacket, and thigh-high boots. Olivia got a red buckle crop top and a black leather mini-skirt with matching high heeled boots.

"I'm starving can we go and find somewhere to eat?" Lisa asked.

"I was just about to suggest the same thing." Olivia groaned. "But let's put our bags in the car and then we can come back and eat?"

"Sure." Lana complied.

After they had lunch they drove back to Lana's party to prepare for the party. They went up to her bedroom and emptied the contents of their shopping bags on the bed, then went to shower before getting dressed up. Lana had mastered the art of applying her own make-up thanks to Michelle-and offered to do her friends' faces and hair first. They called Angelo and asked him to bring cocktails and snacks to pave the way for the soirée.

"You're going out?" Jordan asked as he watched them descend the staircase.

"Uhmm, yeah-just a college party," Lana explained evasively.

"You're all looking very nice." He glanced at them appreciatively.

"Thanks." Olivia and Lisa gushed.

"Let me drive you? That way you can drink without worrying about worrying who's driving home." Jordan offered.

"You don't have to-" Lana protested.

"I want to." He persisted. "After you ladies.." He held open the front door for them.

"You're looking really beautiful," Jordan whispered to his wife before she jumped into the car. "I like what you did with your hair." Her hair was swept up, with loose tendrils caressing her face.

"Thank you, Carter." Their eyes met and he leaned forward to plant a kiss on her cheek.

He turned the radio on to avoid conversation or awkward silence. Lisa and Olivia did most of the talking until they arrived at the frat house. There were cars parked all along the street and loud music emanated from inside when Jordan dropped them off at the entrance.

"Call me?" He asked and brushed his lips briefly with hers.

"What if it's late?" Lana frowned.

"I'll come baby-no matter what the time is. Just let me know when you want me to come and pick you up okay?" He rested his forehead on hers.

"Okay." She pulled away and smiled.

He got out of the car and walked over to open her door. "Have fun sexy." He said as he took in her retreating form.

The house was jam-packed and it was only after eight. The girls stopped to chat with familiar faces here and there. They bumped into Tyler and Charlotte then ran into Victoria and Cassie.

"Hie there. So glad you could make it." Victoria shouted above the deafening music with a plastic smile.

"Thanks for inviting us." Lana's smile never reached her eyes.

They went into the kitchen and Cassie asked someone to mix up the drinks. Drunk, horny college students were scattered all over the house and some were making out in the corners. Cassie handed them their drinks and told them to enjoy the rest of their night.

"Let's go and dance!" Lisa shouted to her friends.

After a few dances, Lana felt light-headed so she decided to go to the bathroom. "I need to go and freshen up. You guys can stay."

She barely made it up the stairs when the room started to spin. She leaned against the wall and tried to regain her composure but felt like the ground was coming up. The drink she had swelled up to her chest and back down again. Her face was flushed and she felt both dizzy and nauseous.

Lana decided it was time to go so she pulled out her phone from her pocket and dialed Jordan's number. He answered on the second ring.

"Are you ready to come, home baby?"

"I-I..sick." She slurred.

"Lana? What's wrong?"

"I'm sick. Ple-ase come..now.." She said before she passed out in the passage.

"Checkmate!" Cassie and Victoria high-fived each other with a self-satisfied grin on their faces as they stood over her slumped body. They called one of the guys to pick up Lana from the floor and carry it to one of the bedrooms.

"Put her on the bed," Victoria commanded.

"Let's see how Jordan Carter is going to like you after this.." Cassie smirked as she toyed with the scissors in her hand.

"Are you going to let me feel her up when you're done?" One of the guys asked.

"You can do whatever you want to her. I couldn't care less." Victoria took the scissors from Cassie and proceeded to cut Lana's hair. She sliced a huge chunk of hair right in the middle of her head and stopped to laugh at the sight.

Pretty soon a crowd had gathered in the room and outside the door and the scissors were passed around to anyone that wanted a turn to cut a piece off Lana's hair. Everyone was laughing and had taken out their phones to record the incident. Most of the beautiful lush hair lay on a heap on the floor and by the time her friends got to the room the crown on her head or what was left of it was wrecked. It stood out unevenly and looked the barber was having a bad day.

"Let me through!" Tyler demanded but the place was congested and the throng outside the room refused to budge.

"What have they done to her?" Lisa wailed.

"Alright, the party is over!!" Jones's loud voice bellowed through the hallway and people began to scatter in all directions. He looked pretty intimidating in his signature black leather jacket and jeans. His eyes aflame with anger. "Not so fast! Everyone's phone goes through those nice-looking guys guarding the entrances. Please co-operate-it's in your best interest."

"Where is she?!" Jordan shook a delirious Olivia.

"In that-room." She pointed with a shaky finger.

"Get out of my way!" Jordan pushed his way through before getting to Lana.

He didn't usually hit girls but he lost it when he found Victoria unzipping his better half's romper and trying to further humiliate her in front of everyone. He grabbed her by the neck and slammed her against the wall, her feet barely touching the ground.

"Touch her again and that will be the last thing you do. Got it?" He threatened with venom in his eyes. She trembled visibly in fear and nodded weakly. She spluttered and rubbed her throat as he pushed her aside like she was a rag doll.

"All of you out! Now!" He charged the perpetrators. They almost tripped over each other as they made a run for it.

"Lana? Baby?!" He knelt on the bed and zipped up her outfit again. At least it was a side zip so not much of her flesh was exposed.

He ran his fingers over her head and bit his lip to stop himself from crying. Why would anyone be so cruel? Why would they want to deliberately humiliate her? What was there to gain? She was the sweetest person he ever knew-why would anyone want to hurt her intentionally? He shouldn't have let her go alone-he should have insisted Jones or one of the bodyguards accompany her.

He lifted her off the bed and made his way downstairs. Most of the revelers were still there and his bodyguards were demanding passwords to their phones in order to delete footage from their phones and iCloud when necessary.

"Is she okay?" Jones queried as he looked at her lifeless form in Jordan's arms.

"I'm not sure. I'm going to drive to the ER and you can finish off here." Jones went ahead and opened the car door for them. Lana was placed in the front seat and strapped securely.

"I'll get to the bottom of this okay? Heads are going to rock 'n roll tonight." Jones pursed his lips.

"I'll see you back home." Jordan jumped into the driver's seat of his Audi and quickly drove off.