Chapter Four
Victoria
The shift I'd noticed in Lacey between the time I stepped outside and when I spoke was unsettling. Even with her back to me, it had been noticeable. With the things I'd been through in the last few months, it put me on edge. When Leighton said he needed a minute and didn't use the pet name he'd given me the first day we met, that only heightened the worry coiling in my gut. Plastering a smile on my face, I worked to convince myself I was just being paranoid after everything that had happened.
"How did you meet my brother?" Lacey asked as she followed into the den. "If you're here with the five of them, then you know what they're about. I'm struggling to wrap my head around how you got mixed up in their line of work."
"Honestly, I have no idea." I sighed, my shoulders slumping forward. "I'm sure you heard about the gala fire last year and Az being arrested for my attempted kidnapping."
"I did. You know how it is in high society. News spreads quickly." Lacey confirmed.
"After Az was released and the charges dropped for lack of evidence, I don't really know. My father told me he hired the guys to be my bodyguards and that was that."
Lacey arched a brow at me. "And you went along with it? I'd been under the impression that you weren't reliant on your father's money."
"I'm not." I scowled at her. "But he threatened to stop donating to the Sacona youth center, and that would have been a devastating loss for them."
"How… altruistic." The minute amusement in her tone and the slight upturn to one side of her lips were all I needed to get the distinct feeling that she was laughing at me internally. "The more interesting question here is evident, I think. Was sleeping with them part of your plan, or was it more of a ‘it just happened' situation?"
My mouth dropped open for a second, and I considered my answer momentarily. "I'm not like Tiff in that way. It just kind of… happened."
"Things are known to just happen when it comes to Leighton. I'd thought you'd have been smart enough to avoid them from what little I know of you." Lacey replied.
I bristled slightly at her insinuation. "What happened with Leighton… I was just a pawn in whatever fucked up game he was playing with Az's head about me."
Lacey gripped my arm tight enough to bruise, turning me to face her. Her mask of civility was gone, replaced with a cold, calculating glare, her hazel eyes void of emotion.
"You seem like a nice girl, but I'll only warn you once. I have no desire to clean up my brother's messes again, and I assure you, if you continue to play his games you will be the mess, he leaves for me to deal with. You can't play with people like us and make it out unscathed." Her icy tone caused a shiver to run up my spine.
"There you are," Craig's voice called from behind Lacey. I watched in horror as her cold demeanor shifted to something more lighthearted and playful like a switch had been flipped. "Leighton said you're staying for dinner, Lacey. Thought I'd see if you had any requests."
Lacey dropped her hand from my arm and turned to face Craig with a smile. "Oh, darling, I've been dying to have your Italian Roulade since you last cooked for me. It's impossible to find it anywhere as good as yours. I will never understand why you won't accept my offer to leave the criminal world behind and become a head chef in one of our restaurants."
"That's very sweet of you, Lace. But you know these guys are my family." Craig chuckled before turning his attention to me. "Rich is finally set up on the pull out if you want to go check on him, Bunny." He said, pointing to the nook at the far end of the den.
Grateful for the out, I nodded and went to the nook, where Rich sat on the edge of a pull-out bed. He was scowling at Joey and Az as they attempted to situate him.
"I'm not a fucking invalid." Rich growled. "I can do it myself."
"And bust open your stitches?" Az scoffed. "Stop being such a stubborn asshole and let us help you."
"Yeah, bro. Don't be an Az-hole ." Joey snickered, causing Az to glower at him.
"Be a good Daddy and listen to them, don't be so stubborn." I interjected, pleased to see the way it caused Rich to freeze for just a moment.
Joey and Az exchanged glances before they started trying and failing to cover the laughter threatening to escape. Rich recovered more quickly this time and glared at them.
"I can get myself into position, but these shits keep trying to move me into place. If they keep pushing and pulling on me like I'm a sack of potatoes, then they'll be the ones to pop my stitches." Rich grumbled, slowly shifting on the pull-out until he was more comfortable.
I turned away to cover my snickering. When I regained my composure, I turned back to the guys and shooed Az and Joey out of my way. I handed him a small pillow and stood close while he slowly moved himself into position on the pillows that would support him as he propped up.
"They're just worried about you. Don't be too hard on them for trying to help."
The sound of the front door creaking open interrupted Rich's grumbling, and I glanced over to see Leighton stroll in, his face drawn into a scowl. When our eyes met, his dour expression was replaced with his usual manic smile.
"You managed to wrangle Rich into submission I see." He cackled, making his way toward us.
"I used my powers of persuasion," I said, grinning.
"The hell she did." Rich grunted at the same time, causing Leighton to start laughing.
"You're so whipped, bro," He wheezed as he wiped the tears his laughter had caused from his face.
"Only one of us has been following her around like a lost puppy. And it hasn't been me." Rich clipped the traces of a sneer on his face.
Leighton winked at me before turning his attention back to Rich. "I wouldn't say I'm lost, but ain't no shame in my puppy game."
"Hey, L," Az called as he reentered the den. "Lacey said to ask you where the fold away tables are. Dinner's almost done and it's probably better we bring dinner to Rich instead of the other way around."
"Yeah, this way." Leighton said, motioning for Az to follow him into another room.
In a matter of minutes, they'd returned with three square folding tables and began sitting them up so that they connected, with one positioned directly in front of Rich. Joey followed close behind with folding chairs, placing them at intervals around the tables that would allow everyone to sit and eat comfortably. They finished just as Craig strolled into the den with a steaming pot, Lacey close behind him with a pan of garlic bread.
"LeLe, be a dear and grab the dishes." She smiled brightly.
Leighton scowled but complied. I could hear cabinets opening and closing in the kitchen before he reemerged, carrying a stack of plates, glasses, and silverware. After a few moments of shuffling, everyone was positioned around the tables so we could all eat together. The pot of spaghetti and pan of garlic bread was passed around the table, and I dug in as soon as I'd filled my plate to hide my amusement at the fact Craig had ignored Lacey's requested meal.
"So, Rich, how have you been, aside from," Lacey spoke, waving her fork toward him to indicate his current condition. "This?"
"I get why some people see ‘may you live in interesting times' as a curse." Rich responded.
"I'd love to get together while you're here." Lacey smiled, her tone dripping with innuendo.
"How's Kenneth?" Leighton interjected harshly.
Lacey raised one perfectly manicured brow in his direction. "Dull, as ever. That man wouldn't know interesting if it slapped him in the face."
"You married him." Leighton shrugged.
"We all make our sacrifices. Marrying such a dullard was mine. The connection to Apex Accounting has proven quite lucrative." She shot back.
"I didn't realize that you married as a business move," I spoke up, instantly regretting it under Lacey's withering stare.
"How is Benson, darling? The last I heard, the two of you were yet to set a wedding date."
Dishes on two of the folding tables clattered as the guys shifted in their seats, anger painting their faces. Joey's fist clenched around his fork, the glint in his eye making me wonder how hard he was fighting against sticking it through Lacey's eyeball.
Lacey smiled, casting her gaze around the table. "I see I've hit a sore spot. Did they not know you were engaged?"
"Perhaps the news hasn't reached you yet, but we split up over a year ago. I was under the impression that you were relatively well connected, so I had assumed you knew." I said, unable to stop the sarcasm that dripped from my words.
"Harrison and McMillan are fucking." Leighton blurted out, causing everyone to turn and look at him.
"What?" I asked, confused at his interruption as Craig choked on his food.
He leaned back in his chair and grinned, shooting everyone a conspiratorial look. "Yeah, I guess they keep their relationship on the down low, but with how many times Harrison has patched me up, I noticed. Ol' Lorna seems to like having her world rocked by the neighborhood medic."
"How is that any of our business?" Az groaned, slapping Craig on the back to help clear his throat.
"For as much good as both of them have done for the community, I'd say they're entitled to their privacy however they choose to relieve stress," Rich said, exasperated.
"Come on, you guys can't tell me that's not some hot goss. What with how buttoned up McMillan is?" Leighton laughed.
Joey, looking horrified, added, "That woman is like my second mother! I'd really rather not think about that. Can we not?"
"I'm going to have a therapist send you the bill for the treatment I need to get that out of my head, L." Craig finally said after he'd managed to get his food down.
Leighton poked out his bottom lip and crossed his arms over his chest as he pouted. "I thought that would be the revelation of the century. You're all a bunch of uptight pricks."
"I believe that would be my cue to leave." Lacey drawled, dabbing the corner of her lips with a paper napkin before pushing away from the table. "Someone will be here early next week with fresh provisions. If you need anything in the meantime, LeLe, you know how to reach me."
We watched in silence as Lacey strolled toward the cabin door. She paused just inside and looked over her shoulder, pinning her gaze on Rich.
"If you feel up to a little fun while you're here, you have my number." She winked before disappearing outside.
A stab of jealousy tore through me, but I quickly forced it down. It wasn't like Rich, and I had any connection beyond him acting as my jailor. There were definitely sparks, and I enjoyed pushing his buttons, but that was as far as it went.
"She's not going to hand us over to the enemy the first time it's convenient for her, is she?" I asked after the sound of Lacey's car leaving faded. I nearly cringed at the harshness bleeding into my tone.
"Lacey is a world class bitch, but if there's one thing she's good at, it's keeping secrets." Leighton replied.