Chapter 12
Chapter Twelve
Joey
Un-fucking-believable. Who does this guy think he is?
This man who I am definitely not intimated by because he looks like a final draft of a Roman god of hotness and sexuality.
Nope, not intimated at all. But he sure as shit shouldn’t be hitting on my girlfriend.
No, wrong word. My… date? My dog walker?
The label doesn’t fucking matter, she’s mine.
Hmm. Has anyone ever been mine? I can’t think straight, and I have zero time to ponder that question, but I don't want this guy talking to her anymore.
My hand is at war with itself. Should I pull out my gun and shoot him, or yank her back to my side and grab her ass?
“Joey, a word,” Darren says and steps to the side.
Fuckboy over there takes this moment to offer his hand to Cam. “Hi, I’m Grae. I wanted to thank you for the invitation to your opening. You’ve got one hell of a place here.”
Vaguely I think I hear Cam say, “Oh everyone knows who you are.”
First of all, no. I do not. And second, Cam never ever gushes over anyone, but he looks like he's about to drop to his knees for whoever this Grae guy is.
Darren and I step a few feet away. “Is this about Jade, because you should shit or get off the pot,” I say.
“Thank you, but no.” He grins and shakes his head. “Grae’s not hitting on her.”
“I wasn’t worried.”
He laughs and then realizes how dangerous that is as several members of the Triad turn to face us. He gives a contrite shrug. “Listen, if Grae was hitting on her, they’d already be fucking on that table, and you’d be cheering them on.”
Doubtful.
Darren continues, “Grae’s a great guy. He listens when you talk.
He’s honest and genuine. If he says something, he means it.
And if he doesn’t have anything nice to say, he’s silent.
” He leans in closer. “He’s also on a very short list of clients Alana monitors personally.
Do with that information what you will.”
Hmm… Alana protects him? I don’t know if that makes me feel better or worse.
But when I turn around, he’s lit up like a Christmas tree.
“Stop! You run Leash Legends? That’s the best job ever!
” Grae doesn’t look like a sex god, he looks more like a golden retriever carrying a big stick.
“Tell me it isn’t doing paperwork and dealing with insurance companies. ”
Jenny matches his energy. “I walk his dog.” She waves me over, and my body responds like it’s being pulled toward her by a string. “Show him a picture of Kingston.”
I swipe through a couple of pictures in the folder I’ve set up for Kingston on my phone, stopping on one from earlier in the day. Huh. This is a good picture of him, maybe I should set it as my background.
Grae takes one look at the screen. “You have a husky?”
“No, he’s a…” I turn to Jenny, because for the life of me I can’t remember what she said.
She finishes my sentence. “Alaskan Klee Kai. He’s full grown.”
Grae’s eyes widen like he’s seeing the single greatest dog ever.
And he is. Because Kingston is my dog. Just like Jenny’s my girl.
“That can’t be a real animal.” He hands me back my phone. “Nope, that's what God created when She asked for suggestions for the cutest animals and She shmooshed them all together.”
I’m about to question the ‘She,’ but then I glance back at the picture, and yeah, if God is a woman, this is exactly what She would create.
Grae turns to Darren. “Can I get a dog?”
I’m about to say he’s a grown-ass man and he can do whatever he wants, but Darren says, “Only if you can watch Rudy and that episode of Futurama without crying.”
And the words shatter Grae. His shoulders slump, and all joy vanishes from his face. For a split second, I’m about to break into an animal shelter and go get him a puppy.
But then I notice some of my Triad allies stiffen on the other side of the room.
My stomach twists when I see Terk Henderson walking in.
Terk is one of Rita’s boys, but I’m not sure if he’s blood or through marriage.
He works out in LA, entertainment or something. Donny’s the one who follows this shit.
Terk slithers his way over to us, and the change in Grae is instant. His body stiffens, his eyes darken, and his lips are pressed together so tightly, they’re almost invisible. He went from the sex god, to a goofy good guy to someone who could be an actual physical threat. Grae has layers.
Terk does not. He slams his hand on Grae’s shoulder. “It’s nice to see you not passed out on the bathroom floor at an industry event.”
Darren lifts Terk's hand off Grae and says, “You know damn well that’s not what happened.”
Terk responds in an obnoxiously creepy singsong, “That’s what the rumors said, your majesty.”
Then it hits me. One of Alana’s clients was poisoned by Majesty. He almost died. No wonder why she’s taken an interest in Grae. He was almost a casualty in the Four Family’s war with the Deviant.
Fuck.
I must have changed the way I’m breathing, because now Terk’s focus is on me. “Hello, Cousin.” He touches his chest with his palm. “I’m so sorry to hear about Nonna.”
Before I can ask how the fuck he knows about it, he answers, “Rita told me, after she got off the phone with Aunt Dawn.” He tilts his head to the side in mock sorrow. “First Mommy and Daddy, and now Nonna. Gee, everyone you love dies violently. Do you think it might be a you issue?”
Should I use my fists or a gun to kill him?
“I admire your bravery.” Jenny’s voice cuts through my rage. “To talk like that when you have such a punchable throat.”
The tension in the room changes, sensing a power shift. Darren’s eyebrows shoot up his forehead. Grae’s almost invisible lips show the early hints of a smirk. And Terk flinches back like Jenny actually punched him in the throat.
“What the fuck did you say?” He raises his voice, which only draws attention from my coworkers who are trying to keep a low profile for the night.
She waves her hands apologetically. “I’m sorry, I misspoke.
I meant to say it’s brave of you to come out tonight, since you’re nominated in six categories at tomorrow’s Aurora Awards.
” She bats her eyes and traces her neck.
Then she shakes her head and rolls her eyes.
“Silly me. That’s not you.” She turns away from Terk and gazes at Grae. “You’re the one up for the awards.”
Grae’s lips return to a smile. “I’m up for seven awards.”
She taps herself in the head. “That's right.” She turns back to Terk, whose whole face is a shade of red, with hints of green like he’s sick.
“You own the second largest… no wait, that was ten years ago. Now you’re what, the sixth largest music company in the world?
That’s nothing to sneeze at. You should be proud of what you did with your daddy’s company.
I mean, Legacy hasn’t been nominated for any major awards in the last three years. But maybe next year.”
Holy shit. Cam turns away, his shoulders shaking. The magic returns to Grae’s eyes as he tries to hold back his smile. And Darren has the biggest “oh damn” expression ever.
Terk’s rage is unable to be contained as he points at me. “Control your bitch.”
Now my Triad allies stand from their side of the room. My hand slides to my belt, but Jenny giggles. “Only insecure small men are threatened by a woman who speaks the truth.” Then she taps him on the nose. “Boop.”
Yep, there’s nothing more emasculating than getting booped. My girl is a menace. She’s done more harm to Terk’s ego than I ever could. She’s a verbal assassin.
The music changes, and she bounces on her toes. “Oh, I love this song. Did you write this one, Grae?”
He nods, and there’s no point in hiding his smile. She glances over at me and I say, “Cam, why don’t you take my lovely lady friend out on the dance floor.”
“Right boss,” he says, linking his arm through hers.
As Jenny walks past Terk, she says, “I’ll be living rent free in your head for years, but I won’t give you another thought once we walk away. Object permeance and all.”
Bang Bang. Verbal assassination. A room full of witnesses. I swear to God I’ve never been prouder.
Grae starts laughing and announces, “I’ve got to pee.”
Darren shrugs. “I’m legally required to go with him.”
Now it’s me and my cousin. I’ve got a few inches on him, am objectively more attractive, and definitely stronger. His suit hangs on his frame. He’s no threat at all.
“You got something to say?” My eyebrow raises.
My cousin, through a long-ended marriage, exhales. “Your families have made a lot of enemies lately.”
I shrug. “We’ve got more allies. I’m not worried.”
“Nothing lasts forever. Your families’ empires will fall, all four of them.”
“Probably. That’s what they do. Companies and titans of industry—one day you’re at the top, and a few years later you’re in the middle of the pack, scraping by, a shell of what you once were.”
Terk pulls on the corners of his suit jacket in a sharp downward motion. He squares his shoulders. “Sometimes a low profile is better.”
“I agree, if it’s something you intended.
” I lean into his space. “But intel has it you were supposed to be running Majesty for The Deviant… What happened to that?” My lips curl into a shark grin.
“Riiiight… The entire world’s supplies of Majesty vanished in an hour.
” I shrug. “Shit happens, not even plans last forever.” I pat him on the chest. “Have a lovely evening. Not. Here.”
My eyes drift around the space, and the table of Triad and some of Duncan’s Irish guys stand. With a raise of my eyebrow, a small army of criminally minded circle my cousin. By the time I blink, he’s been ushered out of the section.
My rage dims as I turn to the balcony. Jenny is easy to spot in the crowd. She moves to the music, eyes closed, and even from here I can tell she’s enjoying the moment. How does she do that?