1. Chapter 1 #2
“Well, at least you can’t associate your name with bathroom issues, like the kids in my high school did.” Reya says. “I was forever “Dia...Reya.”
“That’s why she calls herself ‘Raya’.” Another woman interjects from behind us, pronouncing her name phonetically.
She turns toward us and offers her hand for us to shake.
“Freddie.” She says. “As in ‘Mercury’. And I’m glad to see that someone else’s parents had the taste for seventies music that my parents did. ”
Freddie doesn’t have a British accent, so I ask. “Are you from Drummond Motors as well?”
“I am. But I run the satellite division here in the states.” She shakes Rush’s hand, and he wiggles his eyebrows. She’s his type. And she just upped the ante since she’s local and not from the UK, like Reya here is.
“What exactly do you do there?” Rush asks, immediately intrigued, which gives me relief, since now he’s going to be focusing on getting laid, not on keeping me here.
“What don’t I do.” She comments, Rush’s hand is still in hers, and she doesn’t seem bothered. Yeah, she’s definitely his type.
I purse my lips into a smile and look like I’m scouring the place for someone.
“Who are you looking for?” Reya asks.
I make up a lie quickly. “My sister, Stevie.”
“Looking to worm your way out of here?”
I’m not ashamed to admit it. “Exactly.”
“Why would you want to leave your brother’s wedding?”
“It’s...complicated.”
“Of course it is.”
“Look, I’m not bullshitting you.”
“I know you’re not.” She chuckles. “I just know that if I were to leave my brother’s wedding, it wouldn’t be just because I left the stove on.”
Great. She’s cocky. “I don’t want to get into it.” I say, watching Rush pull Freddie away, resting his arm over her shoulders. Subtle.
“I wasn’t asking you to.” She says, and I detect a note of sarcasm in her voice. Perhaps she’s not so pleased to be here, either.
“I’d much rather be behind my desk than here.”
“You’re an introvert. I get it.”
“What, are you saying that this situation isn’t making you the least bit uncomfortable? I mean, who the fuck plans a wedding in front of all these business associates, anyway. My brother’s all about business, and I get that, but this is just a little bit ridiculous.”
“I think it was fun. I mean, who the hell wants to show up to a wedding on purpose.”
Point for her.
“I mean, unless you’re out to get laid. Supposedly, when you have a traditional wedding, there’s a good chance.”
“I wouldn’t know.” I mutter under my breath, watching Jinny talking to Axl off by the DJ.
She’s not into him. She can’t be. She’s just paying attention out of obligation.
Jinny and Bowie owe their careers to my brother Jagger for giving them such important roles right off the hop.
They know what the relationship is between Jagger and Axl, and they’re just doing their due diligence.
Paying lip service. At least...that’s what I keep telling myself.
“No?” She’s puzzled. “A handsome, rich guy such as yourself doesn’t get around easily in a room filled with single women?”
What the fuck? “No. As a matter of fact, I don’t.” My voice is firmer than I want it to be.
“Are you gay?”
God, this is infuriating. What is it with women, anyway?
Sure, Jagger used to fuck his assistant, until Bowie came into the picture.
Rush fucks rich, good-looking chicks, no matter how bitchy or high maintenance they are, I could go on about my other siblings and cousins, that get around at the drop of a hat, simply because we all have money.
The difference is...they’re all fucking happy.
Rush looks back at me, doing a double-take, noticing that my lip is curling upward.
He and Freddie make some exchange, like he’s telling her to hold his dick while he comes and gives me another unwanted fucking pep talk.
He takes me off to the side, while Reya pretends that she’s not overhearing.
If she’s stupid enough to just stand there, instead of moving on, she’s dumber than I thought.
“What the fuck is your problem, man? This chick is so into you. Go get your dick wet, Led. It’s been too fucking long, and you know it. I can tell because of that mug on your face.”
“It makes me really uncomfortable that you know so much about my sex life.”
“That’s because I know that you don’t have one. And you need it. Bad.”
“Look, I’m not interested.”
He gets so close to me his chest is practically on mine.
If it weren’t for the fact that we’re brothers, it would look like we’re either about to scrap it out, or make out, depending on who’s watching.
“Listen, man. The last time you got laid was that chick that left Lawson Enterprises. And that wasn’t even getting laid, it was just a fucking blow job. ”
“Look, stop acting like my fucking pimp. It’s weird.”
“You’re just scared.”
A ‘v’ forms between my brows. “Scared of what, asshole!”
“Scared that she’ll find out. Scared that yet another person will figure it out and tell you that you’re making a mistake.
Every fucking day of your life.” He adds, poking his index finger into my chest with every word.
“The same way that the Blow Job Queen, Misty, said to you. She saw it. I see it. How the hell you’ve hidden it from Jagger all this time is beyond me. ”
“Pay attention, asshole. I told you already that I think he’s got it figured out.”
“Then what’s the problem?” He points out. “Go get some pussy, clear your mind, and focus. Tomorrow is a new day, man. Jagger’s a married man now, and things are finally starting to come together for him. You’ve got nothing to lose.”
I look over at Jinny. She and Axl are now talking to Jagger and Bowie. It’s like they’re on a fucking double date and it makes my skin crawl. Rush’s gaze follows mine. “Either shit or get off the fucking pot, Led.” He says through grated teeth.
“Mind your own fucking business.” I say under my breath, walking away from him, back to Reya, much to my chagrin.
Stupidly, she’s still standing there, now sipping a glass of white wine that she must have grabbed off one of the server’s trays when I wasn’t looking. She asks again, like I didn’t hear the blatantly inappropriate question the first fucking time. “So, are you gay?
Fuck you . “No, I’m not. I just...I’m not into casual sex is all.” I answer, feeling pissed off that I’ve had to stick my neck out again.
She takes another sip from her glass and gives me a look like she’s undressing me with her fucking eyes.
I pretend like her face is Jinny’s.
It makes my dick wake up.
A memory floats back into my head from when we were kids, and Jinny was wearing this short leather skirt in high school.
My dick wakes up a little more.
My eyes go to Reya’s cleavage and then back up to her eyes, which are glassy with drink.
Her voice is soft, sultry, almost a purr, when she says.
“Oh....but I am.”