12. Chapter 12
Led
I swear to God I should wear a fucking halo tonight.
A gold star. At least I should get a medal for doing this, when I feel like every bone in my body is telling me not to.
No, not that one. We’re not even going there.
No bones, other than the ones maybe in my hand, will touch her.
And that will be only to shake her hand hello and goodbye.
As I dress in suit pants and a linen shirt, knowing that Freddie is hamming it up, with reservations to some fancy ass restaurant, I can’t help the feeling in the pit of my stomach.
A fancy restaurant and Axl Lennon surely don’t mix.
He will have every goddamn paparazzi in town hiding in the fucking bushes.
When I arrive, I’m let in and guided right to the table, where Led is. “Where are the girls?” I open with. “And why was I included in this dog and pony show?”
He lifts his beer off the table and takes a sip before answering. “Washroom, powdering their noses, and hell if I know. I just came along because Freddie asked me to. I figure I’ll get laid so what’s the harm.”
“You’re such a fucking pig.”
“I am. But not as much as you think I am. I haven’t bagged her yet. So that makes you more of a pig than me, at this table at least.”
“Fuck you. I shouldn’t even stay. I should duck out of here before Reya sees me.”
“Then you’ll be known as the coward, my friend. And then who do you think is going to be the first to find out?”
I’m not sure if I’m more afraid of Wesley Hopkins or Jagger finding out at this point.
See, this is why I hate working for family, even though I’ve never breathed a word of this viewpoint to anyone before.
When you work with family, every fucking thing you do is personal.
Every fucking move you make reflects not only on your business, but on your family, too.
I’m so sick of it. “A date shouldn’t feel like a fucking sentence. ”
“You’re right. It shouldn’t. But the only reason why it feels that way for you is because of you. Just change your perspective. She gave you good head, right?”
“You’re disgusting.”
“You see my point. If you get it again tonight, it’s a win. If you don’t, it’s still a win, since you already got it before you had to take her out to dinner. And at least once tonight is over, you’ll be home free.”
“Something tells me that if Reya was so hell bent on forcing me to do this, that I won’t be home free. I think I barked up the wrong goddamn tree this time, man.”
He waves me off, flagging down the waitress. He orders himself a scotch on the rocks and asks me if I want anything. I decline, of course. “Come on, man. A drink will do you some good.”
“I really don’t think so.”
“Have it your way.”
I see the girls walking from the side of the restaurant, and I know that I’m in deep fucking trouble.
Reya is wearing a tight red dress with matching lipstick, and her hair is tied up, which I know from my sister Stevie, that when a girl ties her hair up like that, it means that she’s gone all out to look her best. “Fuck.” I mutter under my breath.
“Relax, my boy.”
“Easy for you to say, asshole. You’re probably lapping this shit up. How many cameras do you have waiting for you outside, when you’re ploughed enough to make a scene?”
“You should give me more credit, Led. I eased up for you tonight.”
“Don’t do me any fucking favors.” I mutter as the girls are now in earshot. I don’t even rise out of the chair to greet them.
“Led.” Reya smiles. “How are you?”
I’m a shitty liar, but it’s the only way that I'm getting out of this alive. “Fine. You?”
“Great.”
Freddie speaks. “Glad you changed your mind, Led.”
“Yeah, I’ll bet.”
Reya puts her hand on my leg as she sits next to me, and I visibly flinch. “Nervous?”
“Just...didn’t expect that.”
“Well, you did agree to this date, right?”
I want to say, ‘with duress’, but I refrain. “I suppose I did.”
“Just relax. Did you order drinks?”
“I’m fine with water.”
The girls exchange a look. Reya turns to look at me, but Freddie interjects first, cutting her off. “So, Led. Are you excited about this new deal with Drummond?”
“Of course, I am. It’s huge. It’s the biggest dream Jagger’s ever had, and it’s come true.”
“Do you think that Jagger will ever do business with Axl?”
I slit my eyes at her. “I don’t think that that’s any of your business.”
I feel slimy already. This is a witch hunt.
“Sorry. I didn’t mean to offend.” Freddie waves. “I just know that Axl and Jagger’s ideas are so great together. It’s a shame that it hasn’t happened yet.”
I go for bold. “That’s odd coming from you.”
The waitress comes around and takes our drink orders. I take a soda, while the girls order white wine. Then Freddie addresses me, curiously. “Why would you say that?”
“Because you technically aren’t even in that camp. Axl isn’t part of Lawson Enterprises. And until he is, you discussing business with him, is a breach of contract.”
I already got bad vibes from Frankie and now they’re confirmed.
It occurs to me that I should bring this to Jagger’s attention.
But just as I’m thinking this, Axl speaks up and redeems himself.
“Look, he’s right. We really shouldn’t be discussing business here.
Let’s just eat, have some drinks and have some fun. ”
Reya agrees. “Good enough.”
The waitress brings our drink order and we all clink glasses, good naturedly, before taking a sip.
There is little conversation before the food arrives in record time, and the topic during dinner is basically coveted vacation destinations.
At one point, Reya asks why I’m so quiet, and I tell her that it’s because I’m really that hungry.
Axl gets a call as he finishes his last bite, which he has to take, and it leaves me alone with the girls.
While I’m thinking that it’s going to be awkward, I cut to the chase with Reya.
The minute that I open my mouth, Freddie takes the hint and says that she needs to use the ladies’ room. Point for her. I level with Reya. “This is just not the right time. I shouldn’t have brought you to my place. It was a mistake. I’m sorry.”
Her face changes. It falls a little. “Oh. Well, that’s okay. Why did you accept this date then?”
I swallow. “Because your friend all but threatened me if I didn’t.”
Her eyes widen. “You’re joking, right?”
My head shakes slowly.
Her hand covers her mouth. “Oh my God. I’m so embarrassed. I’m so sorry. I had no idea.”
I’m surprised. “You had no idea.”
Now it’s her turn to shake her head. “She just told me that she set it up. That you wanted to see me again. That’s why I got all dressed up and got my hair done and everything. I’m so embarrassed. I can’t believe she did this.”
“Why do you think she pulled a stunt like this?”
Her gaze goes towards the entrance, in the direction that Axl went.
“I’ll give you one guess. And for the record, I’m not that close to Freddie.
She’s a snake. That’s why she runs the UK site.
Fifty bucks says that she just wanted to get her tentacles on Axl so that she could climb further up Wesley’s ass. ”
“Are you serious?”
She sets down her wine glass a little more aggressively than necessary. The half drank liquid sloshes slightly. “Dead serious. She needed a fall guy to get closer to Axl because it’s easier to cover up your true mission when you’re on a double date.”
“If that’s what you think her goal is then let’s fucking split.”
“I can’t let her know that I’ve figured her out. This way at least I can manipulate her better for proof and then I can go to Wesley.”
“You want to nail her that bad, huh.”
“She’s been becoming a thorn in my side. This is not the way that Wesley wants to do business. He’s a decent guy.”
“I second that. If he wasn’t decent then my brother would never have signed that agreement. No matter how many dollar signs were behind it.”
“And that’s exactly why Wesley wanted to go with Lawson Enterprises and not with Kruger Manufacturing. He hates Boston Kruger. He knows that he’s a snake, too.”
“It sounds like Freddie and Boston should be in business together.”
“They’re a perfect match.”
I swallow and quickly think of a way out of this. “Hey, why don’t we make like we want to split for the exact reason that she wanted us to get together for in the first place?”
She looks at me. “What’s that.”
I frown. “Well, her words were basically that you gave me head and I owe you one.”
She looks repulsed. Like she wants to vomit. “Tasteless witch. I never said anything like that. I swear.”
“I believe you. Let’s get the fuck out of here. We’ll go back to my place and hang so she thinks we’re really fucking around. Send her a text.”
“She’s been in there a while. Probably doing lines.”
“Then her and Axl will make a perfect pair.” I comment, pulling my wallet out of my back pocket and setting five-one hundred-dollar bills down on the table. “Let’s go.”
After that conversation, I’m no longer worried about bringing her back to my place.
She clearly gets it. And if taking her back to my place will fix the issue and help bring down the evil that was looming tonight, I’m all for that.
She rides with the me in my car, since her and Freddie carpooled with Freddie’s fancy rental.
She’s silent almost all the way there and I’m picking up the vibe that she’s just as pissed off as I am over this.
Finally, when we’re two minutes from my front door I break the silence.
“So, do you enjoy working for Wesley?”
Her face softens into a slight smile. “I do. He’s very good to me. Jagger is going to really love this whole deal.”
“We’d heard that he was a bit of a chauvinistic ball breaker. But evidently, he fell in love with Bowie right off the hop.”
“She’s so smart. I can understand why. And Lawson products are so robust. It’s a great partnership.”
“I couldn’t agree with you more. My brother is really feeling his oats now.”