She and Rourke weren’t the only ones heating things up.When Roxie and Zairn made eye contact, their conversation was entirely silent, but no less potent.
“Do you really have to go back to LA?”she asked, interrupting their foreplay.“You’re the sane voice around here.You can’t leave me here with Rourke.That’s cruel and unusual punishment.”
“I’m sorry, honey,” Roxie said, lacing their fingers together.“The first part of the documentary airs tomorrow.We have a watch party and reactions.Streaming.Comments.The whole deal.It’s press, press, press for a while.But we’re in LA for almost three weeks, you can come hang out whenever you want.Jane has a big LA mansion.Superstar stuff.Lots and lots of space.”
Her head tilted.“I didn’t know she had money.”
“Oh, yeah.Jane is loaded,” Roxie said after finishing her drink.“She has a bunch of money.Bags and bags of cold, hard cash.It just happens to be in Knox’s bank account.”
Looking at Roxie and Zairn, there was no doubting their love.Knox and Kintyre were mysteries.Like Lilya said, they weren’t a regular topic of conversation.She’d have to find the time to quiz Rourke about his friends.She already cared about Roxie and Lilya.Jane was such a sweetheart that it was impossible not to be protective of her.The Collier family, the media monolith, were strong, ruthless, bold.How did Jane fit in with that?
“I’ll need to come down sometime for the party planning,” she said because there was still so much to do, and her curiosity had to be satisfied.“Are you sure we can get it off the ground in two weeks?”
The countdown to the party had started.Only two weeks and three days to wait.
“Well, the invitations have gone out, so if we can’t then those people will still have a great time at Crimson.One way or another.”
Whether it was at a hip nightclub or a highbrow fundraiser.
“Will people have space in their schedules at such short notice?”
As usual, Roxie wasn’t worried.“One thing you’ll learn with the uber-rich is that they do whatever the hell they want.If they don’t want to come, they’re busy.If they do—”
“We lock ourselves in hotel suites with the women we love,” Zairn said.“You love the uber-rich, Lola.”
“I love you.Uber-rich or not… You better start getting used to the idea that the time may come when I’ll be worth more than you.”
“I’m ready for that.”Zairn was unfazed.“That’s when I’ll off you and rent myself an exchange student’s uterus.”
Hmm, maybe they weren’t a normal couple after all.That was a strange kind of kinky.
“Dunlap’s bringing the contract next week and I will read the small print.You don’t have to be as thorough, not on my account,” Roxie said, opening her mouth in an audible inhale before rolling her focus back to her.“Trust me…” Roxie took her hand.“The Hope party is not the kind of thing we do often.With the documentary and surrounding whatever, Z and I will be a hot ticket.Hotter than usual.We’re always hot.”She loved her friend’s mock hair toss.“Whatever people think they have on, they’ll cancel for us.They will.I guarantee the club will be past capacity.”
“Especially when we have Knox out there ruining anyone who thinks about snubbing the invite,” Rourke said.“Reid bringing Merci?”
“We said they didn’t have to make the trip,” Roxie answered even though Rourke had been talking to Zairn.“They’ll contribute, obviously, and make the rounds in Manhattan.We don’t want our group seen together too much, do we?And there are a lot of weddings coming up.”
“I’m sorry I missed Jane and Knox’s.”Laughter rose from all angles.“Okay, why is that funny?”
“They’re not actually married,” Roxie said.“The media reported there was a wedding on Crimson Isle, but there wasn’t.”
“Oh.Oops.”
Jane came hurrying out of the kitchen.“Knox says he has a surprise.”
“Oh, I love a surprise,” Roxie said.Growing suspicious, the blonde’s eyes flicked back and forth between the men.“What do you two know?”
“If we know anything and say anything, it won’t be a surprise,” Zairn said.
Was that genuine or evasive?
“Z has surprises, Knox has surprises, Zach got Lil pregnant, surprise,” Rourke said.“You pussies need to take your women in hand.I’ll need to stage an intervention.”
“With whom?”Zairn asked.“K2’s off the grid.”
“As always, these days.”
“We lost Dyce to his deserted tropical island, and Cam has a lifestyle.Caspian’s probably forgot there’s anything more to a woman than her pussy.”
