This once, though, Kate is wrong. I do understand. Kate has taught me more than she can possibly imagine.
“Kate,” I say. “Could you and Alix give me a moment with Trap?”
She doesn’t want to do it. She’s afraid for me. She doesn’t trust that Prince will batten down his temper.
But Alix says, “Come on, Kate. Let’s give the bulls some space to throw their weight around.” She leans in and gives Prince a quick kiss. “Don’t hurt my paintings.”
Kate looks at me, somewhat more concerned. “Um… don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.”
I refrain from pointing out how many options she just created for me. At this juncture, Prince wouldn’t respond well to my tossing a glass of champagne in his face. Besides, there isn’t any champagne in the room. Just coffee, and the acid reek is making my stomach tight.
From the hallway, Alix reaches around Kate, closing the door decisively. Prince looks at me like he’s sizing me up for a neckbrace. I ease around the table, putting a hundred million dollars of artwork between us.
“I was an idiot,” I say.
He doesn’t respond.
“I was caught. I had to put those bratva motherfuckers in their place, and I didn’t think I had other options.”
He listens, weight forward on the balls of his feet.
“Alix agreed to take the paintings. What will it take for you and me to get square? A blank check to the charity of your choice? To the charity ofAlix’schoice? You name it. It’s yours.”
He studies my face, like he’s measuring the almost-faded bruises along my jaw. His eyes go to my gut, as if he can see through linen and cotton to the angry marks he left with his fists.
I take off my suit jacket and drape it over a chair. I loosen my tie and pull it off over my head. I hold my hands away from my sides, as if to prove I’m weapon-free.
“You can break some ribs this time. I won’t fight back. Just don’t get any blood on the paintings.”
“Jesus fucking Christ,” he finally says. “You’re the stupidest motherfucker I ever let into the Diamond Ring.”
“Not the stupidest,” I say after a respectful pause. “There’s Roger Turner. He still can’t keep his tongue in his mouth when a woman’s in sniffing range. Even Alix.”
“Especially Alix,” Prince grunts. “That cocksucker needs a lesson or two in social interaction.”
“You could always throw him out of the Diamond Ring.”
Prince shakes his head. “Not while we’re already down a member.”
I shrug.
“Of course,” Prince says. “If I bring the group back to full strength…”
It’s my turn to wait.
“You missed the June meeting,” he says. “Last week. I got us a box at the French Open.”
I wince. “My tennis game leaves something to be desired.”
He looks at the three paintings spread out between us. “But you’re a motherfucking genius at kissing up.”
“I try.”
Prince shakes his head, staring at the door where Alix and Kate disappeared. “Alix says you did it for the mob princess.”
“For Kate.”
“She says I’d do the same for her.”
