“What the fuck?” I grumble at Mike.
He shrugs, still staring at me.
Viktor’s gaze fixes on me, stubbornly. “Sure. I’d love to.”
10. VIKTOR
After signing the NDA, I hold Maggie’s hand as we enter Gennaro’s suite. She must hate it, but I won’t let go. After what she’s said, I won’t let her out of my sight all night.
The suite is huge and full with people in their underwear. Some are half-naked already. Are they all celebrities? I haven’t been in the United States long enough to keep up with who is who in Hollywood. Even that Italian actor.
I’ve lied to him about being his fan. I haven’t even known the guy’s name till yesterday morning. When Maggie’s whole attitude and mood changed by just seeing his picture.
It’s obvious they’ve known each other for a while. What I don’t know is what kind of relationship they have.
“So how do you know Maggie?” I yell over the music as Gennaro leads us inside.
He spins, taking off his suit jacket, a crooked smile on his mouth. Then he looks at Maggie. “You never told your…dateabout me?”
“No,” she answers.
He feigns a shock and throws himself on a semi-circular, leather couch. Immediately, a couple of girls swoon over him, unbuttoning his shirt. “Well, I’m her best friend.”
“No shit?” I glance at Maggie for confirmation. I get nothing but a rough squeeze from her hand as she stares at the girls in red lace underwear touching Gennaro.
“No shit,” he says, not paying attention to the girls, his eyes fixed on Maggie. “Our families go way back, and her mom is my agent. We grew around each other, or more likely Maggie grew around me. Right, Kiddo?”
Maggie shifts on her feet, her eyes darting around, fuming. Why is she so upset? Is this still about the song? Or is it something he’s said? Or… Can she be jealous of the girls undressing him? What am I missing here?
He spreads his arms, and one of the girls takes off his shirt while the other unbuckles his belt. “So… the bar is here.” He points to the left. “And the weed is there.” He waves to the right where a short, black man sits at a table, rolling joints. “Take off your clothes and knock yourself out.”
Maggie doesn’t budge. It’s when he starts kissing the girls that she yanks her hand out of mine and dashes to the weed table.
Now I have my answer.
What the fuck have I done to myself?
I falter behind her, cursing my stupidity, the room stiff with the smell of weed, booze and sex. She grabs a joint, and I light it for her, my eyes locked on hers.
Smoke trails from her mouth as she watches me gaze at her. Breaking my heart or not, she’s never looked sexier.
“Why are you looking at me like this?” she asks.
I have a joint myself and drag a puff. “I fucked up.”
She purses her lips and nods. “Yeah, you did. I don’t even know why you accepted to come here.”
“Maybe I want to get stoned till I can’t keep count of the number of girls touching me at the same time.”
She snorts and rolls her eyes.
“Why are you really here, Maggie?”
“I want to get my mind off what you did. How you ambushed me like that.”
“You want to get your mind off me or off him?”
Her eyes narrow at me as she draws a breath from the joint.
