Page 8 of Property of Zombie

4

ZOMBIE

“They really outdid themselves.”

Absently, I nod at Savvy. She might be a club whore, but you’d never know it tonight. Wearing a long navy-blue evening gown, Savvy blends in with every other woman here, and she’s garnering the attention of every man.

Every man but me.

The moment I spotted Michael Martin, my brain shifted into one percenter mode. He was at the bar, ordering drinks. I hadn’t seen him enter the gala, so I scanned the crowd to see if I could figure out who he arrived with. I need some time alone with Michael, and it would be incredibly stupid of me to assume his date won’t be an obstacle.

A tingling sensation pricks the back of my neck, and I swivel my head to the left. When my eyes lock with the sexiest woman I’ve ever seen, my cock jerks to life, and my reasons for being here fade into oblivion.

“Are you even listening to me?”

Savvy’s curt tone kills my lust, and I face her with an apologetic smile. “Sorry.”

She looks past me. “She’s beautiful.” I grunt in agreement. “Why don’t you go talk to her?”

“Because I’m here with you,” I say simply.

“And we both know that I’m only here because you didn’t want to come alone. I know this isn’t a date, Zombie.” She rests her hand on my forearm. “You don’t have to worry about hurting my feelings. I know my place.”

I cringe at her words. Sure, she’s a whore who spreads her legs for my brothers—and me on occasion—but that doesn’t mean I don’t respect her. Savvy is a good person with a giant heart, and I refuse to treat her like a second-class citizen.

Before I can overthink the situation, a man walks up to us. Actually, he stops in front of Savvy as he completely ignores the fact that I’m here.

“Hi,” he says, a dopey grin on his lips.

“Hi,” she replies, and her tone is breathy, seductive. “I’m Savvy.”

“Jonathon,” he says, reaching out to shake her hand. “Savvy… that’s an interesting name.”

She giggles, and my brows shoot up. I’ve seen Savvy in pretty much every state possible, but giggling? That’s new.

“It’s short for Savion,” she informs him, and again, I’m surprised. I’ve known this woman for years and had no clue that Savvy was short for anything. I always just assumed it was a nickname. “Of course, my parents named me after alcohol but couldn’t spell for shit.”

Jonathon laughs, but it doesn’t seem to be at her expense. Good… I’d hate to have to kill someone at such a classy event.

“At least they were creative,” he comments.

“They were alcoholics,” Savvy says bluntly. “But, sure, creative works, too.” She tips her head back to look up at me. “Didn’t you have someone you needed to talk to, Z?”

I grin at her not-so-subtle hint to disappear. “I do. You sure you’re okay?”

Her gaze shifts from me to Jonathon and back again. “If he gets out of line, I’ll scream.”

I nod and turn to seek out the woman I spotted earlier. She’s not there, and after a quick scan of the crowd, I can’t find Michael either. As I walk away from my date, I hear Jonathon’s voice.

“Is he your boyfriend?” he asks as if he didn’t even know I’d been standing there until I spoke up.

“Nope,” Savvy replies. “He’s just a friend.”

Satisfied that I’m not leaving Savvy high and dry, I go in search of Michael. Might as well get business over with. As I make my way through the zoo, I admire the animals. Some are roaming free in their enclosures, while others are likely put up for the night.

“Hey, buddy,” I greet when I reach the lion’s den. The plaque attached to a wooden pole outside the enclosure tells me his name is Leo, and he’s an African Lion. “Where’s your girlfriend?”

Leo stalks closer to the tall fencing surrounding the enclosure, and when he flicks his tail at my question, I grin. After a few seconds, a lioness steps out of the shadows and makes her way toward him.