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“Sorry, my friend. We don’t be doing any business together, and I’d appreciate if you left my office right now.”
His face turned deep red. He grabbed his fiancée’s hand, and they marched out of the office.
Smith and Ash caught me in the hallway.
“What was that all about?” Ash asked me.
I shook my head. “You know what an asshole that man is, right? There’s no way we’re doing business with him.”
Ash looked around to make sure all our guests had left the office. “Gio, I appreciate your concern, but isn’t that the kind of decision we usually make together, after some analysis and discussion?”
I didn’t need any egalitarian merda right then.
I ran my hand through my hair, frustration levels rising.
“Look guys, sorry. I just think there are some scumbags out there we don’t need to be affiliated with. Google the latest on Devon Crane. You’ll see.”
I’d had enough for one day. At least of my day job, that was for sure. I headed over to the venue for the evening’s party to see how the set up was going.
Chase and Blu were directing people with last minute preparations.
“Things are looking good, guys,” I said to Blu, who began unpacking a giant box of condoms.
I glanced around the huge loft space we’d managed to lease for the last time. The building was be
ing turned into condos, so we were on the lookout for someplace new.
“Can I see the guest list?” I asked Chase. That was his area to handle.
“Sure, Gio. Here ya go,” he said, passing me an iPad.
While a lot of our attendees RSVP’d with their fake “club” names, I saw several familiar ones—people who’d been attending Kink Lab consistently in the two years since we’d started it.
There were other sex parties in New York. The city was freaking full of them, like every major metropolitan area. You just had to find out about them, which was not hard because people had big fucking mouths. But Kink Lab was different. You had to be invited, which meant a current member had to vouch for you, and then you had to be vetted. If you were granted membership, you then had to pay not only a steep membership fee but also a high admission charge for each party attended. But it was worth it, and I knew tonight’s event would be another huge success.
“Hey Gio, I gotta run home and make sure the babysitter is all set up. I’ll be back in an hour or so,” Chase said.
“Sounds good. I’m just going to chill out, have a drink, and try to forget my day.” I went behind the bar that had just been set up for the party and poured myself a nice, dark beer. “By the way, how is your bambina?”
Chase’s face lit up. It had been only a few months since his ballet dancer girlfriend had said arrivederci, leaving him with their little Ruby, and he was doing a great job on his own. I had to hand it to him.
“Princess Ruby is great. Getting fatter every day.” He shook his head.
I’d never seen him as happy as he’d been since Ruby had come along.
“And you know, Gio, I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
“I know it. You’re killing the fatherhood thing. Wish I’d had a papa like you.” Chase was one of the few who knew my story—and why my family had to flee Italy years ago.
“See you in an hour, man,” he said.
I watched the bubbles rise in my beer glass as I enjoyed the first quiet moment I’d had in a while to mull over the events of the day.
Damn if that Crane guy wasn’t a huge dickhead. Seriously, who comes to a meeting to drum up new business when they’re under investigation by the D.A. and brings their new girlfriend, particularly when he’s only left his wife days before?
Who fucking does that?
Sumner clapped me on the back, snapping me out of my reverie. “You look lost in thought, brother.”
