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“Yeah, it’s not our main place, but it’s nice on the weekends.” Viper said it so nonchalantly, like it was no big deal.
Nice? On theweekends? I couldn’t even fathom how much this place went for, especially not for a second or third or fourth home.
It was such a ridiculous statement that I couldn’t help but point out the only thing it was missing, which wouldn’t have even been on my radar in the grand scheme of things. “Too bad they couldn’t throw in a pool.”
“They did. Pool’s on the roof.”
I waited for him to say he was kidding, but no. Apparently they really did have a pool on the roof. Because of course.
“Well, there you go,” I said. “You picked the perfect place.”
“Nah, Halo did. Says he loves it for its ‘harmony with the environment,’ or some shit. Whatever. If he likes it, I like it, simple as that.”
It struck me as funny that for as badass as Viper obviously was, even he knew the term happy wife/happy life and took it to heart. Smart guy.
He set his glass on the monstrous coffee table, and I tried not to look at the damn snake again.
“Here’s the thing, and why I asked you out here. I don’t know you guys. Other than the fact that this one”—he nodded at Hudson—“is a bad liar, and you”—he nodded at me—“have a mouth on you. And that’s a problem for me, because you’re gonna learn a fuck-ton about me. Probably a lot of shit you don’t wanna know, but too bad, that’s the job. See how this is one-sided?”
Hudson spread his hands wide. “What do you want to know?”
“What Idon’twanna know is your resumé. Going to some fancy-ass school and interning for some rich asshole doesn’t mean shit. Get me?”
Hudson and I looked at each other, and I could tell he was thinking the same thing. And that was that neither of us spoke “Viper” and didn’t have a clue what he wanted instead.
Thankfully, Levi seemed to pick up on that. “Why don’t you tell them what it is you want so we’re all on the same page?”
“Isn’t it obvious? I want your dirty laundry,” Viper said.
My what?
“By the end of all this, you’re gonna think I’m some perverse madman—”
“You are,” Levi interjected.
“—so I need to know the bad shit you’ve done too. Something scandalous, something you’re not proud of. Maybe the juicy secret you’ve never told anyone. Lay it on me.”
My stomach dropped to my feet. It was like Viper had reached into my brain to the thing I’d been fixated on for the last couple of hours, and now he wanted to torture it out of me.
“Uh…okay,” Hudson said slowly.
I didn’t know what he thought he could possibly say. Hudson hadn’t done a bad thing in his life, other than a few silly pranks when we were young and stupid. He wasn’t the trash-a-hotel type. He didn’t do drugs or hire sex workers. He didn’t even drink alcohol anymore, for God’s sake.
So if the shittiest person was the one Viper wanted to work with, I’d win the deal hands down.
I didn’t feel good about it, though. In fact, I felt like the room was closing in and I was going to pass out.
Sweat trickled down the back of my neck, and I tugged at my collar. It felt too tight even though it wasn’t closed, or maybe it was just that I couldn’t catch a good breath.
I did, however, still have the rest of my scotch, and I downed the contents in one fiery swallow.
“That’s what I’m talkin’ about,” Viper said. “Let me call down and get you another—”
“No, that’s okay, I’m good right now.” I tried for a smile, but my face felt wrong, like I couldn’t get my cheeks to lift. “But thank you.”
Get it together, Drew.This was only a huge deal for E Group, and I couldn’t be the one to fuck it up.
“You want to start?” he asked.
