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“Still very vague,” she said evenly.
“He has influenced some vendors not to work with me. The last-minute changes affect my deadlines and expenses. I don’t like people fucking with my time or money.”
“This doesn’t sound like a business meeting I need to be at.”
“If I felt there would be an issue I wouldn’t allow you to come. We’ll be at a club. I simply need to show my face and make my position clear. I’ll speak my piece then you and I can enjoy the rest of our evening. But if you prefer I go alone…”
“No, I want to go but what kind of club? I didn’t really bring club attire. You said this was business.”
“We can get you something.”
“I don’t want you to keep buying me things, setting an expectation.”
“It’s not a big deal and very little to offer in return for me dragging you here. I don’t mind.”
I’d brought her with me to Los Angeles for selfish reasons. I wanted her company. Money wasn’t an issue, but given her past with her ex, I understood why she was cautious. The minute the words left my mouth she opened hers to argue but I shut that down remembering something she’d told me when we’d met at Black Diamonds.
“The night we met you said my money was something you’ve experienced before but wasn’t impressed by. I obviously remind you of someone, I’m assuming your ex. I’m not him, Jhorie. There are no strings attached to anything I do for you and there never will be.”
She moved the thought around her head for a moment longer and gave in. “Fine. If you want to spend your ten figures instead of me spending mine, who am I to deny you the opportunity?”
I smiled slowly and leaned closer. “How gracious of you.”
“You know me, woman of the people. I want everyone to win.”
“It seems that way.”
* * *
By ten Jhorie and I were walking into Noir. She was dressed in a black leather bodysuit that was sinful and dangerous. Dangerous for anyone who wasn’t me and had an idea they were allowed to enjoy how it accentuated her curves. I had guys here just in case things went left with McCants but I would handle anyone who stepped to Jhorie.
There were rules that the families under The Collective had to abide by, orders of protection for all members, which meant that although I wasn’t McCants’s favorite person—nor was he mine—neither of us would die tonight.
It was expected that physical harm to either of us at the hand of the other would bring dire consequences. That didn’t mean McCants was fully prepared to accept facing consequences if I pissed him off enough. As an added precaution, I made sure I had eyes at the club. Had it just been me I wouldn’t have cared, but I made sure there was a layer of protection to cover Jhorie. I wasn’t naïve about who I was and how my life worked.
“This place is nice,” she gushed at my side. Our fingers were intertwined and she made no effort to detach from me, even after we were inside.
“You’ve never been?”
“No, it was on the list but I never made it here. I wished I had.” Her eyes moved around the interior which was the most unique I had encountered and I frequented a lot of clubs. For some reason, a lot of people considered them acceptable places to broker deals. McCants was one of those people but he also loved the nightlife. So he invested a lot of thought and time into his locations.
Most of the décor was black and silver. The black was made up of crystals and black onyx which created the appearance of being surrounded by black ice. I wouldn’t dare say I didn’t appreciate the ambiance.
“Then it will be my mission to make sure you get the full experience.”
She shot me a look and I grinned, leaning in to kiss her cheek. “I thought we agreed to disagree on how I choose to spend my money.”
“We did.”
“Good. Would you like a drink from the bar?”
“We can.”
I guided her to the nearest bar that ran about eighteen feet from one end to the other, one of four throughout the main floor. Alcohol made money and there was access to plenty here. Someone came to us as soon as we approached so I leaned to find out if Jhorie wanted to handle this or I should.
“Am I ordering for you?”
“You can.”
