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I raisedmyeyebrow. “No. I stayed at the Stratum, remember?”
“Ah yes, I remember,” he growled, pulling me closer. “You’ll like my townhouse better—one of the suites has a huge shower with a bench that’d be justperfectto bend you over.” He playfully smacked my ass.
“Bryce.”I shook my head. “We’re supposed to be appropriate, remember? Demure.”
“I don’t know what ‘demure’ means, but if it has something to do with that dress, I’m all for it.” He grinned down at me. “I intend to rip that off you later.”
I shivered. “It’s a date.”
“Oh boy.” Bryce took a step back. “Here comes trouble.”
Jake ambled over to us, bourbon in hand. He still looked upset.
“What’s up, little brother?” Bryce asked. “I thought the talk we gave Colby earlier was good, but you don’t look happy.”
“Why is it that he always gets away with murder? Dad would be up my ass if I violated Olivia’s direct orders, but Colby’s just having a good old time, as usual.” He pointed across the party, where Colby and Tate were drinking, dancing, and laughing. They seemed to be in their own world. “I know Dad’s aware of the situation. Has he evensaidanything?”
“He’s probably too busy securing the top bunk and bribing as many prisoners as possible, so they protect him,” Bryce said. “Plus, Dad never seems to worry about Colby much. They have a different relationship.”
I longed to tell them that Gene was interested in Tate’s relationship with his youngest son. But again, I said nothing. I felt crappy about it and like I was being dishonest because I was hiding something.
Because Iwasbeing dishonest. Iwashiding something. I hated lying; I hated the position Gene had put me in.
“It’s not just that.” Jake sighed. “I’m feeling really stressed about getting more involved in the business. I’m not sure how to handle the team in Malaysia. I haven’t worked with them before.”
Bryce and Jake started talking about their global operations, and I took the opportunity to head to the ladies’ room. I made sure that Felicia was occupied first. She was engrossed in conversation with Kenji and another man I didn’t recognize thank goodness. The last time I’d run into her in the bathroom, she’d been nasty, calling me a decoy and just generally being a total bitch. I should’ve fought her then!
Thinking about fighting Felicia, I cracked my knuckles as I headed to the Nguyen’s “bathroom.” It was a converted barn bigger than my apartment back in East Boston and about fifty times as pleasant. It seemed empty until one of the bathroom doors opened, and a visibly drunk Mimi Jones staggered out.
I did not have the best of luck in this bathroom.
“Hi, Mimi.” I pretended to fix my hair so that I didn’t look at her, didn’t notice the stumble-step she took toward the sinks.
“Hello.” Drunk as she was, she still managed to stick her nose up in the air. Mimi Jones was a beautiful woman, tanned, tall, and lean, with long legs, silky-smooth hair, and not a wrinkle in sight. They said money couldn’t buy happiness, but it could definitely buy a good plastic surgeon! Still, for all her beauty and wealth, Mimi had sour energy. It hadn’t helped that since she’d found out about her husband and Daphne, she’d doused herself in vodka.
She chose the sink next to me, causing me to take a step back. “I didn’t think you’d be here,” she sniffed.
“I didn’t want to be here,” I admitted. “But Kelli and Kenji are good friends of the family, and I wanted to support them.”
“Ha! You sound soproper. That’s a joke.” She slurred her words slightly, so it came outThass a hoke.
I started backing away—I didn’t need to peethatbad. “I’ll just leave you to it, have a good night—”
“Oh no, you don’t.” She whirled on me and almost fell over, but a true pro, Mimi recovered quickly. “You owe me, young lady. You’re going to pay for what you did to my Felicia.”
I sighed. “I’m sorry I went after her at the wedding. In my defense, shewasmessaging Bryce non-stop after we got married. It was inappropriate. She crossed a line, Mrs. Jones.”
“Shecrossed a line? How about yourmother-in-law, huh? Having sex with my husband, trying to steal him away from his family, getting pregnant on purpose, and then demanding an outrageous amount of money for child support?” Mimi’s pretty face was pulled so tight she couldn’t really scowl, but I sensed she was trying. “I think it’s about time the Windsors got what they deserve.”
“Gene’s in prison,” I reminded her. “And your husband’s with you, not Daphne.”
She snorted. “Lucky me!”
I headed for the exit, but she grabbed my wrist, yanking me back. “Ow!”
“Like I said,no, you don’t,” she hissed. “I’m not done with you.”
I stood still. For all her proper clothes and immaculate blowout, Mimi Jones was pretty scary. She was also surprisingly strong.
