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“There was no misunderstanding.” I stare down at him—he’s a good head shorter.
“Really? I don’t need to remind you that having powerful friends makes life so much easier.”
I cock my head and smile. “So I’ve been told.” I set my glass down.
“David, you need to understand this about me. I don’t care. Jordan was passed over because he doesn’t have the work ethic I require, and because his father is standing here threatening me.” My voice remains calm. Men like him sicken me. “Excuse me.” I move around him.
“Watch your back, Powers. Everyone has a vice. I’d hate to have a man as great as yourself be brought down because of it.”
Slowly, I turn and nod. “That’s true. But I’ll take my chances.” I stare at him until he nods and turns back to Richard and his wife.
“Brett, wait.”Christ.I turn toward Skylar.
“I just wanted to say congratulations. Is everything okay?” Her blue eyes blink up at me. Like she’d really be able to tell if anything wasn’t.
“Fine.” I turn toward my brother.
“Wait.” She grabs my suit. “I never see you anymore. I feel like we never talk.”
Sighing, I look down at her. “Skylar, I’m busy. We never talked much to begin with.”
I need another drink. At this point, I’m already feeling no pain. I’m on a mission to drink Alex’s face away.
“Brett, I don’t know if I should say anything—”
“You probably shouldn’t then.” I look around her at my brother and Reed laughing. Fucking Jett, and Reed, for that matter, both rich, married, lives uncomplicated. Unlike me. I used to think they were the saps. Now I want to trade.
“If someone you care about is doing something you know is going to get him fired, wouldn’t you want to warn him? I mean, then he will stop and maybe see that the person who warned him is the right person.” She says all this like a cat getting ready to sink her claws into a canary.
Throwing my head back, I laugh. This day just keeps getting better.
Her face pales, and her eyes narrow. “I fail to see what’s funny, Brett. I was trying to be there for you becauseI know,” she snarls. Her face, which I once thought pretty, twists into an ugly grimace. It’s almost comical, like I’m in a comic book, and the villain transforms into an ugly monster that wants to destroy the world, except this particular monster wants to destroy mine, and that I won’t allow.
“Skylar, I have no idea what exactly you thinkyou know.But I can tell you to stay out of my life. It won’t end well. Trust me on that.” My voice stays flat, and she takes a step back as if she wasn’t expecting that.
“But I know.”
“Then tell.”
She blinks. “Wait. Do you even understand what I’m saying?” Her voice goes up an octave as her hands become animated.
“I don’t care. Do what you’ve got to do.”
When I walk around her, she spins and reaches for me. “Wait, Brett…”
I keep walking, smiling at people, ignoring the pulse pounding in my temple. Approaching Jett, I take his drink and nod at Reed and Tess.
“Tess, Raven, looking gorgeous, as usual.” My voice remains tight.
Jett and Reed stare at me.
“You okay, man?” Reed looks around as if some magical sign will pop up and tell him why I’m in a mood.
“Fine,” I respond, hissing out the fumes of bourbon. I’ve been neighbors with Reed since he bought one of the most sought-after and expensive properties in Malibu, but we go back before that.
“Brett?” Tess moves closer, her hand on my bicep as she looks up at me. “Are you sick?” And for a second, I think she might check my forehead for a fever.
“He’s fine.” Reed rolls his eyes and pulls his wife close to him. “Maybe lay off the booze, brother. I mean, you are the man of the hour. Soak it up. It doesn’t get much better than this.” He grins, motioning to the room of leeches.
