“Hey!” I threw a pillow at her. “When Nixon was mean to you, who helped you?”
“Um, not you?” She caught the pillow. “On account that you had five billion secrets and refused to tell me any of them.”
I waved her off. “Excuses.”
“He’s an ass.” Mil pointed out. “You still want him?”
I licked my lips and looked down at my clenched hands. “He gave me one hour…” My shoulders tensed. “Then another two to say goodbye… we slept together and that was it.”
“Bastard,” Mil hissed, while Trace’s eyes watered with tears on my behalf.
“It’s fine.” I lied. “He’s only doing what he thinks is right.”
“Which is probably wrong.” Mil’s eyebrows arched. “You know, since he’s male and all.”
“So very, very, true,” Trace agreed.
“So.” Mil rubbed her hands together. “We’re going to put you in a sexy black dress, stiletto heels, and bust out the bright red stripper lipstick that Chase never lets me wear on account that I remind him of strippers.”
“Takes one to know one.” Trace held up her hand for a high five.
“I’ll take that.” Mil slapped it.
I rolled my eyes and stayed put. “I don’t really feel like getting all dressed up only to get rejected in front of my family.”
“Chin up.” Mil smiled. “Chase does it every day.”
As both girls started walking toward me I knew I had no option but to concede and let them help.
Maybe, just maybe it would work.
****
An hour later, and I was pretty sure Mil was under the impression that hair spray was used to keep
everything
in place, not just hair. I was like a walking dome of aerosol as I straightened my dress in the mirror and looked at my kohl-lined eyes.
They’d given me bright red lipstick, a smoky eye, and teased my hair until it begged for mercy. Yeah strippers had nothing on me right now.
My dress was officially so short I was afraid to pick up something off the floor lest I give one of the older associates a stroke, and my Michael Kors heels made me almost six feet tall, a relative giant.
A knock.
It was the girls. They said they’d come back for me, more like threatened that if I tried to sneak through the window they’d just track me down and bring me back. I knew they would too. It was Mil and Trace.
“Ready?” Mil peeked around the door and grinned saucily. “Damn girl, you clean up well.”
Trace winked and pushed the door open wider. Both of them had tight cocktail dresses on that weren’t nearly as short as mine. Mil’s was a strapless plain dress in navy blue, paired with taupe heels and Trace wore a white halter dress with red heels.
Apparently I was the only Vegas stripper in the group. Fantastic.
“Come on.” Mil held out her hand. “Family’s already starting to arrive, and Chase is in the kitchen freaking out over the shrimp.”
“Of course he is.” I gripped her hand and followed both girls down the hall towards the laughter and smells.
Chase was in the kitchen, chugging wine from one hand and stirring something with the other. His apron was splattered with something yellow and he looked a little drunk.
“Chase?” Mil came up behind him. “Did you save the shrimp?”
“I hate shrimp,” he muttered. “Yeah I saved them after the butter freaking sprayed all over my apron and—” He stopped talking when his eyes scanned me from head to toe. “Tex is going to shit a brick.”
“Tex?” Nixon walked into the room and glanced at me, did a double take, then stalked towards me. “No, turn around, change.”
“I’m not a kid.” I crossed my arms making my boobs look bigger in the strapless sweetheart dress. I knew they looked bigger because the dress was so low it was entirely possible they were going to fall out at any minute.
“Damn it, Mo!” Nixon smacked Chase, probably because he was convenient, and reached for the wine bottle. “This isn’t open for argument, you will change. Now.”
“No she won’t,” Trace challenged. “Because that’s my dress, and I believe you told me that if I didn’t buy it, you’d just go back to the store and get it.”
Nixon’s eyes flashed. “For
you
.”
“So why can’t Mo borrow my clothes?”
“Yeah,” Chase piped up, his smile wide. “Why can’t Mo wear your wife’s clothes?”
Nixon closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. “Mo…” He swallowed, his Adam’s apple bobbing up and down. “Please? Tex is going to lose it, I can’t… he can’t lose it in this type of environment.”
“Tex is a big boy.” I uncrossed my arms. “A very big boy.”
“Didn’t need to know that.” Nixon coughed behind his hand and looked helplessly at Chase, who offered him a wine glass and a pat on the back.
“It will be fine,” I lied, knowing full well it wasn’t going to be fine when Tex saw me, his reaction would probably be worse than Nixon’s was, and Nixon was currently finishing off half a bottle and staring at me like lightning was going to strike any minute.
“Nixon.” Sergio walked into the room, texting on his phone. “Nicolasi clan just pulled up—they’re going to want wine.” He glanced up in my direction and swore his entire jaw going slack. “Damn it, Nixon, do something!”
“About what?” I sauntered by him and snagged a glass of wine off the table. “World hunger?”
“You know damn well what I’m talking about.” Sergio’s nostrils flared.
“She’s an adult.” Nixon croaked, right my bet was that he almost choked on the word adult. “She can wear what she wants.”
Sergio shook his head a few times before muttering more curses under his breath and walking out of the kitchen.
The girls and I helped Chase get the appetizers out along with the wine, men poured into the house, some our age, but most of them three times our age and watching us with the type of curiosity I wasn’t comfortable with. It had been years since the Nicolasi family had decided to visit and we weren’t exactly on great terms after my father all but kicked them out of the country.
One of the elders walked by and spat on the ground. Right, my point exactly. I quickly stepped over the spit, offered the grumpy man some wine and continued my search for Tex.
It wasn’t until an hour into the guests arriving that I knew Tex had walked in the room.
All talking ceased.
All eyes were behind me. Slowly I turned to see Tex in gray slacks and a tight white button up. He looked good enough to eat with his stormy blue eyes taking in every single inch of the room.
I waited for those eyes to fall on me.
And when they did, I took a step back, as the blue raged from storm to hurricane within a second.
“Campisi.” The man who had spit on our floor nodded his head. “It is good to see you, yes?”
“That depends.” Tex took a step towards the crowd and tilted his head. “Are we going to have trouble this evening?”
Holy crap. I quickly looked at Nixon, but he was watching with mild amusement. What the heck! Sweating, I nervously licked my lips and waited for someone to say something.
The man chuckled. “Ah, to be young again.”
“That’s what I always say.” Luca stepped up and joined in laughter then turned briefly to Tex, giving him the coldest look I’d ever seen in my entire life.
Frank, Trace’s Grandpa nodded once then went to Tex and led him into the room. “A few men you should meet… trustworthy men who despised your father.”
“A friend of my father is my enemy.” Tex snorted. “An enemy of my father is my friend.” He held out his hand and began conversing, and I watched in horror as every single man in that room straightened their ties and focused in on Tex as if he was the
Cappo
already.
He walked into the room and demanded their allegiance.
And they freely gave it.
Because of blood.
A choking sensation washed over me as I looked down at my dress. What was I trying to prove? My fighting for Tex wouldn’t save us.
Not when he’d already jumped in with both feet.
“Mo?” Sergio said from behind me. I jumped a foot and turned.
“Hmm?”
“You okay?” His eyebrows drew together in concern as he looked from Tex to me.
“Fine.” I waved him off. “Just a bit stressed, lots of guns in the room and all that.”
“Guns are tools, try not to think of them as weapons. After all, people kill people, guns are merely the object they use in order to carry out the sentence.”
“Comforting.” I snorted.
“You need a drink.” His fingers gripped my elbow as he led me out of the room and into the kitchen.
“Yeah,” I sighed. “I really do.”
CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN
Things look better when you’ve spent time apart from someone or something you care about. Said no one. Ever.
Phoenix
“
G
ET OUT OF THE DAMN CAR.”
I gritted my teeth. “Now.”
“No.” Bee crossed her arms and examined her nails.
Groaning, I closed my eyes and imagined myself banging my head against the door in frustration. “Bee,” I tried again. “Your brother, the one you’ve never met, is inside, I need you to get your ass out of that seat and say hi.”
“You left.” Her voice wavered.
Good Lord I deserved this, all of this, her, the drama, the fighting. I deserved it, but I didn’t have to enjoy it.
“I had to save your brother’s life.” My teeth snapped together. “Apparently I have a hero complex.”
She snorted, then smiled, a row of white teeth flashed before biting on her soft pink lips and looking down at her feet again. From where I was standing I was safe. I wouldn’t be able to smell her vanilla perfume or look into her crazy deep blue eyes. They were like staring at the ocean and I really didn’t need that type of distraction. Not now. Not ever. She tossed her auburn hair. I damn near whimpered as the vanilla scent floated out the open window and landed on my body, threatening to overtake all logic.
“Bee.” I opened the door to the car and leaned in. “I’m sorry I left you, but I’m here now and I won’t leave until you’re safe. You have my word.”
Her eyes fluttered closed. “You promise?”
“I swear it.” After all I was probably going to die soon anyway.
She took a deep breath and straightened her black cocktail dress. It had capped sleeves and was freaking glued to her body. I had to look away as she pointed those long legs out of the car and stood.
They went on for miles those legs, I would know, she kicked me with them twice. Apparently the woman had me confused with a soccer ball, it was the only explanation to the bruising on both my calves and thighs.
“Fine.” She stood, her head nearly kissing my chin. “But only for an hour, and then I want to do something fun.”
“Fun.” I clenched my teeth. “Fine, I’ll let you watch a Disney movie.”
She pushed against my chest. “Phoenix, I think we both know I’m not a little girl.”
Wrong thing to say. My eyes immediately took in her curvy figure. No, she was a nineteen-year-old bombshell with the ability to flatten me on my ass.
“Let’s go,” I snapped slamming the door behind her. Her heels were a little higher than she normally wore, forcing her to walk slower than a turtle with hemorrhoids. “Sometime this year, please.”
She rolled those blue eyes and flipped her damn hair again then waltzed into the house like she owned the joint.
I followed, wincing as the smell of food hit my nose. I hadn’t had much of an appetite since my meeting with Tex and the closer The Commission got, the sicker I felt.
“Who’s this?” Mo was the first to see us, her smile was bright, fake, but bright.
“Bee,” I said as Tex’s sister opened her mouth. “This is Tex’s sister.”
“Bee?” Mo tilted her head.
“It’s my nickname.” Bee elbowed me in the ribs. “From this one.”
“I like it.” Mo smiled and shook Bee’s hand, “Why don’t I introduce you to some of the girls?”
“No.” Bee snatched back her hand. “I mean, no thank you. I really, um, I would really like to see my brother.”
“Oh.” Mo’s face lost some of its color. “Well he’s in the living room talking with some—”
“Phoenix?” Tex stalked towards me. “Is this?”
Bee launched herself into Tex’s arms. “You look like me!”
Tex’s face broke out into a smile as he returned the hug then set her away from him. “Yeah well, I think that means we’re related.”
Bee laughed, the first time I’d actually heard her laugh, and it was Tex who got it out of her. Of course.
“We should talk.” Bee’s face was so animated it hurt to look at her. “I mean, later, I know you have lots going on and—”
“I’ll make time,” Tex interrupted. “For you I’ll make time, it’s good to see you healthy and happy?”
She nodded slowly.
“Phoenix kept his hands to himself?” Tex leveled me with a glare.
Bee shook her head. “No he kissed me like fifteen times.” She leaned up and whispered loudly. “With tongue.”
“No!” I held up my hands. “She’s lying, she tends to exaggerate.”
She let out a little laugh and crossed her arms while Tex’s frozen glare never left my face.
“Shit.” I gulped and looked away. “I swear man, I didn’t touch her, I don’t touch girls, you know that.”
“You’re gay?” Bee gasped.
Moaning I just shook my head and walked into the kitchen. She was his problem now, not mine.
The minute I poured myself a glass of wine I felt a hand on my shoulder. When I turned it was to see Tex chest to chest with me. Great.
“I need you to watch her.”
“I’m more of a delivery type of service.” I tried to side step him. “I don’t babysit.”
“Please.” Tex’s eyes pleaded. “These men… I don’t trust them, not yet, and I need to be able to focus. You know I do. I’m having a hard enough time focusing with Mo in that damn dress.”
Dress? What dress?
I shrugged. “Fine, I’ll watch her for the night then I’m done, she can move in with Luca for all I care.”
Tex snorted. “That would be the day.”
“Don’t knock it till you try it.” I threw back the glass and set it on the table. “Now if you’ll excuse me I’m going to go put on a cup… last time I wasn’t prepared for the kicks.”
“Kicks?”
“You really don’t want to know.”
I walked off down the hall with the sound of male laughter behind me, yeah he laughs now. Just wait. Bee was a freaking force to be reckoned with. I couldn’t wait to rid myself of her.