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A chill runs over my body, and my gaze snaps to his. His hand locks on my knee. “Don’t run away. It’s just a pleasant chat.”
“I don’t do pleasant,” I reply.
“Don’t I fucking know it,” he says with a small laugh. “I’m not going to tell anyone.”
I don’t like the way he makes it sound like it’s our little secret. In fact, I don’t like at all the way he knows this part of me.
“For what it’s worth, in third grade, I got rejected by my first crush,” River says.
I scoff. “You? Rejected? Sounds like a theme.”
He laughs, but it’s then I realize he might be trying to… make me feel better? Share a secret? He offers me another bite of cake, and his hand gravitates up my inner thigh, eliciting goose bumps and promises of more of what happened only an hour ago.
“Where are your birth parents?” he asks.
I chew the cake, eyeing him.
“Dead for all I know,” I reply with a shrug. I look around the table, uncomfortable with the personal questions. Then I realize he probably already knows all of this. I have a file on him as well, but I find myself asking, “Where are yours?”
He fills my glass of water to the top, and I take a massive mouthful, feeling suddenly parched.
“My mother lives back home in a house I pay for.” He cuts off another bite of cake and lifts the fork to my mouth. I’m not into this feeding shit, but I take satisfaction in the way Amanza’s gaze is burning into the side of my head. I don’t think of myself as a petty woman, but while I’m forced to sit through this, I might as well ruin someone’s hopes and dreams.
When I don’t continue the conversation, River asks, “Why the fascination with jewelry?”
“It’s obvious, isn’t it? I like pretty things that sparkle.” I open my mouth, and he slides the fork in. Just as he does, Vance comes up behind me and leans down to whisper in my ear.
“Meredith called,” he reports. Fuck me, the old bitch is going to be on my case now that she knows about Alek’s disappearance.
“Who is Meredith?” River asks. From his reports, he most likely already knows she’s my foster mother. She does, however, have two names, so he might not be so familiar with the other one.
“My foster mother,” I say dismissively as I stand. I know better than to ignore Meredith. Alek and I learned quickly that the consequences of making her wait were not worth it. I’m not sure, though, if this summons has to do with Alek being MIA or her wanting to wiggle her way into this deal with River.
“Do you plan to fuck Amanza?” I ask him because I know she’s listening. Maybe this will give him a opportunity to distract himself elsewhere. At least that way, I might not have this tiny nagging voice asking something else of River. Something I never want to address with any man.
“No, I plan to fuck you and only you,” he replies as he stands.
I press a hand to his chest. “We aren’t exclusive,” I inform him. “My pussy will be your payment as discussed, then once the debt is paid, we end and are back to business only.”
That arrogant smile returns as he says, “If you say so.” He forks another piece of the cake, but instead of offering it to me, he places it in his mouth. I hate his boyish smugness.
Vance walks back over then and says, “She requests your presence immediately.” I didn’t realize Clay still had a phone to his ear. Is that old bitch still on the phone with him? “What should I tell her?”
“While this has been fun, meeting your men, and a woman you’ve fucked, I have business of my own to attend to,” I state. I look at Patrick and give him a smile and a nod. His gaze tracks me up and down as he takes me in. I keep my smile in place as I look at Amanza before I turn to River. “Pleasure.”
He shakes his head. “We’re not done. I haven’t finished my meeting.”
“Rain check, then,” I say smugly.
“I have to escort Anya. Please, enjoy whatever is on the menu.” He reaches for his phone and slides it into his pocket, looking at me. “I’ll take you.”
“I have my men,” I remind him.
“Why do you have men?” Amanza questions, and I turn to see her studying me. “Isn’t River protection enough?”
I scoff. “Excuse me?” Clearly, this bitch doesn’t know who I am if she thinks I need to depend on the likes of River for security.
She looks behind me to Vance and Clay. I can tell she likes what she sees, so it unfurls an ugly side to my scathing personality.
