“He did always have a flair for dramatics,” she leans into her husband’s side, grinning once again.
“Did someone say dramatics?” Garrett chooses that moment to enter the room, Avery on his arm. They separate to float towards the two seats either side of me as if they were attending any other casual dinner party. Garrett plants a kiss on my cheek, a playful gleam in his dark eyes. I see then that he’s wearing his entire suit backwards. Avery has buttoned his shirt up his spine and knotted his tie high into the collar at his nape. I snort a laugh, which quickly becomes a hiss, knowing that reverse stitching of his pants can’t be comfortable. But he’s doing it anyway.
Avery looks like the Queen of Minxes this evening. Her dress is basically a slip of negligée. Black lace cups her rounded breasts perfectly, the flowing skirt reaching the top of her thighs. Paired with towering heels, she’s twisted her long, golden hair up and secured it with a largeclaw clip. All eyes at the table feast on her hungrily, Sharon no doubt seeing dollar signs, whereas her husband is openly leering. For that reason only, I move the conversation along swiftly.
“Richard, is it?” I raise a brow. The man in question snaps his jaw shut and straightens, tugging on the cuffs at his wrists.
“Indeed. Thank you for attending this evening, Axel. I’ve heard so much about you.” I purse my lips together, but it's Garrett who leans his elbows on the table and tilts his head dreamily.
“So this is a bonding session rather than a dinner? I do hope there will still be food.” Richard ignores him, his beady eyes trained on me.
“I merely wanted to meet you, since the opportunity has presented itself. Although it’s apparent you don’t go anywhere without your entourage.” Richard gives the other guests a sweeping glance around the table. “But that’s understandable. It is best we all become acquainted properly, given that we’ll be living together for a while.”
“Not if I can help it,” Wyatt growls low. Noticing Richard’s confused glance, Wyatt straightens and clasps his hands before him. “I will ensure Axel is out of here as soon as he is able to return home.”
“You mean that little academy of yours?” Sharon’s lip curls, clutching her wine glass and swaying drunkenly. “A waste of time if you ask me.”
“Luckily, no one asked you.” Huxley’s nostrils flare.
Avery flicks out a napkin and covers her thighs with it. “And you don’t need to know the whereabouts. Axel’s home is wherever we are.” I bite back a smile at everyone’s readiness to defend me. Even Dax, who is known for sitting back and assessing, is watching me closely, searching for any sign that I might crumble before the starters are served.
The waiters enter right on cue, half of which place the plates, and the others carry trays with flutes of champagne bubbling gently. It isn’t lost on me how there are no females amongst them, whether for Sharon’s or Richard’s benefit; I can’t be sure. Garrett immediately reaches over to remove the champagne glass that’s placed in front of me, catching the retreating waiter to request an orange juice since I can’t drink on my meds.
After giving him a quiet thanks, Gare’s hand slides onto my thigh as I push the scallops around the plate, not interested in enjoying any part of this evening. Even if the scallops and roasted celeriac smell and tastedivine, they are bitter like ash on my tongue, and my stomach is twisted tightly. Sharon waits for me to take a tentative bit before deciding to speak to me directly.
“Since you are here, it would be a good time to tell you that Richard has a niece who is very?—”
“I don’t give a fuck,” I interrupt around my food, staring her dead in the eye. It’s comically predictable that she would try to set me up with someone right in front of the others. All strategy and no class. Sharon pouts her red lips as if that would change my demeanor.
“Her name is Sasha. She’s studying aerospace engineering and already has an apprenticeship waiting at NASA when she completes her degree.” Although that does sound pretty cool for thisSasha, she is associated with the devil incarnate, and I’m a taken man. “Maybe you should accompany her to the annual Caudwell Gala next month?”
“Even if I was going to attend some stupid gala, where I’m sure you’ll be in attendance, my preferred date would have a little more packaging between his legs.” I reach over to slip my hand into the backward collar around Garrett’s neck and pull him close to rub noses with me. Cocking his eyebrow, he stares at me expectantly until I’ve realized my mistake, and a laugh escapes my lips. “Sorry, a lot more packaging.”
“Come now, Axel. Stop being ridiculous. I want grandkids while I’m still young enough to enjoy them.” Releasing his collar, my eyes remain glued to Garrett’s face, the strength passing through his hand on my thigh the only reason I’m still in my seat.
“Valuable goods, you mean?” Garret scoffs, rolling his eyes. Avery sucks in a breath, and the men opposite are all sitting stiffly, their food mostly untouched.
“There’s no need for that, Gary,” Richard chimes in. Garrett’s eyes shift to a spot beyond my head, his expression turning murderous, and I fight to hide my smirk. This should be interesting.
“Call me Gary again,” Garrett shoves a scallop into his mouth and then points the fork across the table, “and I will yank your small intestine out of your mouth, rip your large intestine out of your ass, and use you as a human skipping rope.”
A full-bellied laugh leaves my throat, the first one in forever, which quickly creates a stitch in my side. But I don’t care. The scallop betweenGarrett’s teeth bursts, juice seeping down his chin while he continues to glare with unbridled fury. Richard flicks his mortified eyes to Sharon, who tells him to pretend Garrett is not in the room. That’s fine by me; pretend he’s not here while I lean over and drag the pad of my tongue over the salty juice from his chin to his lips. Garrett swallows loudly, his tongue sticking out to tangle with mine.
“Oh, for all of our sakes, Axel, stop that!” Sharon shrieks. “I’m fully aware of what you’re doing and that it is all for my benefit. Well, it won’t work!” Cutlery clashing loudly against her bowl mixes with her exasperated sigh. I keep my eyes on Garrett’s dark ones, our breaths mingling as I reply.
“What am I trying to do?”
“The same as always. Acting out, showing off. Whatever it takes to anger me.” I turn my head to see her shoot out of her seat, and Richard places a hand on her arm, trying to calm her with quiet words. Moron. Opening my mouth, Avery throws her napkin down on her plate of untouched food.
“Why on earth would he give a shit what you think? You broke him in so many unfixable ways, used him for your personal gain, no matter the cost to his sanity. Axel is rebuilding his life. You’re just pissed your cash mule has left you far behind.”
I remain frozen, despite the pride swelling in my chest. The air goes taut, their eyes remaining locked in a stare-down until Richard somehow manages to coax Sharon back into her seat. Avery sits also, reaching out for my hand on instinct. Everyone is watching, trying to anticipate Sharon’s next move, which is impossible. She reaches for her wine glass, downs the remaining, and starts to laugh bitterly.
“You always were such a spoiled little shit, Axel.”
“Spoilt?!” I nearly choke on my own breath. “How do you figure that one in that fucked-up head of yours?” Richard gives me a warning glare, but it is obvious he has no real power here, not when Sharon is on the warpath for blood.
“You got all of your father’s money,” she hisses.
