She turns her ice-blue eyes on me. “Is Grave your real name? I noticed that’s what you wrote on your information.”
“No.”
She tilts her head to the side, those gorgeous eyes falling to my tatted arm. “Nickname?”
I nod. “Something like that.”
“I like it.” She smiles up at me.
“Yeah, well, I have to get going.” I glance at the flowers. “Thanks again.”
“No problem.” She picks her cell up off the counter and walks back to the office. Like the pervert I am, I watch her ass sway back and forth in her black yoga pants. Once the door to the office closes, I let out a deep breath and exit the flower shop.
“Man, what in the fuck was that?” Cross asks as I slide into the passenger seat of his car.
“Honestly?” I look down at the flowers in my hands. “I don’t know,” I answer, noticing a white folded card tucked in the blooms. I pluck it from the flowers and open it.
I hope you have a wonderful birthday. Love, your son Grave.
My jaw tightens. I specifically left the message part blank when I filled out the form. Seeing it written out just makes my chest ache. “Let’s get fucked up.” I crumple the note and toss it onto the floorboard.
APRIL
I sit atthe bar as Alexa mixes drinks. She’s slammed tonight, but I needed to get out. My brother isn’t speaking to me. Ever since he left the flower shop earlier today without saying a word, my concern has grown tenfold. The silence. The bruises. They all have to mean something. I just hope I can figure it out before it’s too late.
“Hey, girlie.”
I glance over as Jasmine sits down next to me. “Hey. What are you doing here?”
She shrugs. “I was on my way out for the night and thought I’d stop by to see Alexa. Have to support my friends.” She drops a couple of hundreds in the glass tip jar on the bar. “What are you up to tonight?”
“Nothing.” I take a sip of my Corona.
“Come out with me. I’m going to a party,” she offers, fixing the thin shoulder straps of her little black dress.
“Nah—”
“Hey, you work at Kingdom,” Alexa cuts me off, coming up to us. “We have questions.” She stares at Jasmine.
“You work at Kingdom? What do you do there?” Why didn’t Alexa bring this up the other night when we went out? Then again, we ended up at a club—loud music, endless drinks. Talking wasn’t exactly on the agenda. We were too busy dancing and drinking it up to have a conversation.
Jasmine chuckles, shaking her head. “Sorry, ladies. I can’t discuss that.”
I frown, and Derek joins in the conversation while he pours a Miller Lite into a frosted mug. “See, told you some bad shit goes down there.”
Jasmine squares her shoulders. “You know nothing about Kingdom. Trust me.”
He tops off the mug, sets it down, then leans into her personal space, resting his forearms on the bar. “I know that Bones is in with the Mafia. I know that a lot of illegal shit goes on there.” His eyes scan her face. “And I know you’re a Queen.”
“What’s a Queen?” I whisper to Alexa.
She shrugs.
Jasmine places her hands on the bar and stands, leaning over it. They’re nose to nose. “You seem to know a lot about nothing.”
His eyes drop to her breasts, which are practically spilling out of her skintight dress. He licks his lips before his eyes meet hers again. “I know enough.” Reaching out, he frees a lock of red hair from behind her ear. “How much does a Queen go for these days?” he asks her.
Her red-painted lips turn up at the corners before she runs her tongue along her upper lip. “More than you can afford.”
