"Thanks." She smooths down her dress. "Well, time for my entrance. Make it a good one, will you?" She gives her bust a little shuffle, making sure her cleavage is displayed to full advantage, and then nods at me.
I bow again, fling open the doors to the grand salon, and take a few steps inside. I make sure to announce her loudly, clearly: "Ms. Roxanne Rochford."
A hush falls over the crowd and all eyes turn to the entrance. But it's not my voice they turn for. They turn to see the Hollywood goddess who has deigned to bless them with an appearance. Ms. Rochford is not the only woman here tonight, but she is the most famous, and she uses that to her advantage. She pauses in the doorway, red lips fixed in a bright smile. Jewels dangle from her neck and wrists, the gems catching the light of the chandeliers overhead as much as her glittering dress—but the brightest light of all comes from her flashing ring, as she ostentatiously flips her hair back over her shoulder.
For a moment, she's blinding.
"Good evening, gentlemen," she says, voice light and yet carrying through the room. "How lovely to see you all." Her cool gaze lands on AJ Bernardi, who is staring at her with an undisguised and extremely improper expression. "I'm sorry to be so late. I hope you've all been getting along without me." She gives a sardonic smile and a ripple of laughter crosses the room.
Sandro Castellani steps forward, takes her hand, and kisses it. "Ms. Rochford," he says. "What a pleasure to see you again. Let me escort you to your fiancé." He pulls her away from thedoorway with determination, and she follows his lead with a satisfied hum.
She's done what she meant to do. Entranced every eye, and raised the stock of her fiancé at the same time.
One has to admire her play.
Gino greets her with genuine warmth, calling for champagne and pulling her close. Her bodyguard stays glued to her until Gino, behind Roxy's back, flicks his fingers impatiently at him in a silent order to back up.
"Hello, Darian." The soft voice shouldn't be startling, but somehow it is—Teddy MacCallum has somehow snuck up on me.
"Good evening, Mr. MacCallum," I say, having successfully repressed my squeak of surprise. "Is there anything?—"
"No," Teddy says serenely, staring around with starry eyes at the gathered mobsters. "Miller just wanted to get out of Roxy's eye-line for a moment," he adds.
Miller Beaumont, Johnny Jacopo's boyfriend, is standing a few feet away, trying to look very inconspicuous. He gives me a quick nod as he raises his glass to take a drink. "Hey, Darian."
"If you wanted to take a moment to yourself, Mr. Beaumont, I'd be happy to show you to a private room."
For a moment, I think he's going to go for it, a look of hope coming over his face. I drink it in. This is what I love best about service work. Anticipating needs. Anticipating and fulfilling.
But his face falls a moment later. "Too late," he mutters.
"Miller Beaumont, you come here right now and give me a hug!" Roxy Rochford has found him out, the glint in her eyes suggesting enjoyment in his discomfort.
"Hi, Rox," he says briefly, but she insists on enveloping him in a hug. She continues to monopolize him in a patter of small talk, to which Miller replies in monosyllables.
Teddy leans closer to me. "You know," he says, "if you wanted to renew your membership toCute Crims, I could give you a discount."
I can feel myself going scarlet. Of course he would know I checked it out—I used my own card to make the payment. I found out soon after I started at Redwood that GangstaGuy, owner ofCute Crims, was in fact Sandro Castellani's lover. It explained the regular deflection of Castellani dealings on the site, and the anti-AJ Bernardi slant.
But there were manipulated photographs on that site that had made me flush as hard as I suspected I was right now. I hope Teddy didn't track exactly which pages I looked at. Or worse, seen the search I conducted on Raffi DeLuca's name.
Oh, God.
"That's very kind," I say stiltedly, "but I'm afraid it was just…research."
"Oh, I'm sure it was," he says with a lovely smile. "Well. If you ever want toresearcha little more, hit me up for a discount code. I'm always adding new pics."
I'm relieved to see Johnny Jacopo approaching, and his cool stare at Ms. Rochford sends her scurrying away. He gives me a friendly nod and pulls Miller close.
"I don't want you wandering around here without me," Jack tells him in a low voice, but it's not anger that I detect. It's love. "You need to stick close. Understand?"
Miller leans into him with a smile. "I'm not going anywhere, JJ."
For a moment, I can't breathe. My chest is frozen with—withenvy, envy at the close intimacy between the two of them, envy at seeing a steely hitman turned so affectionate and caring as he smiles down at the man he loves.
I retreat, walking backward for a few steps, then turn to see a very similar scene as Sandro Castellani approaches, his scarred face softening as he looks down at Teddy.
I wish…God, I wish…
