“D. Baby. I think you should at least speak with Mr. Ellis here,” Amy drawls. “I thought it was about time I introduced you to the man behind the money,”
Oh shit.
“I’m sorry,” Jonny offers. “Amy isn’t making herself very clear. I’m your investor, Mr. King. So, I suppose that makes us…business partners?”
It’s like the band knew when to stop playing, and the interim music ceases too.
She sold him out. When she knew she wouldn’t get anywhere with Denham, she sold him out. But not only that. She sold him to the Devil himself.
“You whore!” I screech.
I tear my hand from Denham’s and rush toward her. Momentarily, she looks shocked but as I approach, she sneers. I sink my hand into her long, peroxide hair extensions and yank her head backwards forcing a yelp from her. Denham and Spike rush to pull me from her, but just as they pull me free, Lottie dives in. Her little balled up fist lands in the corner of Amy’s mouth and splits her lip open before Spike grabs her and wraps his arms around her body, trying to keep her contained. She’s still kicking and screaming, but Spike whispers in her ear and she quiets, even though her nostrils are still flaring.
“I see nothing changes, Arianna,” Jonny remarks calmly.
“You don’t get to talk to her,” Denham snaps. He pushes me directly behind his body, broadening his shoulders so he’s a wall between us.
“Oh no? Well, that’s where you’re wrong. Did she tell you what she did?” he asks, still with his composed façade in place.
Well, this is news to me. I place my arm around Denham’s waist from behind him, hoping he can reign in the anger I can feel bubbling through him. I need him to handle this.
Amy slides her slender hand in the crook of Jonny’s arm, and he gives her a loaded smile.
“Well,” he announces, “I won’t bore you with the details. But I wouldn’t pin your feelings on this one if I were you.” He nods in my direction and smirks.
“You don’t get to talktoherorabout her. Do. You. Understand me?” Denham leans right up close into Jonny’s face, spitting the words through his teeth, and barely keeping his composure.
“Hey, man,” Jonny retorts, holding his hands up in between them. “She didn’t tell you? Just letting you know, one guy to another. You got cash, she’s a loose cannon.” He swings his hands out to the sides, then lifts his shirt, “I’ve got the scars to prove it…”
I stare blankly at his stomach. A scar at least four inches long marks the left side of his torso, and he’s crediting me with this?
This is enough to tip Denham over the edge. Lottie screams, and Spike pushes her out of the way while he tries to reach Denham, who lunges forward and catches Jonny by the throat. Even while Denham is pushing him, thrusting him backwards against a stone pillar Jonny is insistent even through Denham’s vice like grip. “You’ll see.” His eyes slide to mine. Perfectly composed. Cold and calculated. “You’ll see.”
Chapter 17
Arianna
The scuffle that ensues is over pretty fast. Security pulls everyone back and sends us all off in different directions. Jonny touches a hand to his mouth, then wipes away the trickle of blood with the back of his hand. That sinister smile hasn’t left his lips from the minute he approached us. It’s a smile I know well, a smile I have been on the receiving end of. Even when it wasn’t followed by a fist, it meant that something bad was to come. Amy is still standing by his side, her botoxed face remains expressionless, apart from her fake smile which now matches Jonny’s. I wonder how she knows him. How long? How?
“Let’s just go, please, can we just go?” I plead, pressing my hands on Denham’s chest. His heart races beneath my palms and matches the speed of my pulse. Emotions are high. Tempersare wavering on the edge of sanity, and it won’t take much for them to snap.
“Spike,” Denham barks. “Let’s go.”
Spike turns Lottie in the direction of the door, and Denham grabs my hand and turns to leave, too.
“You’ll see,” Jonny taunts, just loud enough for us to hear in the hush of the room. Then he laughs. Lottie turns and breaks past Spike’s hold, taking him by surprise, and she manages to land a fist on Jonny’s cheek before Spike and Denham both drag her away. It stuns him momentarily, but he knows he’s winning so it doesn’t really register through the gloating success of his invasion.
Denham, Lottie, Spike, and I, are escorted out of the ballroom. Denham throws his shoulder back when one of the security guards tries to physically move him and guide us out, and I notice Beth and Corey trying to get to us but being held back.
“Beth,” Denham calls. “See Tara gets home safely?” She nods, a worried expression on her face.
Once he sees her acknowledge him, his pace quickens, and he strides out of the building, still clasping my hand, and shrugging off the security.
“Fucking whore. Fuck. Fuck,” he mutters under his breath.
“Denham …”
“Don’t, Ari. Just don’t.”
