He chuckles. "Did you just say Jebus?"
"It's off theSimpsons."Oh my God, shut up, Cassidy."Save me Jebus. No?"
He sighs long and slow, but his eyes smile at me, taking me all in. It's a nice look on him, full of emotion. He likes that I'm not cool. I have no idea why.
My breath catches when I see Dustin and Jimmy approaching us, their eyes all over me. My hands start toshake at my sides. I thought I had overcome this feeling. I thought I would be okay if I saw him again. Indifferent, but not scared. Not angry. I narrow my eyes at Dustin, making him smile, triumph in his mannerisms.
"That's the one.Diamante rosa," he coos, caressing my neck with his eyes. He reaches for me and I step backwards, hitting Max's hard body. Max strokes my hip.
"It must be your ugly face, Dustin, that she does not like." Jimmy laughs loudly. He says something to Dustin in Sicilian and then claps his hands. "Thank you, Cassidy, for wearing my diamond. You look royal tonight."
"Fragile," Dustin quips with a smirk. "Perfect for the diamond."
Glass is fragile. It also cuts.
I bite the inside of my lip so hard before forcing a smile. "You're very welcome, Jimmy. It's beautiful."
My will is to keep a straight face and not glance at Max for support. I can feel him. That should be enough. Bronson appears in the corner of my eye, stepping behind me. Dustin stares over my shoulder at Max and then Bronson. Amusement flickers across his face. There is tension, thick and threatening. I steel my spine, but my heart beats hard in my chest, dizzying me.
Jimmy's smile widens. "Ah, my Butcher boys. I'm going to need both of you to follow me into the other room. We have a few things to take care of.Affari me."
Max's hand tightens on my hip, his fingers digging in. "What about the diamond?"
I wince and he relaxes his grip. "I need to go to the restroom anyway," I manage to say, my voice somehow not shaking.
Jimmy raises his hand, clicking his fingers to signal one of the guards. Approaching quickly, the guard is tailedby another suited lady who holds an empty silver tray. Before she can reach around and remove the diamond from my neck, I unclip it myself and place the piece on her tray. I don't look at Max as I excuse myself, slowly walking towards the bathrooms.
Once inside, I grip the basin and stare at my reflection. "What are you doing?" I whisper to myself. "Why are you even here? This isn’t your scene."
My scene is lounging around in my pyjamas, eating pizza and listening to jazz or playing PlayStation or reading. It definitely isn't elaborate galas filled with passive-aggressive chitchat.
I hate Dustin.
I hate Victoria.
I don't know how I feel about Jimmy, although I like him less and less the more I see the strings he holds. Max's strings. Bronson's strings.
Mine?
Everything Stacey warned me about swims in my mind. My stomach rolls, a thick mixture of unease and champagne curdled together. Bile moves into my throat and I throw myself over a toilet to vomit.
After cleaning myself up, I gather my purse. I'll tell Max I'm not well and hopefully we can retire early.
When I re-enter the main gallery room, Xander's eyes are glued to me. Before I can wander over to him, Dustin blocks my path. "Cassidy, let's see that diamond back around your neck."
Shuddering at the way he articulates the word neck, I shake my head. "I need to get some air. Where's Max?"
"Not feeling well again." He takes one long step towards me before cupping his hands in front of him. "You should really get that checked out."
He gazes at the column of my neck. His eyes are dark-brown voids that scratch at my skin and leave goosebumps in their wake. The champagne is currently doing nothing to aid in calming my nerves.
Max promised me that I would never have to talk to this man alone. "Where's Max?" I say again.
He nods in the direction of a door. "Still with Jimmy. They might be a while."
Xander appears at my side, smiling tightly at Dustin. "Everything okay?"
"Yeah," I say, my voice definitely shaking now. "I just feel a bit strange. I think I'm coming down with something."
