“Sure do. Why?”
“He’s here. He’s about shitfaced off the champagne, though, so if you want to say hello, you better make it quick.”
Robert sets his glass on a table. “I do need to say hello to him. Thanks, son. He’d probably like to say hello to you, too, Jessica.”
She slides under her husband’s arm and leans her head against his side. “Do you want to walk down with us, kids?”
Andrew’s brows are furrowed in confusion as he follows Jessica’s line of sight. I brace myself, turning slightly sideways, ready to fight if he charges me. That’s not how I want this to go down, but if he starts shit, I’ll finish it.
His attention lands on me, and the temperature in the room plummets. His hands form balls at his sides.
I smile politely, keeping my composure. If one of us is going to look like an asshole, it’s not going to be me.
Audrey grips my hand, squeezing so hard that it would hurt if she had any strength at all. I feel her anxiety beside me and want to hold her closer to comfort her, but don’t. If her hothead brother wants to pull some punches, I don’t want to be worried that she’s in the way.
“Andrew,” Robert says, “good timing. Have you met Audrey’s new boyfriend, Brooks Dempsey? I figure you probably have, but you never know.”
The whole room looks at Andrew—and he doesn’t fail. He places a perfectly composed mask over his face and smiles like we’re old friends.
“Hey, Brooks,” he says, a little too loud but convincing enough. “Good to see you. Never imagined seeing you here with my sister, but surprises are always nice, aren’t they?”
“That they are. It’s good to see you, too.”
He holds my gaze like it’s a weapon and he’s trying to end me on the spot.
“We better get downstairs and see Lombarto,” Robert says to Jessica.
“Why don’t you go with them?” I say to Audrey.
Her eyes are huge. “I can stay with you. Or let’s both go.”
“I actually have something I need to go over with Andrew.” I smile at Robert before sliding my attention to his son. “It’ll just take a moment.”
“Come on, Aud,” Robert says as he and Jessica head for the elevator. “I want to speak with you about something, anyway.”
Audrey kisses my cheek. “Are you sure?” she whispers.
I nod. “I’ll catch up with you in a second.”
She glares at Andrew before joining her parents. As soon as the elevator doors close, Andrew lets loose.
“What the fuck are you doing here?” he booms.
I keep my right hand back but stay calm and collected.
“I’m here with an ultimatum,” I say, repeating the words he spewed to me not that long ago.
“The fuck are you talking about. Get out!”
“I guess you haven’t heard the news.”
He seethes. “What fucking news?”
“I retired today.”
It takes a minute for this information to fully sink in.
“So, this is how it’s going to work,” I say, unflinching. “You’re going to be nice to your sister. No games, no talking shit, nomeddling—nothing. You do that, and I’ll keep every shred of evidence my investigator found that proves beyond doubt that you’ve been involved with fight fixing, test tampering, and a few other unscrupulous behaviors that put the sport in disrepute.”
