All the more reason to make Pippa like me.
I’m buzzed into Sterling House’s office and I head through the long, mirrored hallway to Pippa’s office. She’s behind herdesk, amongst the beautiful, exotic birds all over the walls, typing rapidly on her computer.
She looks up as I enter, and I’m not surprised to see how angry she looks.
“Well, look who it is. Did you get fired?” she asks, as I saunter up to her desk.
“Far from it,” I say, handing her the card in my hand. She stares at it incredulously and then plucks it out of my fingers.
“What’s this? If he gave you his credit card, I’ll admit I’m impressed.”
“Not quite. That’s from me to you. It’s a gold card for Jenson’s, the nightclub I run,” I say, and Pippa’s eyes widen. “It’ll get you and a group of friends free drinks all night.”
She lowers the card, looking at it in amazement, her mouth hanging open, but she doesn’t speak.
“Listen, I get that I was a bitch when I arrived. I made your job more difficult, and I could have seriously fucked with your agency’s rep by pulling that stunt, so this is my way of apologizing.”
“Jensons?” Pippa asks, her perfect eyebrows rising. “I’ve always wanted to go there, but the line is always insane. Yourunit?” she asks.
“I’m the floor manager. Just show that card to anyone on my staff, and they’ll look after you. We have a great lineup this month, so just pick a date.”
Pippa lowers the card, her eyes narrowing as she looks at me. “You’re working two jobs?” she asks.
I stiffen, raising one shoulder as casually as I can.
“I won’t let it compromise my work with Sterling House. I’m a night owl by nature. I work hard, and I won’t let you down.”
Pippa places the card gently beside her, her eyes gleaming.
“Thanks for the offer,” she says finally. “Get us a private booth, and it’s a deal.”
I snort. I’m really starting to like her attitude. “I’ll get you access to the VIP lounge all night, will that do?”
“Perfect,” she says, grinning now, and looking genuinely excited.
“I look forward to seeing you there,” I say, and leave the office with a spring in my step.
I’m not sure whether it’s the aftermath of the incredible orgasms, or making a few friends outside of my direct family, but I feel lighter on my feet as I make my way home.
The subway is crowded and unpleasant, smelling of greasy food and body odor, and I’m grateful to step out at my station, my bag over my shoulder, wondering if I have time to get to the gym tonight before my shift.
As I approach the front door of our house, I’m impressed that Ben and Seb have finally cleared up the pizza boxes that littered the stairs before. But they’ve still left a black trash bag at the top of the steps, making the house look like a dump.
Would it kill them to take it down to the trash?
Then, as I open the gate, I stop in my tracks, my heart beginning to thud painfully against my ribs.
It isn’t a trash bag, it’s a body.
I stagger forward, panic erupting inside me as I leap up the steps, falling forward against Scott’s lifeless form, where he lies against the cold stone, covered with blood.
Chapter 16
Gray
My mother’s house is in Brooklyn Heights. I bought it for her after I sold my first business, and she’s lived there ever since. Dad had died only five years before that, and she previously lived in a tiny apartment she could barely make rent on.
Now she has a five-bedroom house that accommodates all of her children if necessary.
