Page 161 of The Fire We Make

A chorus of hellos, nice to meet you’s, and good to see you’s sounded around the table.

“Wassup, Jane. You look different when you aren’t threatening to kill me,” Von picked, eyeing her more polished ensemble.

“The night is still young,” Joy said dryly, making laughter erupt around the table.

Von scowled. “I don’t like how y’all just be kiki-ing when she threatens me. Y’all know she deadass right?”

Joy winked at him, further enraging the youngest but no one paid Von any further attention as the kitchen staff began placing platters of food around the middle of the table and drinks in front of everyone.

A glass of bourbon was placed in front of Joy without prompting and she smiled up at them in thanks. She looked up at Ace, who sent her a wink that made her heart flutter.

Joy smiled as she surveyed the offerings, the southern spread reminding her of home.

Glasses clinking and cutlery scraping plates were the only sounds as everyone filled their plates and glasses to the brim.

“So Joy, you work at the firm?” June asked as she passed the dish of greens, her bracelet stack jangling.

Joy nodded from across the table, smiling as Ace placed a filet of fried fish on her plate and slid her the Louisiana hot sauce. “Yes ma’am. I’m a first year associate.”

“How nice,” June smiled softly. She peppered Joy with more surface level questions about who she was, where she was from, and what she did. Joy answered each one pleasantly, but she and everyone else around the table could feel that they were tip-toeing around the real questions.

Joy swallowed a mouthful of dirty rice, then opened her mouth to respond to another question when somewhere in the distance, the sound of glass breaking halted all conversation.

Joy’s gun was pulled from the holster on her thigh in seconds and above the table as she anticipated a threat.

“My apologies, we broke a dish in here,” one of the servers came out of the kitchen to inform the group.

“No worries, Gina, thank you,” Ella said with a soft smile.

Joy was immediately embarrassed by her overreaction. She began to reholster her weapon but when she looked around to see if anyone noticed, she saw the rest of the table replacing theirs as well.

Ace placed a hand on her thigh with a sly grin and all shame fled from her mind.

Dinner continued on like nothing happened. The conversation moved away from her and she participated when pulled into a conversation, but for the most part she observed.

Joy saw now why Ace felt alone, even with family. They included him and clearly loved him, but aside from his grandparents, they contained a warmth that Ace didn’t have and aside from Jrue, a lightness that came with shoulders free of the responsibility of the legacy.

The eyes on her told her she was being observed too.

Zachariah's gaze heated her face as he watched her. Assessed her.

Sharp eyes – not so different from Ace’s besides the color – aimed to determine whether she was less than genuine.

Joy didn’t mind. She understood the game. Were the roles reversed, she would need to see for herself before welcoming an outsider into the fold.

“Is it true you stabbed a man with a stiletto?” Ella King spoke to Joy directly for the first time since the dinner began.

Joy gulped and sent a glare to Ace.

“Y-yes ma’am” she answered, suddenly self conscious about the rawness and depth of her violence.

“What kind of shoe was it?”

Joy’s brows bunched slightly. Of all the follow up questions she was expecting, that wasn’t one of them.

“Um Swarovski crystal encrusted Jimmy Choos,” she answered.

After a beat, a smile spread over Ella’s lips. She turned to Ace and nodded. “She’s my kind of girl. Keep her,” she said, pointing her fork at Joy.