I shrugged and turned to leave. Just then, a group of men in sharp suits rushed down the hallway. As they passed me, one doubled back. “Excuse me, have you seen a guy in a white T-shirt come this way?”
My pulse spiked. The way they carried themselves screamed trouble.
Thinking of the tipsy boy from earlier, I lied, “Yeah, I think he went that way.” The men immediately halted, then stormed off in the direction I’d pointed.
A low chuckle sounded behind me. “Thanks. You’re the best.”
I turned to see the boy stepping out from behind a pillar and frowned. “Are they after you? Why aren’t you running?”
Leaning lazily against the pillar, he smirked. “They are after me. But I don’t need to run.”
Youth really was wasted on the reckless. Facing capture, he still looked utterly confident. “Well, good luck not getting caught,” I said dryly before walking away.
By the time I returned to the private dining room, Jared was still holding his liquor–impressive, given how much he’d drunk.
“We’re heading to John’s place. Let’s go.” Jared braced himself against the table and stood, only to sway dangerously before slumping against me. “Victoria, help me out.”
I barely resisted rolling my eyes in front of everyone and half-dragged him out. We slid into a car, Jared still clinging to me like a leech. I ignored him the whole ride.
John’s three-story villa was a testament to his wealth in this ridiculously expensive city. When we arrived, the Holcombs were already there, including Quinn, who hadn’t shown up at dinner earlier.
Quinn and John’s daughter Fiona had always been close, being around the same age. Now, they were sprawled on the couch, planning their shopping spree for the night.
The second she spotted us, Quinn bounded over, but only to Jared. “Jared! Finally. Fiona and I are hitting the town tonight. You should sponsor me.”
Jared sank onto the sofa, unimpressed. “You get an allowance every month. How is it not enough?”
“It’s never enough. If you don’t give me more, I’ll just…” She smirked. “Find a boyfriend to fund me instead.”
Same old manipulation, threatening her reputation. And Jared, as always, fell for it.
With a sigh, he pulled out his phone and made a call. Moments later, Quinn’s account balance jumped enough to make her grin. She planted a kiss on his cheek. “Thanks, Jared! You’re the best.”
Jared wiped his face with a grimace. “Don’t do anything stupid. Be safe.”
“Relax.” Only then did she seem to notice me, flashing a saccharine smile. “Oh, Victoria. Didn’t expect you here. You and Jared getting cozy again?”
I returned a razor-thin smile. “You must be imagining things. Nothing’s changed.”
“Sure doesn’t look that way. Feeling a little threatened?” she whispered.
I shifted my gaze to her. I still remembered the concert where she dragged Yvonne off to hang with Tracy. Looked like my dear sister-in-law couldn’t wait for Tracy to replace me.
Tracy never played fair, but she always made it look legitimate. First, she cozied up to Yvonne; now she was buying Quinn off. Next stop, Jared’s mother, Sally? Once everyone adored her, Jared would fall right into line. Same playbook as last time.
I kept my voice light. “Threatened? Please. Any man who can be stolen is trash in my book. I’d toss the garbage out myself, no need to wait for someone else to take it.”
Quinn’s expression went Technicolor. She glared at me, then flicked her eyes toward Jared chatting on the couch.
Jared hadn’t heard a word, but Quinn looked ready to tear me apart. “Vic, that’s harsh. Even if my brother were ‘trash,’ everyone still wants him.”
I shrugged, all smiles. “Hey, just making a point. I never said he was trash. I said men who can be stolen are. Subtle difference.”
“You-” Quinn practically detonated, but with so many people around, she couldn’t start a scene. She snatched up her purse and stormed out.