Page 42 of Lady Luck

Grandmother would have a heart-to-heart with me and reveal all the reasons for the way she treated me, and then she’d change for the better.

She would love me like she used to.

Then the episode would probably end with me and AJ stepping onto a boat together at sunset.

But that was not my life.

That would never be my life.

“Not really, but you were pretty insistent.”

You were pushy, in fact, and I didn’t want to spend my week looking over my shoulder.

He looked me over. “What are you wearing? I don’t recognize it.”

I lifted a shoulder. “A sweater. Or cardigan, if you prefer.”

He scoffed. “There’s no need to be smart. It looks like a man’s sweater. Why would you have that? Are you seeing someone?” He did a good job of seeming agitated by the idea until a smirk slashed his face. “Oh, I see. You’re trying to get a rise out of me. Aren’t you, sweetheart?”

I had the urge to roll my eyes for the first time in a decade. Grandmother had thoroughly trained that common impertinence out of me in the first year of living under her roof. Her lessons had stuck, and my gaze remained fixed on the middle distance past his shoulder as I asked, “What do you need? Is this about Saturday?”

He frowned, wrinkling the skin on his square chin. “Saturday? No. Saturday was great. The casino had a fantastic night. One for the books.”

So, I was either that much of a nonissue or he wanted to gloss over it, which worked fine for me. I’d gloss right alongside him.

He took another sip of his espresso and sat it down before laying his hands on the table as if he was steeling himself to explain something complicated to a toddler. “I told you why I’m here. For us. My family is here. You’re part of that. You’ve always been part of that.”

He slid his hand toward mine, and when I dropped my hand into my lap before he could make contact, his expression hardened.

I arched an eyebrow. “I really don’t understand. You left.”

“I had an unmissable opportunity at Titan. The entertainment manager got headhunted and left without warning. I swear it was almost like fate. The perfect timing for me to strike out on my own.” He puffed his chest out, pride emanating from his posture. Titan was owned by the same people who owned Fortuna.

“I know where you were. Your dad told me.”

He tilted his head. “I did try to call you.”

I crossed my arms over my chest and comforted myself by rubbing the knit material between my fingers. “Yeah, you did. After a few weeks.”

“I was busy. Every minute of my time was accounted for while I was there. I really thought you of all people would understand what a big opportunity it was for my career. When you didn’t answer my call, I hoped you were busy too, taking your legacy to the next level, just like we planned.”

I blinked, taken aback. We really hadn’t been on the same page about anything.

“It was a whole new world, running the acts at Titan. It’s not as big of a scene as here, obviously, but it was mine.”

I pushed aside the hurt from his flippant outlook even as a part of me—a part I was ashamed of—needed one last confirmation. A chance for closure.

“And that night?” I asked, my voice softer than I liked.

His smile took on a lascivious edge. “We were celebrating. We had fun, didn’t we? You have always been my—everyone’s, really—good luck charm.”

He studied the shock that painted my face, and the clear pity in his eyes as he delivered his next words lit me on fire.

“I probably should’ve known that you’d take it the wrong way.”

Face burning, insides roiling, I sat there, stunned.

But I’d achieved one goal. The door on Alexander Juno had closed and was now barricaded.

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