Page 55 of Pawn

She jumps like I’ve startled her back to reality before her head whips around, a blur in her eye. Is she fucking crying? Wiping at her face with her pinky, she puts on a smile. A fake one. It’s not the same one she gives after I’ve fucked her to the moon. Not the same one she gives when she’s laughing at some old sitcom.

“Yeah, hi, I’m Jo.” She holds out a hand towards Victor, straightening her posture from that tired slump. She’s in a black cocktail dress, collar to her neck. It’s a lot more modest than I’m used to but she won’t get flack from our company.

“Jo, can you find Jacqueline and take her on a tour of the place? Her husband and I are gonna chat.”

“Yes, keep the women busy while the men talk.” Victor chuckles. I wince. Jo’s brows furrow. “Are you from around here, Jo? I don’t believe I’ve had the pleasure of meeting you at any debutantes with our Vicky.”

“What’s a debutante?” she asks. I know she’s jeering him on because she sassed me about debutante balls when we met.

He twists his nose and Jo’s eyes turn into that stone-cold glare. His eyes drop to her tits, still a sight in that stiff fabric. My fists clench as tight as my jaw but before my temper lunges my fist through his neck, I speak up, “Right, that cigar.” I pull one to my lips. “Shall we?”

Her cheeks go red and it doesn’t look like it’s because she’s embarrassed. That’s the look of a pissed-off Medusa. Victor gives her a smug smirk and before she can take that step forward, I lean into her ear and make her a promise.

“Let this go and I’ll make it up to you. All night.” I don’t give her a chance to answer before I saunter towards the door. Looking over my shoulder, she’s already distracted by another guest asking a question.

Having Jo around gives me the confidence to get through this pitch. And I do. Turns out, Shay’s pumped about The Grove revitalization project. He thinks it’s unheard of and risky but a solid idea to give new life to the company. Thinks it will appease the next generation of CEOs. He’s even willing to pitch the idea to some of the board.

“I look forward to hearing more about your progress,” Victor says as he takes my hand again, a firm shake by the door. “This is different from anything Sebastien’s done, but you might be onto something.”

That’s when I hear it.

“With an ass like that, I’d bag a chick from The Grove too.”

It’s the voice of Francesco Ferrero, scumbag father of Luca Ferrero, deep in King Financial business.

Jo stands in the entrance of the kitchen and she hears it too, her head whipping towards him but he doesn’t stop whispering to Georgina’s dad.

“Think she’d go down if I gave her five-large?” He chuckles and it only takes me a second to tell Victor to hang on before I march towards him. Looks like this dickhead wants to play.

“Frances,” I greet, shaking his hand with a firm grip. He looks at me with wide blue eyes, bushy brows above them. “I’m giving you five seconds to get the fuck out of here. One.”

He glances around the room, guests stopping to look our way. “Do you have any idea what you’re doing?”

Bringing my mouth closer to his ear, I act like we’re making a quiet deal. And we are. Except this time it’s not about business.

“You speak about her like that again, you even look at her and you’ll be lucky if you qualify for a loan.”

He spits when he speaks. “Do you have any idea who you’re talking to, boy?”

“Someone as fucked up as his kid.” His cheeks are beet red before I lock eyes with his. There’s no holding back my fist now. “By the way, that’s five.”

Fifteen

Jo

My jaw clenches so tight I can feel it in my forehead.

His words echo in my ear.

Think she’d go down if I gave her five-large?

I’m already charging towards him, placing my glass on a server’s tray. Damien stands by his side and when I get there, the man is quick to walk away.

“Calm down,” Damien says, his voice low and rolling as he pulls me to the side.

“They can’t keep talking to me like that!” I’ve been trying to hold strong. For Damien. For The Grove but, “I can’t keep doing thi—”

Damien’s lips land on mine and the room fades away like magic, the flutters making me weak. This is all I want. The reason why I come home every day. Him.

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