Page 121 of The Price of Forever

Eli paraded her around like a new toy. Everyone seemed taken by Jordan; I caught plenty of laughter and enthusiastic conversation as they made the rounds. When they slipped into another room, I followed, scoping out the new scene. Lather, rinse, repeat.

We’d made it through the entire first floor, and Jordan had already drunk a full glass of white wine—poured directly from a newly opened bottle—when an imposing older man came into the great room, surrounded by a few underlings. He scanned the room distractedly, leaning closer to a companion to whisper something, who then disappeared a moment later. Eli noticed the man, shouting out a whooping greeting.

“Allan! My god, you’re finally here!” He headed toward Allan, finally dropping his arm from its position around Jordan’s waist. Eli and Allan conferred briefly, too far away for me to hear. Chatting, laughing people filed between me and the small group. The longer this party went on, the louder it got. Eli nodded severely, clapped Allan on the back, then made introduced him to Jordan. A moment later, Allan and his small entourage were gone.

Eli led Jordan to the enormous blue velvet couch in the middle of the room. They sank onto the cushions, joining a few other men who’d been sitting already. All eyes turned toward Eli as he launched into another self-important monologue. How the fuck had Cora been married to this douchebag? I spent some time trying to mentally unravel the logistics of such an unlikely marriage. No way had Cora married him for his good-naturedness or humility. I couldn’t make it make sense.

Eli’s arrogant voice carried through the room, above the din of conversation and music, so grating I couldn’t tune it out. I could tell Eli lapped up the attention of his guests like a starving kitten. I’d wanted to punch him from the first second I’d seen him and would die happy if I never saw him again.

Please, Jordan, let this be our last time at Eli’s.

The crowd in this spacious living room was constantly shifting, but the audience that Eli entertained on the blue velvet couch didn’t change. Their heads seemed to grow closer together, the conversation lowering, as though they didn’t want anyone to overhear.

Jordan suddenly looked away, searching the room for me. Relief flooded her eyes when she finally spotted me along the far side of the room.

Her eyes widened and she nudged her head to indicate I come closer. Whatever it was, I could tell it was urgent.

Wordlessly I relocated to the wall on the other side of the couch, taking the shortest route—right past the couch itself. I paused behind Jordan, dipping down to whisper in her ear.

“You okay?” I asked.

“Listen.” Her voice came out an urgent hiss. I remained at her side, acting as though I was telling her something, while I shifted my attention to the conversation swelling around her.

“No, man, it came through completely because of Allan’s connections,” Eli was saying.

“And the charges stuck?” someone in the group of about six asked.

“Their trial starts this fall.” The smugness emanating from him made my fists curl behind the back of the couch. “Sounds to me like they stuck.”

A couple of the other guys chuckled, starting a slow clap. “Too fucking smooth, man.”

“I told you I’d make sure those Fairchild assholes were out of here,” Eli said, leaning forward to grab his tumbler off the large coffee table. When he sat back, he seemed to notice me, jerking to look at me. “What’s going on here?”

“Mandatory check-in,” I said gruffly, straightening. I smoothed the front of my shirt as Eli’s words formed a tornado in my head. …Make sure these Fairchild assholes were out of here. I didn’t have much to go on, but it seemed to involve the brothers. Unless there was another group of brothers he dealt with named the Fairchilds who faced a looming trial. Maybe Jordan had heard more of use than I had.

“Do you know who we’ve been talking about?” I heard Eli ask Jordan as I walked away.

Jordan reached onto the snack tray on the coffee table, popping a strawberry into her mouth. “I wasn’t even listening. Fairmont somebody?”

One of the servers approached with a coke plate, offering it to Eli. He pulled out a personal scoop from his pocket and took a hard sniff at the plate. Eli smirked, satisfied, and leaned back onto the couch as the server made the offer to the rest of the people chatting with Eli. “Anyway, where were we?”

“Talking about how hard you fucked the Fairchilds,” said one of his guests in an armchair facing the velvet couch. He looked like an investment banker from a reality TV show. At the very least, having relocated to along the other wall, the thumping bass from the other room wasn’t angled directly at the side of my face. I could hear more snippets of their conversation.

Eli let out an exaggerated groan that bordered on orgasmic. “I can’t wait until the Fuckchilds are behind bars where they belong. Ten years is what they’re up for. If you ask me, a decade won’t be long enough.”

I clenched my teeth just in case any hint of a reaction threatened to spill out. I didn’t dare slide my gaze to Jordan, for fear her face would show the same shock and horror I felt.

“So, are you taking requests?” A man in a taupe seersucker sport coat lifted his tumbler to his lips. I wondered if the man always dressed as though he was Eli’s twin demon spawn. “I know a few guys I’d like to get out of my sight.”

Eli laughed raucously. “Depends on where you want them to go. And whether my network reaches that far. But all signs point to yes.”

Their conversation drifted into chatter about a political campaign. Apparently their close friend was running for senator somewhere, and another friend had convinced the right people to secure the votes needed for his election. Jordan been sitting quietly, popping strawberries while refusing the occasional coke plate that cycled around, when Eli suddenly turned to her, saying something in a low voice. Jordan blinked demurely, swallowing her berry before I saw her shrug and say “Sure.”

Only Eli and Jordan stood. He began to lead her out of the room, and I followed a few paces behind. We reached the foyer, the sounds of music and conversation fading slightly. Their footsteps thumped up the steps of the wide staircase.

“I’ve been dying to get you on my own.” Eli’s arm was draped around her shoulders.

“Well, I’ve been waiting for you to get me on my own,” she answered with a hollow laugh.

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