Page 43 of Sinister Devotion

"Oh, I know my boy. He doesn't want me here long. I'm just here to show my face, make a quick announcement and leave your gift. We'll be on our way shortly." Charleston's tone tells me everything I need to know. He's more than up to something. He's plotting, and I don't like it.

I whisper into her ear. "Claire, why don't you head inside with Bonnie and Danny? I'm going to find Edward to check on our other unwanted guest."

Claire heads inside as Charleston steps closer to me. "Our little Eclair is something magnificent."

"She's not our little anything. What announcement?" I ask him.

"I'm just going to let people know about an upcoming political campaign I'm considering. I miss the inner circle, and this is the perfect opportunity to throw some blood in the water to see who bites. I want to see who my true supporters and donors will be."

"You have twenty minutes," I warn him. I see Devon drive off the property in his beat-up car, which alleviates one problem. Charleston follows me inside as Carmine steps out with Edward behind him.

"Mr. Scarpella." My father beams with faux joy as the men shake hands. "How lovely to see you. Have you met um Daphne, and Macy?"

Charleston exhibits the women around him, twirling them like show ponies, and they go for it. Carmine is as easily tired of my old man as I am. Two men worthy of my bullets are in my fucking home on the night of a party celebrating the woman I'm dating.

Off in the distance, I catch a glimpse of Claire with Bonnie's younger sister, Danny. Repulsion blankets Danny's eyes as she glares at Carmine. I get it because it's taking every bit of restraint I have to contain my intrusive thoughts.

I will not stab Carmine Scarpella.

I will not shoot my father again.

I will not miss if I stab or shoot Carmine or my father.

Well, I'm a work in progress.

Danny bolts back into the ballroom before Carmine or my father glance in her direction. I shrug as Charleston finds a different person to annoy and leaves me alone with Carmine.

"You should be more careful, Julian." Carmine's voice is low as he stands with his fingers laced in front of him. "There's someone in your office who's doing a terrible job. They are jinxing people who are in business with me. One has been declared missing. Another's warehouse by the dock has gone up in flames, and I'd hate to see you or any other investor lose so much money because you can't close the deals in escrow. Deals made that waived contingencies, but I'm sure you have no idea what I'm talking about. Right?"

"Right as rain, Mr. Scarpella."

"I like your place here. Oh, and tell Claire, I apologize but I can't hire her after all. Conflict of interest and all that, seeing as she's the main interest of my biggest conflict," he chuckles and swaggers out, with Edward stopping beside me.

I lean in close to him. "Get SFPD on him. Have one of the boys bust his taillight or something. The cops will pull him over, hassle him a bit. Let's cross our fingers he has a fresh body in the trunk. And remind me not to kill Fiona, if she ever gets here tonight."

"The taillight I can manage, and I can see if someone we can pay at the precinct is on duty tonight. Oh, and you might want to get in there. Charleston's got a mic in his hand, and nothing good ever comes out of your father's mouth," Edward grunts and follows Carmine out of the door.

I step inside the ballroom, where everyone's attention turns toward me as Charleston, in his obnoxiously white tuxedo jacket and black bowtie, gestures toward me. I don't think he needs a mic, but he uses it anyway.

"Ladies and gentleman, here he is, the next Councilman of our fair city, Julian Blackwell."

19

CLAIRE

Applause.

A standing ovation for the announcement of Julian Blackwell's candidacy for City Councilman. I don't know what the councilman's duties to San Francisco are, but I doubt if Julian has the time for it.

He barely wanted me to take on the charity work. I know I mentioned it would be a great look for his future if he went into politics, but not now. And why would Charleston announce it?

Fuck.

The applause and cheers from the guests force Julian to share a spotlight beside his father. A man, who I have to remind myself, I can't stab with a fork, or knife, or candelabra.

Julian's soft green eyes find me at a table, front and center to him on the dance floor. Danny's fidgeting and Bonnie's trying to get her to calm down. When I look at Julian standing beside his father, the resemblance is there, but there's something putrid behind Charleston's eyes.

However, Julian's a professional in every sense of the word. Julian can handle being in the same room, smiling, and pretending to like the man next to him. People will praise Charleston in the open but add to the rumors behind his back. The one circling around this ballroom tonight is that the women he's with are mail order brides from Scandinavia. It sounds ridiculous, but they don't speak. They just giggle and twirl on Charleston's command.

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