Page 104 of Tempting God

Brooks’ eyebrows lifts. “Why on earth was that woman calling you? Begging for money?”

Dimitri rolls his eyes. “Jackie is one of the few people who has made a point of checking up on me since Serafina passed. As for the money, she hasn’t asked me for a dime.”

Brooks looks at me and mouths ‘Jackie?’.

I say to Dimitri, “Why was Buffy worried about Jim?”

“She said he’s been distant. I don’t know if she knew about his relationship with Zhang, so I didn’t say anything except that I would see how he was today.”

I glance around, but don’t see Jones.

“We can see if he’s upstairs.”

Dimitri, Brooks, Alessandro, and I make our way to the main floor where drinks are being served, but Jones is nowhere to be found.

Montgomery joins us and says, “Well, that was an eventful meeting.”

I ask, “Did you see where Jones went?”

“He left with Blanc.”

That’s not surprising, I suppose. On some level, Jones has to see us as a threat, since we all went to college together. As the saying goes, better the devil you know than the devil you don’t.

Montgomery turns to me. “I see you’re polling in first place. I almost feel bad that Ryans won’t live long enough to lose to you.”

I snort. “Thanks, I think.”

He slaps my back. “You’ve had my vote all along. Now, I must be off. I’m meeting a lady I met online.”

He wiggles his eyebrows and then struts away.

Alessandro says, “I’m surprised there are any women left that he hasn’t already slept with.” He turns to Dimitri, “I can reach out to Jones. I’ll let you know if he responds.”

Dimitri dips his head. “I should go. I have a surgery in the morning.”

When he’s gone, Brooks says, “Anyone else freaked the fuck out that Jacqueline Chanel Minty-Smith is reaching out to our widower friend?”

I say, “Maybe he sees something none of us do.”

Because that woman is a nightmare.

Brooks shakes his head. “Dimitri better watch his bank account. She’s broke and desperate for money.”

“So desperate that she agreed to marry you,” Alessandro teases.

We both laugh while Brooks glares.

“Relax, Brooks. You beat the system and got the girl in the end.”

“That I did,” he says with a smile.

I say, “Speaking of getting the girl, I should go. I can’t stand being away from my wife.”

Alessandro smiles. “It’s nice to hear you say that.”

With a wave of my hand, I make my way outside. Across the courtyard, I see Blanc and Jones speaking to each other. Jones looks irritated and moves his hands dramatically as he speaks. Whatever Blanc says has him stilling. An uneasy feeling settles deep in my gut.

What in the hell are those two up to?

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