Page 50 of Addicted Lies

“Pussy power, right?” Ivy says.

Posie nods. “Yes. Sex.” She waggles her brows, then turns me around and points to a man standing next to my brother. “That’s him, and your brother doesn’t hate him, which is a plus. He is a powerful man, which I know your family respects. He owns a large marketing company but specializes in smear campaigns.” I shoot her a puzzled look. “Oh yes. One smear campaign can start at $170,000. Granted, people in Hollywood usually hire him, but I know Crue has worked with him before when he wanted to take over a big chain restaurant.” She shrugs. “He’s young, only in his late twenties, and single.”

“While you meet new Daddy Smear, I’m going to circle the room,” Ivy says, then she’s gone. I admire her for her confidence. And I’m not surprised when she approaches the women on the poles and asks one of them to teach her some things.

Posie pulls at my arm, leading us in the direction of where the men are talking. My brother’s wide shoulders are blocking the view of the third person in the group. Posie comes to a stop beside Dutton and then introduces me to the handsome guy in the cream suit. But it’s not him my heart falters over. Because the third man is…

Ford.

I fix my attention on the newcomer, smiling at him, and hating myself for immediately comparing him to Ford.

He doesn’t get to have that type of power over me.

It’s just sex, Billie. Get a grip on yourself.

“Matthew, this is Billie, Dutton’s sister. She’s the one I was telling you about,” Posie says. The tension around the group thickens, mostly coming from my brother, and I despise the fact that Ford can act so casually. It really shows how little I must actually mean to him. I know he can’t do or say anything, especially in front of my brother, but I expected some kind of reaction.

It’s just sex.I have to remind myself again of that.

Matthew’s gaze locks on me, and I immediately know he’s interested, which is flattering. I try to block out the tatted, leanly muscled man standing just a few inches from me as Matthew offers his hand. I give him mine, and he shakes it gently.

“Lovely to meet you. I’ve had mixed messages on whether I should actually talk to you or not,” he jokes, eyeing my brother, whose jaw is clenched tight. The fact that Dutton hasn’t stabbed him yet is a promising yet strange progression.

Posie threads her arm around Dutton’s elbow with a smile. “I’ll handle him. You two talk. Have fun.” She makes as if to lead Dutton away but then pauses and looks at Ford, who doesn’t seem to be moving. Posie shoots a glance between us like she’s wondering if we’re still seeing one another. She wouldn’t be wrong in that assumption. “Ford, come and entertain Dutton with me.”

Matthew drops my hand and politely smiles at Ford as he reluctantly joins the others.

“I’m not a child,” I hear my brother grit as he’s basically dragged away by the woman half his size.

I can’t help but glance at Ford. His focus isn’t on me, though—it’s on Matthew. And Matthew’s attention is on me, not at all picking up the tension.

“So, I hear you’re a brilliant accountant,” Matthew starts, and I have the impression he’s very charismatic, most likely the reason he’s been so successful in his career so far. I try my hardest to ignore the sensation of being watched. I don’t know if it’s my brother or Ford, but I know who I want it to be, and I hate that I give him that power.

“We are nothing but two bodies who like to touch each other.”

Yeah, go fuck yourself, Ford.

“I wouldn’t say brilliant, but I’m getting there.” I try to sound modest, which is very unlike me. But it’s best to be humble around strangers, especially if Posie handpicked this guy for me.

Matthew leans in with a smile. “I can’t help but notice we’re being stared at a lot. Your brother is really protective, isn’t he?” If he knew the full extent of that protectiveness, I wonder if he’d still be so ballsy. But isn’t this what I wanted? Someone not intimidated by my family?

“Care to walk to the bar with me for a drink?” he asks, though my glass is still half full. Then I realize he’s trying to give us somewhere with a little more privacy. He offers me his arm—very gentlemanly—and I feel that sense of being watched again. I offer a smile and wrap my hand around his elbow.

Fuck Dutton, and fuck Ford. I can do what I want. I’m an adult. I’m single. And this guy seems nice enough so far.

“Your family is quite intimidating.” Matthew chuckles as we reach the bar. “Though I have dealt with powerful people all my life, so I think I can handle them,” he says as I pull my hand away and look at him curiously. I’ve never even seen this guy around my brother before.

“Would you like another one?” he asks, pointing to my drink. I decline his offer, taking a small sip from the one I already have.

“How old are you?” I ask, casually leaning on the bar. Matthew looks around my age, but I’m unsure what his actual age is. Ford is a few years older than me. “Twenty-seven. And like yourself, the baby of the family. My mother is old-school Italian and is annoyed I haven’t found a nice Italian woman to settle down with yet.” I smile at that, remembering my grandfather talking like that back in Italy. He’s dead now, and I miss him, but he was very strict when it came to traditions. Hell, Eli had to be married before he was able to officially take over the entire mafia business. I’m lucky my brother and I were never under the same expectations.

“So, what brings you here tonight? I’ve never seen you around before,” I say.

His drink is handed to him, and he pulls out two bar stools, offering me the first one. I sit on it, careful not to let the slit in my dress show everything I’m wearing—or, more accurately, not wearing—underneath.

Women start cheering on stage, and I laugh as Ivy swings around the pole. An older woman, who I’m assuming is the birthday girl because she’s wearing a sash, is giving her pointers on her grip.

“Posie invited me, actually. I’ve been around, but am based in Los Angeles. I’ve known your brother for almost five years now, and I’ve done business with your family several times.

---