Page 107 of Mayhem
Erin laughed, and the question seemed to have his mother’s intended effect, though he knew she was also asking seriously.
“I hadn’t, but I’m not opposed to having children in the future…with the right men.”
He and Paetyn looked at her, but she wouldn’t meet either of their eyes as she took a bite of pasta. The conversation continued and shifted to other topics. Still, Cruz could feel the excitement beaming off his mother and knew Erin’s answer had only increased her pestering for grandchildren.
Erin was looking at a glass-blown piece displayed for the silent auction with Chayse and Alijah. It was a beautiful piece, and Alijah was having a hard time deciding what to bid on it. She wanted the piece but didn’t want to go overboard on her bid.
“Bid what you’re comfortable with, and if you lose, you can commission them to make you something,” Chayse suggested. She took out her phone and snapped a picture of the artist’s contact information next to the piece. “I’ll text this to you.”
Alijah nodded, writing her name and bid down and placing it in the locked box on a small table beside it. “Are the two of you bidding on anything?”
“I thought about it, but I might pass. I don’t want to fork over far more than something is worth to have, even for charity. I’d rather donate, and in the words of Kevin Hart, the way my bank account is set up…” Chayse trailed off, and the three laughed.
“Don’t act like Nik wouldn’t foot the bill for whatever it was you wanted,” Erin stated.
“The same way Paetyn and Cruz would for you. So, why aren’t you bidding?”
“That’s different. I’m still taking baby steps when they want me to spend their money freely, especially since we’ve only been together for almost five months. You and Nik have been together for over a year, and Alijah and Kieran are married. The two of you bidding makes sense.”
“I get that,” Alijah started. “I had the same issue, and I still do at times, but I realized after we got married that as long as I’m not abusing the trust he’s put into me, then indulging myself sometimes is fine.”
“I think I’m almost to that point where I can accept that, but Nik’s ass was hella extra in getting me there,” Chayse stated with an eye roll.
“What happened?” Erin asked as they walked to a corner with fewer people.
“He told me he forgot a vendor was stopping by Paradise 826 to deliver some things and pick up payment. He said he was busy and couldn’t get away, so he asked me to meet the vendor and give him the check from his office. I agreed, and when I got there and unlocked his desk, I found the checkbook, but they were all blank. I call him and tell him he didn’t leave a check for the vendor, and he says, ‘I know, love, write him one.’ When I told him I wouldn’t forge his signature, he asked me why I needed to do that when he’d added me to his accounts.
When I tell you, I was so mad at him because it clicked that he had me sign some papers. I can’t remember what excuse he gave me when he was doing that. Admittedly, I should have looked at what I was signing, but I was editing pictures since my deadline was approaching.”
“He added you to all of them?” Erin asked.
“All of his personal ones, and one he uses to pay suppliers for all his clubs and lounges,” Chayse clarified. “So make peace, honey, and spend some now and then before they pull some shit like that on you.”
“I have,” Erin stated, though she was sure those didn’t count because once had been to order lunch for her and her employees when Cruz told her to, and the other was for the outfit she was currently wearing, but again, it was because Paetyn had given her his card to do so. “Besides, I don’t think they’d do that.”
Alijah hummed. “Paetyn might not, but Cruz is a different story. I feel like he and Kieran are the same person, just in different fonts, and Kieran would have done that had I continued to refuse to sign those documents after he proposed.”
Erin thought about it and hated admitting that her friend was right. Paetyn would not, but she could see Cruz trying it primarily since he’d used a game to push her towards accepting their actions quicker.
“Hello, ladies,” a woman spoke as she approached them with two other women. “I wanted to introduce myself. Alijah Cayman, correct?” she asked, eyes on Alijah.
“Yes.”
“Thought so. I’m Lilian Finch. Our husbands do business together.”
Erin caught the snort Chayse was trying to cover up, and she knew there was tea there. She made a mental note to ask her about it later. It seemed like she wasn’t the only one who heard it as Lilian slid her eyes to Chayse.
“I don’t believe they do, but nice to meet you,” Alijah responded. Erin knew her friend was being nice. As his personal assistant, she would know his business contacts.
“I wanted to congratulate you on the nuptials.”
“Thank you.”
“It’s quite the accomplishment—tying down Kieran Cayman, and you aren’t even pregnant,” Lilian said, looking Alijah over.
“You’re rude and out of line,” Erin informed her.
“I’m just making an observation. We all know it happens like that at times. That was the case for me. I don’t think Victor and I would have gotten married otherwise.”
