Page 24 of Imperial: The Corvidae Family
She released a groan of frustration and gave in.
“Fine,” she mumbled. “If it will get you off my phone…”
I started my car, pulling out of Kades’s driveway, waiting for her voice to fill the line, telling me about her day. I was about to absorb every fucking word because I meant what I said, I liked her, which meant I would take any parts of this woman she was willing to offer.
“My day was long,” she started. “Nothing too exciting. I had a meeting about a gender reveal party I’m planning. The couple wants something high-end, but they’re also indecisive, which is a nightmare combination.”
I rested my wrist against the top of the steering wheel. “What’s high-end for a gender reveal? Gold confetti? Diamond-studded balloons?”
“You joke, but you’re not far off,” she muttered. “They wanted a champagne wall that pops blue or pink depending on the reveal. And a firework display. And a live orchestra.”
I chuckled, navigating past a few late-night drivers. “For a baby who won’t even remember it?”
“Exactly,” she huffed. “But they’re spending six figures like it’s nothing, so who am I to stop them?”
I shook my head. “Shit, I should’ve gone into event planning.”
“Somehow, I don’t think that’s your thing.”
“Why not?”
“Because I don’t think you have the patience for a woman having a breakdown over flower arrangements.”
I grinned. “If it’s the right woman, I’ll find the patience, trust that.”
I’m damn sure finding that shit with you…
“So you say.” I grinned and she kept talking. Her voice was soft but animated, like she hadn’t realized she was letting herself be comfortable with me.
She told me about the rest of her afternoon, checking vendor contracts, following up with another client, catching up with her best friend. She didn’t go into detail about that part, but I caught the shift in her tone, the way she skipped over whatever had been on her mind.
“What else?” I asked as I pulled onto my street.
She hesitated. “What do you mean?”
“You skipped something.”
She was quiet for a minute and then sighed. “I saw the news.”
I knew exactly what she was referring to.
She didn’t elaborate but she didn’t have to.
I didn’t say anything, just let the silence linger, allowing her to process whatever she was thinking.
Then, quietly, she said, “It was about the guy. The one you know…I didn’t know him but I knew of him.”
That piqued my interest.
“Yeah?”
“He was an ass. Kept harassing the staff and made some comment about taking what he wanted from one of them. He was very handsy with them too.”
My jaw tightened. So Warren was that kind of man. Didn’t surprise me.
“Yeah well that’s no longer an issue.”
Silence.
