Page 82 of Pretty Pink Poison
“We would all like to do that, Ezra, but we have territories to oversee, business deals to manage, a resort empire to keep thriving. Quite frankly, I have to do that while I have your woman”—I pointed to Rafe—“running around acting like she can be as wild as she wants even after Kee had that stalker here last year.”
“Pink’s fine. She can handle herself.” Rafe waved off my concerns like he always did. “Our numbers with the Hardy resorts look good. Father’s happy with Black Oracles too. We’ve solidified partnership after partnership with its leverage.”
Byleveragehe meant us sifting through people’s confessions and holding them over their heads. People signed their lives away to an app by not reading the fine print, and we hadn’t hesitated to use it. In the last year, it’d become almost a damn religion to most of the country. If you weren’t using it yourself, you knew someone who was, and they were happy to divulge information so that the Oracles could gossip with them or support them or just listen to them.
It seemed the world was a lonely place, and people needed another Alexa or Siri in their life. Except the Oracles were regulated in a way that most everyone appreciated. Or maybe it was that I had Pink’s opinion half the time and shifted the focus of the app when needed. She provided insight that had beeninvaluable, like when she told me I needed to get influencers to talk about it.
I’d let her have at it, and she’d increased numbers within a week.
Jameson sighed and blue eyes met mine finally after scanning the screen. I saw the way his mouth curled. “I want his skull on a damn shelf next to your others. What do you need?”
Rafe glanced at the phone and didn’t bother reading it. “You both know the West and Midwest syndicate arms will feel disrespected.”
“Who runs the syndicates at this point anyway?” It should have been Bianca’s father, but he’d long since given us control, and Jameson worked closely enough with everyone he felt was important enough to say, “It’ll be fine if your father’s on board.”
“Father’s practically retired.”
“And yet he still wants us creating alliances and protecting territories we don’t need.” Ezra spun his helmet on the table.
“Speaking of, he wants the wedding moved up with Bianca.” Rafe dropped the statement like it was just another part of the meeting.
He let the words fall from his mouth like they were nothing, but he looked up to hold my gaze as if looking for a crack in my demeanor.
I didn’t give him one.
We’d started hosting an annual Summit of the Oracles within the resort—a gathering designed to project influence, maintain strategic alliances, and consolidate power among the Diamonds, the Black family, and the other business empires we managed. It was as much about diplomacy as it was about control, a way to settle disagreements without ever leaving the grandeur of the ballroom.
If blood was spilled, we did it in style.
He smiled at me as if this were a damn game, as if he was moving chess pieces around, waiting for me to make the wrong move. “You sure you want me to tell her? She’s closest to you. Always was.”
“And yet you’re marrying her, Rafe,” I reminded him.
“Fair. Maybe I should have her on my arm tonight then.”
I didn’t know what to say. I didn’t want Bianca on anyone’s arm but mine. Yet, this was for the family. “Good luck. She’s been messing around with some other guy.”
“Interesting. So I got a chance?” Jameson’s gaze ping-ponged between us.
“You’ve got a chance for no one. You’re down a nanny and need to focus on that,” I said just so he would shut up.
He eyed the doorway. “You’re actually right. I do need a nanny. You think Bianca would be interested?”
“Fuck off.”
Rafe cleared his throat and stood. “It’s settled then. Tonight, you go easy on Yuri, Bane. I don’t want a big scene… and let’s switch things up. I’ll bring Bianca.”
“What?” The question sliced out of me fast.
“Wedding’s approaching anyway, isn’t it?” He waited for me to say something, but I didn’t nor did anyone else. “And what about you all?”
“What about us?” Ezra grumbled.
“You bringing anyone? Father will be there, and we all know he’ll be analyzing connections.”
Ezra groaned but swiped up his helmet. “I’ll go find someone.”
I knew exactly who I could bring but I also knew the ramifications of bringing her. I wouldn’t get Bianca tonight if I brought a date. I’d get Pink.
