Page 14 of The Mastermind

Her fragrance overdosed my pheromones, and I shifted as her presence made silent demands on my body. No one had ever made demands on me. I quickly dismissed what Slash had demanded—threatened—me all those years ago. That was different. That had brought on fear from a young man who didn’t know better.

Thiswas about a woman making me want just by standing next to me.Thiswas about a woman I had no right to be attracted to. Shewould complicate things, none of which I needed or wanted. Not too long ago, I willed myself to stop thinking inappropriate things about her. I didn’t come back to visit Grayson often because of her.

She reached over the table for the binder, and her arm brushed mine, arousing the hell out of me.

I was losing my game, and that bothered me. I’d have to reevaluate everything later.

Somehow, Audri had wiggled her way into my space, my video game plan. That should irritate me, a warning with flashing red lights. I’d never shared this plan with anyone outside of those involved. It was too important, too private for anyone else.

So why wasn’t I the least bothered by Audri’s inquisitiveness?

Amy and Amanda entered the kitchen from the deck and changed the chemistry in the room. The meeting over, I gathered up the blueprint, map, and binders.

Wavy-haired Amanda glanced up from her phone. “The girls are having a karaoke contest against the boys. You guys want in?”

Grayson, Royce, and Audri left to join the singing contest.

Singing wasn’t my thing, so I leaned against the wall and checked my phone for an update from a private investigator I’d hired several months ago. My trip back to Providence wasn’t just to acquire Lafayette Marketing. It was to killseveralbirds with one stone.

CHAPTERFIVE

AUDRI

While I sangand mingled with Grayson’s friends, I couldn’t help glancing at Remi, who sat on a couch in the second living room, which boasted built-in bookcases.

An unfamiliar woman with long brown hair joined him. I didn’t know a lot of the people Grayson invited to his party tonight. I knew his childhood friends, and that was about it. I didn’t even know he had a girlfriend until today.

Mom always yelled at him for hopping from one girl to the next. He dated, but he wasn’t like . . . like Remi. If only my mom knew about Remi’s short-term girlfriends, she’d be happy Grayson’s relationships lasted longer than three months. With Remi, not so much. Then again, I was getting this information from the internet, so I didn’t know what was true. Grayson mentioned Remi didn’t like long-term relationships, and he liked a variety of women.

My mom was a traditional woman and had firm beliefs you chose one person, dated him or her, and that was it. She would’ve arranged a marriage for Grayson if it wasn’t because he would never speak to her again. Grayson would never settle for that old-fashioned route.

Neither would I.

Grayson and I were second-generation Chinese Americans born in America. My grandparents had immigrated to America, working on the farms. They valued certain traditions, like education, family recognition through achievement, and filial piety. Though my parents believed in those values, they had become more flexible, blending our Asian culture with the modern western world.

When Dad was alive, he was the stricter one. Mom had taken his place, probably because we were all she had left. She wanted Grayson to settle down so she could have grandbabies to spoil. In her eyes, he was already an accomplished man. What else was he waiting for?

This was why I didn’t often go home. I didn’t want to discuss my personal life with her because I didn’t have one.

Mom had loved Kevin until she found out he cheated on me. She had stopped asking me about relationships, probably thinking I still needed time to heal. The relationship had ended a year ago, and I had moved on but I didn’t inform her.

“Who’s up for the next song?” Royce asked. “C’mon, Audri!”

“I’m exhausted. I can’t sing anymore tonight. I’ll just watch you guys.”

“Loser has to sing.” Amanda had proposed a drinking game to everyone.

I lost.Ugh.

Today was not my day. “Fine. Just one more song.”

I didn’t know if God was teasing me. “Every Breath You Take” by the Police wasn’t what I expected to show up as the last song I had to sing.

Whatever, I sang my heart out, releasing all the tension in my body. While I sang, I didn’t know why my gaze kept swerving back to Remi.

Remi said something to the brunette, and she laughed. His lips curved a little, but not into a full smile. A tinge of jealousy surfaced in me . . . andsurprisedme.

Why would I be jealous of Remington talking to another woman? I’m sure he had a woman or two waiting for him in his New York penthouse. I didn’t understand why the idea irritated me.

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