“So this is a penis-measuring contest, right?”
All eyes turned her way.
“I have two older brothers who always had friends around when I was growing up. And whenever they had a falling-out with someone in their friend group, it always ended with some kind of chest-bumping I’m a bigger man thing.” Grace glanced at Chelsea. “Classic mine is bigger than yours.” Grace shifted her gaze to Max. “Only my brothers both grew out of that behavior in college.”
Dameon grasped her hand.
“Grace is right, Max. This is beneath you. If you came here to say something, do it. But leave Grace and everyone else out of it.”
Max pushed his chair back. “You’re right, Dameon. This is beneath me. I honestly thought half your employees would have realized they were on a sinking ship and not be here tonight. But you must be keeping up the facade since the gang is all here. I’ll be sure and check back in six months when you claim bankruptcy.” He stood to leave.
“Don’t hold your breath,” Omar said.
Max played with the cuff of his jacket, his eyes glued to Dameon’s, and then walked away.
There was a collective sigh at the table when he left.
“That was entertaining,” Grace joked.
“What an ass,” Chelsea said.
Dameon brought Grace’s hand off his lap and kissed her fingers.
Omar cleared his throat. “So, did anyone taste the appetizer?”
Grace ran her foot down Dameon’s leg as she stretched beside him on his bed. She played with the sapphire necklace he had put on her before they left the hotel.
“Jewelry is meant to be worn, not sit in a box waiting for a special occasion,” he’d told her.
And when the clock counted down, Dameon kissed her long and hard, and she vowed to wear his gift so the small fortune he’d spent wasn’t in vain.
The evening had been nearly perfect. They wished everyone a happy New Year and left after pouring Omar into a cab.
When Dameon walked her into his condo, she’d barely managed a glimpse before he whisked her off to his bedroom.
But now, in the afterglow of their lovemaking, Grace felt strangely awake as her fingers played with the stupidly expensive sapphire dangling from her neck.
Her thoughts shifted around to earlier in the evening when Max had flexed in front of Dameon’s staff and friends.
“You’re awfully quiet for not being asleep,” Dameon said.
“Don’t count on it lasting long. I’m exhausted.”
He sighed. “I’m happy Max didn’t ruin it for us.”
“You’re thinking about that, too?” She rested her head on the pillow so she could look at Dameon while they talked.
“I’m sorry you met him like that. There was a day I called him a close friend.”
“He’s obviously bitter. What do you think he was trying to gain by showing up tonight?”
“I’m not entirely sure. Undermine my team? Gloat?”
“Gloat about what?”
Dameon rolled on his side, took her hand in his. “He was a silent partner from the day I started Locke Enterprises. Last year we had a falling-out. He took his capital and walked away.”
“But you’re still in business.”
“I am. Without Max’s help, it is harder. He knows that. It’s why he cut his finances out of the business. He wants to see me fail.”
“Why?”
For a second, she wasn’t sure he was going to answer. “Remember the woman I told you about . . . Lena?”
“The Greek girlfriend?”
“Yeah, her. When I broke it off, Lena met up with Max.”
“Met up or hooked up?”
“Both. I honestly didn’t care, but I think she thought she was going to hurt me. When I found out, I gave Max my blessing. I thought they were a better fit. She didn’t work, liked the lifestyle Max could give her. A few months went by. Max didn’t come into the office very often. We’d meet casually and I’d let him know how his investments were going. He told me he was going to ask Lena to marry him.”
“I’m guessing that didn’t happen.”
Dameon shook his head. “He threw a party, asked me to come. Lena was there, wearing his ring . . .”
She had a feeling she knew where this story was going. “And then?”
“Lena drank too much and came on to me. I pushed her away. She kept trying. I told her she was acting like a child, and how could she tell Max yes when it was obvious she wasn’t ready to settle down.”
“Did Max walk in?”
“No. But the next day I told him what had happened.”
“Good for you.”
Dameon shook his head. “Max didn’t believe me. Or took her side.