Escalade.
“What up, J-man?” Jordan says and slips into the back.
I stop shy of getting in and look at my driver. “J-man?”
“Sir.” He lowers his gaze. “She insists.”
Of course, she does.
The moment the car starts moving, she turns to me with that inquisitive look in her eyes. “Your dad is August. Your mom—”
“Stepmom.”
“Stepmom, right. Her name is?”
“Leslie.”
“Got it. And your brothers are Hayes, Hudson, and Kingston. Is there anything else I need to know?”
“Leslie is the twins’ biological mom. Kingston’s mom is a model and lives with her husband in London. Kingston is younger than the twins, so it’s no secret that August can’t keep his dick in his pants to save his life.”
“And you? What about your mom?”
“My mom is out of the picture,” I say, keeping my eyes forward.
“Do you stay in contact—”
“She’s out of the picture.” I grind my molars, internally daring her to ask me again.
She holds up her hands in surrender. “Ten-four, Grizzly.”
Family dinners are always a disaster. We had to stop having them in restaurants because we couldn’t get through an hour without someone picking a fight. Usually, it’s August, after too many drinks. He zeroes in on one of us and doesn’t let up until we crack. I’m the easiest target. Always have been. I hope like hell that having Jordan with me will force him to pick on someone else tonight. There’s a good chance he’ll be so concerned with using his well-honed charm on her that he’ll forget for the night that I exist.
All too soon, we pull up to the Park Avenue building. She takes my arm again, and I guide her through the doors and lobby and to the elevator.
“Another penthouse,” she says dryly. “Why am I not surprised?”
I forget what a shock our lifestyle must be to those who don’t live the same way we do. I don’t sense she’s even the slightest bit impressed. She sounds more disappointed than anything.
Welcome to my world—where one wants for nothing and is still miserable.
Jordan
I can hear the murmuring of deep voices before we make it to the door, and nerves grip my stomach. I’m grateful to be holding on to Alexander because I can hide my shaking hands.
He changed the moment we left his house. He’s cautious, distant, and more short-tempered than usual.
He doesn’t bother knocking. He simply opens the door that leads into a cavernous modern living space similar to his own. Large glass doors at the far end are open to a patio, where people are gathered around a gas fire pit. My grip on Alexander tightens as we make our way past the kitchen, where three people dressed in all black seem busy preparing food.
As we approach, the voices fade, and when we’re finally standing at the edge of the fire, everyone is silent.
Kingston is the first to stand. “Jordan, you look stunning.” He leans in and presses his lips to my cheek. As always, he smells amazing and allows his lips to linger a second too long. “I hope he appreciates all my hard work,” he whispers for only me to hear.
“Nice to see you again.” I turn, just as a man who could be a doppelganger for Pierce Brosnan rises to his feet. A petite blonde woman who looks much younger than him follows his lead.
“Isn’t this a surprise.” He looks at Alexander, then back at me. “You’re the woman Hayes has told me so much about.” He holds his hand out, and a gaudy gold ring, dripping in diamonds, nearly blinds me. “August North.”
“It’s good to meet you.” I offer my hand for a shake, but he brings my knuckles up for a wet kiss. I pull my hand away and discreetly wipe it against Alexander’s sweater. “And don’t believe a single word Hayes says about me.”
Hayes glares while August chuckles and motions the blonde woman forward.
“This is my wife, Leslie.”
Rather than shake hands, we exchange niceties. “You have a beautiful home.”
“This?” She swings her hand around with her martini glass in it, spilling some over the side. “It’s a cage in a concrete jungle. I much prefer our home in the country.”
I laugh to myself. This is as much of a cage as I am Beyoncé. Some people are so out of touch.
Hayes is still glaring at me as if I’d just put their fire out by squatting and peeing on it.
“Hudson’s running late,” August says tightly. “Again.” He reclaims his seat next to his wife.
I look at Kingston, and he boldly watches Alexander