The Harrises live their lives by right and wrong, but that isn’t how the Brotherhood operates. They take revenge and take what they want. Rules don’t work; no one abides by the law. It’s their rodeo when they ride.
And I sure as hell don’t want to be anywhere near the dust when it settles.
“Let’s not think about what comes next then, Tess. Right now, let’s focus on getting to Vegas, getting you something gorgeous to wear, and the awkward dinner party with our friends and all their parents.”
Chapter Nineteen
JACK
My big show isn’t until tomorrow, but this dinner party planned by our parents is apparently the real reason they’re all coming to Vegas this weekend.
It’s weirding us all out, for sure.
We’ve all gathered at the restaurant that has been reserved for us. As we wait to be seated, we stand around the foyer catching up.
Ace and Emmy don’t have extended family, but Claire’s mom and Landon’s parents are here, as well as McQueen’s parents. Surprisingly, JoJo’s dad is here as well, along with my parents. Sixteen of us in all.
We’ve all met, though briefly, in one way or another. A wedding, or JoJo’s fight. My parents have flown down before. But our parents have only met via the internet.
“So they all became friends on Facebook or some shit? Whose fault is this?” McQueen asks as he adjusts his tie. I never see this fucker in a suit, but this dinner is apparently evening attire. No ball caps allowed.
“I think it’s Landon’s fault. He’s the only fucker who actually goes on Facebook.”
“Why do you go on Facebook?” Ace asks him, glaring out of the corner of his eye. “You a fucking girl?”
“Fuck you,” Landon says, laughing. “I like posting pictures of Sophia for her grandparents to see, because I’m into that family shit. So step off. Ace’s woman is trying to get knocked up too, so start giving him a hard time, not me.”
We all look over at Emmy, who does seem to be glowing and is, suspiciously, holding a glass of sparkling water instead of rosé like the other women.
Before we can start ribbing Ace about it, the doors to the restaurant open and we file in. I take Tess’s arm and walk beside her.
“Everything okay?” I ask, leaning in.
“I don’t know. Something feels off.”
“With our friends, or do you feel unsafe?”
“Not our friends. Just, I’m having weird memories for some reason that I can’t shake.”
I pull my arm tighter around her, drawing her close. Damn the fuckers she called family, who screwed her up and fucked her over. I want to make them pay.
Throughout the meal I keep expecting there to be some big reveal, some a-ha moment that brought us all together, but nothing happens. The parents talk amicably, no one’s getting angry or drinking too much. It feels like a fucking family dinner.
Since when did we all become so boring?
The dinner starts off with a raucous debate on whether or not Jon Snow is alive or not on Game of Thrones. I try to catch Tess’s eye, but she’s looking down at her plate, refusing to make eye contact with anyone. Poor girl, she’s totally not ready for this dinner. Too much at once.
When the discussion turns to spouses and how long couples have been married, Claire’s mom mentions her husband passing away. Then JoJo’s dad says he’s a widower, too, and suddenly the conversation takes a depressing turn. Besides being boring, we’re also heavy as hell.
During the dessert course, I lean over to Ace.
“Dude, we gotta turn this night up a notch. I’m fucking losing my mind talking to our parents about fucking Game of Thrones and life insurance.”
“Do you have anything in mind?”
“We could ditch the parents, take the ladies to Hearts?” I suggest. But one glance at Tess and I can tell something is off with her, too. Probably being around so many people who know about or saw the video is upsetting. I hate putting her in a situation that makes her uneasy.
Ace raises an eyebrow. “You want to watch your girl get a lap dance?”
“I wanna watch her get off.”
Ace snorts. “Then you should take her back to your fucking apartment.”
“True,” I say to him, then lean over to whisper in Tess’s ear. “You wanna head to my place?”
“When?” she asks, a small look of desperation crossing her face.
“Now.”
I wake the next morning in a tangle of sheets. Today is the big day; I have to make a decision about the contract, and then put on a show.
Couple that with the fact that, ever since dinner last night, Tess has been a train wreck, and I don’t see how I can keep my head on straight. What I really need to do is find her father myself and bash his fucking brain in.