Total pages in book: 69
Estimated words: 64366 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 322(@200wpm)___ 257(@250wpm)___ 215(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 64366 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 322(@200wpm)___ 257(@250wpm)___ 215(@300wpm)
“You’re probably safer here” I said. “At least here you won’t have guys posting naked pictures of you after you pass out.”
“We hope,” Farrah added. “Some of the guys are already pretty trashed.”
A quick scan of the room revealed that some of the attendees definitely seemed loose, which made me thirsty. “I’m going to get another drink, girls.”
They walked with me to the bar, where we all got refills. Thirty minutes later, I was draining my third Jack and Coke, and our little group had expanded to include me and six others— all girls. They were a rapt audience as I explained exactly what a journalism major entailed, and apparently it was a pretty funny subject, because I was bringing down the house when Kage walked up.
“Looks like you’re having a good time,” he said with a grin, wading through girls to get to me.
I raised my empty glass in salute. “That we are, Big Daddy.”
Several girls giggled, and Kage’s eyebrows flew up. “How much have you had to drink, Jamie?”
“Just enough, I think.”
He nodded. “Guess I need to play catch-up. Walk with me to the bar?”
I followed, and so did my entourage.
Farrah tapped Kage on the shoulder, and I think I saw her wince when he turned his shrewd gaze toward her. “Sorry to interrupt, but have you seen David Grand? He’s my boyfriend.”
“Yeah, I saw him head toward the restrooms.”
She took off to find her missing boyfriend without another word to any of us.
“So I see you’ve made some new friends.” He downed a double shot of tequila and set the glass down on the bar. “That’s nice. I was worried you’d be lonely.”
“Nope. I’m very popular with the UFC crowd. Lots of people want to be friends with Michael Kage’s assistant.”
“I’m sure they do. I couldn’t help but notice they’re all of the female persuasion.”
“What about it?” I leaned over to get the bartender’s attention for another drink, but Kage grabbed me by the arm and pulled me back. I scowled at him. “Why won’t you let me get another drink? I’m thirsty.”
“I think you’ve probably had enough. Don’t get me wrong. You’re adorable when you’re drunk, but I’ve got plans for tonight that don’t include you being unconscious.”
“Fine,” I huffed. “But I’m not drunk. I only had three drinks, and I’m just barely feeling it.”
“Well, something’s up with you. Are you upset? I know my uncle accosted you earlier, and we need to discuss that when we can get some privacy.”
“There’s nothing to discuss. He basically told me to fuck off or he’d call the school and report me for—” I glanced around to make sure no one was listening, then whispered, “sexual misconduct.”
I saw a wave of intense anger ripple across Kage’s features, and then it was gone, pushed down to wherever it was that he pushed those feelings that were too inconvenient to deal with. It seemed he did that a lot where his uncle was concerned. He leaned in close enough to speak against my ear. “Don’t worry, baby. I’ll take care of you.”
“Will you? I don’t know, I’m beginning to think it’s just a permanent part of what I signed on for. Am I gonna have to worry about this when I graduate? When I go for my first job interview? Oh, don’t mind those men in black. They’re just some thugs Kage’s crazy uncle hired to watch every fucking move I make.”
“Yeah, you’ve had too much to drink. We probably ought to call it a night.” He took me gently by the arm and led me toward the exit doors, but before we could get there, we discovered a surprise guest wandering around looking for Kage.
Vanessa Hale. Fuck.
She smiled brightly at Kage, but her pretty features drew tight as soon as she saw me. “Mikey… Jamie, I didn’t expect to see you here.”
“Likewise.” I didn’t even try to smile, because she looked way too good in her little black dress. She had that effortless kind of beauty, with barely-there makeup and long brown hair that fell in waves over one shoulder. The freckles and subtle gap between her front teeth set her apart from the clones who dominated the modeling industry. I loved her and hated her at the same time.
“Hi, Nessy.” Kage took her arm in his other hand and ushered the two of us to an empty table as far away from other people as possible. “What are you doing here? We were just leaving.”
Vanessa looked confused. “I was told by your PR team that you wanted me to do a publicity thing. That there would be reporters and photographers here.”
“There are,” Kage said. “But I was actually trying to avoid them. As far as I’m concerned, they got enough pictures of me during the press conference.”
“Oh.” Vanessa chewed at her lip. “When I was walking around the party looking for you, I may have told one of the photographers that he could get some shots of us together. I’m sorry, Kage. I had no idea you didn’t want to do it, so when he asked, I said yes.”