“Shit.” Cash shakes his head.
“Fuck,” Carson whispers, picking up a letter and slapping it over the desk for effect. “Just tell us you’re not sleeping with him.”
“What? Me? God no!” I’m going to hell in a hand basket. “I told you I—”
“Macy.” Cash rubs his eye raw for a moment. “Forget it. You’re a lousy liar.” He looks to his brother. “I’m going to have to kill him.”
“No! Please, no felonies! The only stripes you two look good in are pinstripes made especially for you by some Italian tailor. Besides, he’s harmless, and he’s turning out to be a good friend. He needed someone to talk to last night, so what? I’m a nice person.” I force a weak smile. “I take after you two.” In the very worst way.
“Did you sleep with him?” Carson seems to have missed my diatribe.
“Maybe. What’s it to you? Do you really want a roster of whom I let into my body? Key words, my body?” Burning me alive at the stake would feel less uncomfortable than this tragic turn of events.
“No.” Cash leans back, folding his arms with a level of irritation I’m horrified to have evoked in him. “You don’t owe us a roster, because according to Kate, you’ve never done that before.”
“God.” I bury my face in my hands for a moment. It’s part of my mother’s Bradley-is-an-asshole story. The words, She saved herself for that bastard, have been her battle cry, and to her credit has garnished both her and me some serious sympathy, not to mention employment. “Please, can we just leave the delicate parts of my body out of this? Look, I’ve given you the inside information you wanted. I believe a hefty bonus should be coming my way. And don’t cross your eyes, because I plan on getting on my feet with that money. Right now, I’m just three steps from Lincoln Lionheart’s bedroom.” The quicker I’m out from under my uncles’ thumbs the better.
Carson shakes his head. “Tell us something new—something, anything relevant directly related to Jinx. I’ll make sure a fat check lands in your pretty little hands that same hour.”
“He’s not doing anything wrong.” There goes my fat check.
“It doesn’t have to be wrong,” Cash coaxes. “We just want to make sure that when nobody is looking, Lincoln Lionheart isn’t sharpening his ax.”
I consider it for a moment. He’s always here working on something. I’m sure whatever it is it’s innocent, so I don’t see why not.
“Done. I’ll do some digging and see what I come up with.” A fire brews in my belly at the thought of snooping through Lincoln’s things. It’s bad enough I did it once. Those tiny crystal creatures spin through my mind, and a thought comes to me. “But I’d like for you to do one more thing for me in exchange.”
They lift their chins in unison.
“There was a girl he once dated named Jackie. It was way back in high school. I can’t seem to find out anything about her. She really did a number on him. Do you think there’s any way I can have access to something or someone who might tell me more about this person? Maybe talk to her myself?”
They frown in unison, too. Secretly, I find this adorable.
Cash offers a slow blink that exemplifies his displeasure with the situation far more than words. “We know our way around Sea Ridge. We’ll take care of it.” He leans hard over his desk, his eyes winnowing into mine with a profound amount of pity. “Do yourself a favor, and don’t get too involved with Lincoln. He’s not one of the good guys.”
Are you? My eyes ask the question for me. But I know they are, and I know Lincoln is, too.
“I’ll get your info as soon as possible.” I scoot to the door as if the room were burning down. “Whatever you do, please, don’t breathe that girl’s name. She’s still heavy on his radar.”
I should know. I’m the one who set off his alarm.
“Macy?” Carson calls, still sitting on the edge of his brother’s desk like a dutiful puppy. “Be careful.”
“I will.”
My heart jumps into my throat when I spot Lincoln at the end of the long, lonely hall speaking to his secretary. Was he watching me? Waiting for me? A million unsettling thoughts sift through my mind.
If it’s one thing I don’t feel, it’s careful.
* * *
Lincoln hits the gym after work. He’s invited me to have drinks with him and Luke afterward nearby, and I couldn’t refuse the offer. Two Lionhearts for the price of one? I suppose technically that’s not true, but their DNA would beg to differ. Besides, I might be the only mediator to keep them from killing each other. I thought about hitting the gym myself, but I’m in no mood to pump iron side by side with Lincoln, especially since my girl parts feel as if they’ve been punished with a rotary blade, so I sit in the café downstairs on the patio and sip that iced tea I missed out on earlier.
“Macy?” I turn to find Kinsley with Aspen and Stevie flanking her on either side. They have their briefcases with them, and their expensive Miu Miu bags parked high on their shoulders as they ready to head home for the day.
I give a brief wave that sends them all backtracking, and, oh God, here they come. I sink a little in my seat because I’m half-afraid they’re going to ask—
“How was it with Luke?” Stevie is exuberant even through her panting as each of them pulls up a seat and sits around me.
Is she kidding? I try to gauge their expressions. They look jovial, not condescending at all. I thought for sure once Lincoln kissed me and we took off together that our secret was out. Unless, of course, Luke said something and covered for me—something along the lines of Lincoln trying to make him insane.
“Me, me! I’m in! Don’t start without me!” Pepper shouts, tiptoe-jogging her way over like a cartoon character.
“Oh—um.” I swallow hard.
Aspen smacks Stevie on the arm. “Can’t you see? She’s embarrassed to talk about it.”
“We’ll talk in code.” Stevie winks at me as if to defuse the situation. “Did you two ever get a chance to get together and—connect?”
“You make them sound like Lego pieces.” Kinsley makes a face. “Did you dance without pants?”
Kill me.
Aspen rolls her eyes. “What my sisters are not-poetically trying to say is, did you discuss the birds and the bees?”
“Discuss nothing.” Pepper takes a swig from my drink. “Did you study up for your anatomy final? Make the beast with two backs?”
“I hate that one so much.” Stevie looks about as sick as I am.
Pepper’s cheek twitches. “Did he put dew on your flower?”
A part of me wants to interject something into this cliché funfest like, his dick was so big he needed to use a Hefty bag for a condom, which isn’t a far stretch from reality.
Stevie holds up a hand. “Let’s just call it the wild thing and be done with it. How is your vajayjay?”
“Sore.” I’m quick to fess up. “I didn’t think it’d be this bad.”
Stevie gives an aggressive nod. “I seriously faked an ankle injury just so I could use crutches.”
“What?” Aspen smacks her as the table erupts in laughter. “That’s pretty ingenious.”
Pepper tries to slide me my drink, but I slide it right back her way. “I was a camp counselor and needed to go on a hike with a bunch of sixth graders the next day. Talk about a living hell.”
A collective groan circles around the table.
“Why don’t more women talk about this?” A laugh bubbles out with the words. “Don’t get me wrong. It was pretty perfect, but, no lie, his man parts could be claimed as national monuments. He should come with a sign, Objects in boxers are larger than they appear.”
The girls break out in a riot of laughter. I’m pretty sure if they knew it was Lincoln I was talking about I’d be met with retching and throat punches.
“So, how did the logistics of this work?” Kinsley’s goofy grin quickly deflects from her pretty round face. “You went home with Lincoln.” She squints out the words like an accusation. Shit. Sh
e knows. Doesn’t she?
“Oh, I—”
“Never mind logistics.” Pepper leans in. “Did you spend the night?” Her eyes widen as pale as the sky behind her. “The hallmark of a true gentleman is not kicking a girl out of bed.”
“So obnoxious,” Kinsley agrees.
“Of course, he didn’t kick me out.” I scan the area for Luke. I’ll have to keep him updated on this latest installment of How My Vagina Turns. He’s going to be sorry he ever got tied to a proverbial bed sheet with me.
“Speaking of not kicking a girl out of bed.” Kinsley drums her bright pink nails over the table. “I think Lincoln might have had an all night visitor himself.”
“What?” Aspen widens the dark cave of her mouth.
Must all his siblings be apprised of his sexual habits? It’s a bit creepy if you ask me.
“It’s true.” Kinsley tilts into the admission as if she is just as surprised as they are. “I heard screaming from Lincoln’s bedroom this morning.”
Screaming! Oh, fuck me.
“I did, too,” I say nervously while swiping my drink back from Pepper. I give her a look that says, What, is this junior high? All eyes are suddenly on me. “It was obnoxious. He’s got women crawling in and out of there at all hours like it’s a brothel.” I roll my eyes, trying not to blush from the lie. I hate liars, and now I’m one of them. Gifting your virginity to a stranger? Lying about it? What’s next? Strangling someone with my vagina? I’ll go down in infamy as the Vagina Strangler. Who knew my lower half would ultimately be my undoing?
The girls don’t say anything. It’s as if the joy has been sucked right out of their souls.
“What? Did my deodorant quit on me?” I lift an arm and pretend to sniff.
Kinsley leans in with suspicion. “I thought you said you spent the night at Luke’s?”
“Oh, right, I did.” Shit, shit, shit! “I had him drop me off early to change. I’m sort of new to the walk of shame. I didn’t want to look, you know, unkempt.” I swallow the penis-sized rock lodged in my throat. “He had to hit the gym, so he didn’t mind.” Is there a Lying Olympics? I’m sure to medal with the way my mouth keeps pumping out the fallacies.
Both Stevie and Aspen mention something about having to get home and offer their congratulatory hugs as if I had just received a promotion.
“He’s so great,” Stevie whispers into my ear. “You two make a perfect pair. I’ll hold off telling Ford. He might want to kill him.”
“Same here,” Aspen agrees. “I know things sort of catapulted between the two of you, but try to savor it and enjoy the moment. There’s nothing like the beginning of true love. This is one of the best moments of your life.” She rounds her hand over her belly. “Until you get to this part. But don’t rush it!” They take off as do Kinsley and Pepper. Kinsley turns and slices me with those pale L.A. sky eyes, and my gut pinches because I’m still willing to bet she knows.
Great. Now to explain to Luke and Lincoln that I’ve wrapped the web around us all just a little bit tighter. Not to mention the fact that Kinsley is going to think I’m a turd for lying if she ever finds out.
Lincoln strides off the elevator as if on cue. He has a new suit on, his shirt pressed crisp gleams under his dark navy tie.
“You ready for a drink?”
“Sure am.” I head over, careful not to take up his hand the way instinct demands. I’ll need at least two drinks to wash away Cash and Carson—the fact I asked them to spy on Lincoln’s ex in exchange for my own “undercover” work. And the fact the state of my hymen has been the topic of conversation around the office today might require another drink all on its own.
Three drinks?
On second thought, I’ll need twenty.
* * *
Gravity squats wide over a dodgy-looking street with storefronts covered in brick and not a lot of promise. This is a neighborhood that screams, All ye who enter into business here abandon all hope, yet Gravity demands to be the queen that she is, donning her crown, her royal neon jewels as the spotlight of attention rains over on her. Down the road is Kinx, Jinx’s version of my-penis-is-bigger-and-better-than-yours.
“So, why the conglomerate of clubs in such a non-assuming place?” It would have made more sense to have planted them on Sunset, somewhere near the Viper Room simply to give people more options, not that Hollywood is running low on clubbing venues.
Luke and Lincoln sit on either side of me—Luke with his easy, happy-go-lucky demeanor, and Lincoln with his brooding wounded warrior routine, which, by the way, slays me every single time.
“Merlin swiped the idea from Jinx,” Luke says it a touch more somber than he’s known to be. “They lifted the files and opened up shop before Jinx knew what hit them.” He points his beer toward Lincoln. “You stole the name, too. Is that correct?”
Lincoln growls, and my thighs quiver in response. It’s like he’s trained them to respond to the sound of his voice, especially when it sounds so deliciously dirty.
“Really?” A sick feeling spreads through me in a slow quiet burst, an ink bottle crushed in the sea with its navy tendrils polluting something that was once pristine. “Did you steal Gravity?” I pretend to sound awed by this, but my voice wavers, giving me away.
“Someone did.” He rubs his thumb over the rim of his glass, bourbon neat. “I never said Merlin was an angel.” He glares at Luke. “What’s going on? You want money? Is that what this is about? Revenge?”
Luke inches back, appalled by the accusation. “Just grateful for the job. Grad school broke my back financially, so the steady income is nice. I’ve known our father for quite some time. I’m not here out of the blue if that’s what you’re thinking. I’m not sure why he decided to keep me from you or my sisters, but that’s his deal, not mine.” He chugs down a few swigs, his eyes widening a lucent silver as he looks to the ceiling.
“Good,” Lincoln says, never taking his gaze from his new brother. “I’m here, so just know if there’s some funny shit you’re thinking about, you’d better think twice.”
Luke looks to me, remorseful that I happen to be here while Lincoln hands him his balls. “No worries. I’m not up to anything, and believe me, I know that if I were up to no good, you’d have my dick shoved down my throat before I could get away with it.”
The euphemism wasn’t necessary, but then with Lincoln, you never know what words will work. Sometimes, you need to push him just enough to get a response out of him. He’s a stubborn jar you need to slam against the counter just to get it to open for you.
“Good.” Lincoln inhales, and his lips curve ever so slightly.
Opened easy as that? I’m not buying it.
“So, tell me about your mom. Where did she and Hans meet?” Lincoln is loosening, breathing, for the first time since we arrived.
“She’s an art dealer in SoHo. Just business, no actual artistry involved. He brokered a deal between her and one of the girls’ mothers.” Luke snaps his fingers as if trying to remember a name, but Lincoln isn’t offering him the out. “Is it Aspen’s mother who runs the studio?”
“Stevie’s.”
“Right, Stevie.” His expression grows somber. “I remember when he came out and visited not long after Claire died. He was really in bad shape. My mother begged him to stay for a few days in the guest room, but he said he needed to get back. He broke down and cried that day. It was the first time he hugged me goodbye,” he whispers, staring straight ahead at nothing in particular. “It’s not often that man shows emotion.”
“You’d have to die to squeeze a tear from him.” Lincoln tips his glass toward him as if toasting.
“He didn’t make any of my highlights, skipped graduation, and all that crap.” Luke shrugs. “We had dinner whenever he was in town, and that was about it. My mother says I have his intuition.” His cheek rises on one side with the admission.
“Don’t feel too bad. He didn’t make many of mine either.”
What’s this? A bond forming ov
er their shared neglected childhood? I’m impressed and slightly saddened.
“I think you both turned out great.” I lay a hand over each of theirs. “And, I think over time, you’ll be great friends. In the meantime, you are brothers.”
“Blood is thicker than water.” Luke is quick to hurl the euphemism. He knows better. It’s like he’s teasing poor Linc. “It sounds stupid, but since I’ve been here, I’ve been watching you. You’re it, man. Everyone shows you the respect you demand. I admire that quality, and I’m really happy that out of all the people on the planet, you’re my brother.”
“Watching me, huh?” Lincoln is no more interested in Luke than he is a gnat. He’s not even trying anymore. That proverbial jar of his is hermetically sealed. “I care a lot about my family—my sisters in particular. I don’t mind the idea of having a brother, but respect is earned, and before we start bellying up to the bar on a regular basis, you’ll have to do just that—earn it.” He lays a hard inflection on those last few words.
“Earn it?” I mold the strawberry daiquiri I’ve been nursing to my lips, virgin, like my burning vagina wishes it still was. “Is that what I have to do, too?”
“What are you trying to earn?” Luke sounds a little peeved at the concept of me having to earn something from Lincoln.
“Respect, like you.” Lincoln hoods his lids at his brother.
Luke leans in, that good-natured smile of his dispelling quickly. “Macy told me that you and she have this thing.”
“We don’t have a thing.” Lincoln doesn’t have the balls to look at me when he says it. “We have a fling, as in a temporary situation.”
I nod as if I’m fine with the idea. “And your sisters still think I slept with Luke.” I knock a shoulder into him. “Thanks for the cover.” Not sure why I went there, but Lincoln’s comment felt like a barbed wire strangling my heart. Maybe this is my way of saying this “fling” isn’t that important to me. “It’s a stupid story,” I say to Lincoln. “Just thank God your new brother doesn’t mind propagating the lie.”