“Not getting married.”
“I’m well aware. Anyone interesting?”
“A few. It’s a little harder for some of us to find people to go home with. We have to work a lot harder. Particularly without my wingwoman.”
I frowned at her. I felt bad the gay scene wasn’t better here.
“Oh, don’t pout. I was really glad you didn’t come back to the room last night. I brought this kindergarten teacher from Toledo back to the room.”
“Whoa. Steamy?”
“She was a naughty girl. She says the Toledo scene isn’t that great, so she has to travel for kicks. Do you think you can get Scott’s phone? He must have records, banking stuff on it, right?”
Her words hurt a little, and it surprised me. I didn’t want to snoop through his phone.
Susie saw my hesitation and propped herself up on one elbow, her generous, tattooed chest threatening to spill out of her black, one-piece bathing suit. Little white dots gave it the rockabilly feel Susie loved. “Don’t go soft on us. You’re his wife. What’s his is yours. It’s legal now. You said there wasn’t a prenup.” I opened and closed my mouth, swallowing a lump. “You need a man right now like a fish needs a bicycle, sweetie. He’s the rebound. A lucrative rebound that’s going to explode your career.”
“It’s not right.”
“It’s not right for him to move money around in shady ways. I can’t get a handle on exactly what he’s doing, though. If you can get some bank account numbers, I’ll have it all figured out, and the merger won’t go through.”
Moore and Golden hired us to uncover tax fraud. They wanted to absorb Percival Hall’s investment firm into their own. The merger with Creed Enterprises would mean it could never happen.
“Does he talk about Serena?” Susie asked.
“He hasn’t, no.”
“I bet she’s got some crazy financial stuff going on. Did you see someone hacked her phone?” Susie made air quotes with her fingers. “Another batch of nude photos were leaked. Video this time. Her and two dudes.”
“We all make mistakes.”
“She’s sharing them herself to get attention.”
“You don’t know that.”
“Your sister-in-law is crazy.”
My phone buzzed in my bag, and I dug it out. When I saw a text from Scott, I broke into a grin.
“Girl, don’t get caught up with him. Do you need me to show you the ranks of Scott Creed ex-lovers? He’s interested now, but he’s not going to stay interested. First time someone younger and blonder walks by, you’re toast. Remember in 2013, how he was married to that pop singer for like a month? Big wedding, even bigger divorce.”
Crap, I’d forgotten about that. On the one hand, WTF? On the other, Lucas and I never even made it to a wedding.
His text read, Drinks in a bit? I felt much better than I had the day before and was ready to get back out on the strip and party.
Sure, I texted back. Where?
Tao nightclub at Palazzo?
Okay. Nine?
See you then.
I racked my brain for clubbing clothes. I could put something together.
“Where are you meeting him?” Susie peered over my shoulder.
“Tao,” I said.
“Wear my silver dress.”
“Uh, no.”
“You certainly don’t have anything else that will fit in there. Do the silver one.”
“That’s, like, not even real clothing.”
“Exactly.”
It was Vegas, right? And what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas, like this marriage. I let Susie dress me to go out, curling waves in my long brown hair and wearing the silver dress. The halter mini-dress barely covered anything. Front and back rucking gave it a draped look, and the neckline almost showed off my belly button. My back was entirely exposed, and the dress barely covered my butt.
Susie frowned at me. “I wear it better. I’ve always had really good luck getting laid in that dress. Godspeed, and I wish you the best.”
“Thanks.” I wondered how one washed the metallic-looking fabric and decided it was best not to think about it. Susie’s feet were about the same size as mine, and she handed me a ridiculous pair of strappy silver stiletto sandals.
“To dance in?”
“It hurts to look good.”
“Literally, apparently.”
Susie walked with me to the Palazzo, where she broke off to meet her kindergarten teacher again. I stood outside the club and gaped at the long line outside. A bouncer carefully checked IDs. Where was Scott? Should I just get in line? Ugh, I hated this shit.
The lack of the unknown was kind of what I liked so much about being with Lucas. After so long, we were always together, and there was no ambiguity of any kind about where exactly to meet. Thinking of him brought up the image of Monica riding him, and a lump formed in my throat. No, I didn’t want to be sad thinking about him, certainly not standing in the lobby at the Palazzo, dressed like a streetwalker. I will say that Susie was dead on; I fit in with all the other women in line at the club.
I tried to will away thoughts of Lucas and what could have been between us. Clearly, the answer to that was nothing, as he didn’t care enough about me to be faithful.
“Come on, this way.”
Scott appeared behind me and sort of power-walked past me, beckoning me to follow. Well, okay then. Hello and good evening to you, too. Scott wore a dark grey, three-quarter sleeve blazer over a V-necked, striped t-shirt. He wore jeans so dark blue they were almost black and black leather shoes. His hair was slicked back almost into a pompadour. He and Susie would get along famously.
I struggled to keep up with him in the crazy shoes. I tottered along, hoping none of the paparazzi saw him and snapped photos of us together. We bypassed the bouncer and went in through a different entrance, where we were greeted. “Welcome, Mr. Creed. Miss.”
I nodded politely to the bouncer. They didn’t check our IDs. Scott led me into a glass elevator lined with bright green neon up to what I can only describe as a sky box. It looked out over the sea of revelers and featured a huge leather sofa and fully stocked bar. The location of the box and the angle of the sound system muted the music a bit.
“Drink?”
“Hey, are you all right? You seem a little off.” I thought about the two of us, wrapped in sheets, eating breakfast in bed and laughing.
He quirked an eyebrow at me and frowned. “Do you want a drink?”
“Yes. Jack and Coke, please.”
Scott busied himself making it, pouring himself three fingers of whiskey around an ice cube. “Sit.”
I sat, relieved to be off my feet. He seemed pissed at me.
“You look amazing,” he said.
“Thanks. What’s up?”
“You’re not wearing your ring,” he noted.
I opened my mouth to tell him he wasn’t wearing his either, but a glance confirmed he was. I didn’t really have an answer. Mr. Fuller wanted me to keep this going back to New York. A whole lot of money depended on it. Maybe the difference between being able to get a place to live or sleeping in Susie’s spare room.
“I guess we should talk about it, huh?”
“Talk about what?” Scott asked. He leaned against the railing, the club lights and music at his back. I couldn’t see his face.