One wrong move and I could see her ass. That skirt is fuckin’ short.
I like it.
“Tony! There you are.” I turn to find my father striding toward me, a grim expression on his face. “Let’s go sit down.”
I follow him, grateful he’s not trying to introduce me to anyone else. He’s too determined to find our table. I don’t even understand how anyone actually knows where they’re supposed to be seated in this place, but I’m sure it’s some country club secret I’m not privy to.
Whatever. This isn’t my scene. And it probably never will be.
Once we find our table, I settle into the chair to the right of my Dad’s. Helena appears soon after us, her cheeks flushed, clutching a full glass of wine. I’d guess she’s had a few of those already, and Dad sends her a disapproving look. She ignores him, plopping into her seat and flipping her hair over her shoulder before she sets the glass down on the table.
“I saw you speaking to Lauri.” The irritation in my father’s voice is obvious.
Anger flashes in Helena’s eyes. “I can still be friends with her. It’s not my fault her boyfriend got the Kaminsky deal.”
Guess she’s not one to back down.
Dad glares. “I told you not to associate with their family.”
“You cannot control who I talk to, Anthony. I’m not a child,” Helena huffs, sounding exactly like a little kid. “Lauri is my friend. Can’t really say that about any of the other women in this room, so I’m going to keep talking to her whenever I can get the chance.”
“I don’t trust her boyfriend.”
“You shouldn’t.” Helena smiles. “I’m sure he’d love to get me alone and drill me about all of your secrets.”
It’s the way she says get me alone and drill me that has me raising my brows. Helena notices too. “Don’t give me that look. I saw you openly flirting with Hayden Channing,” she tosses out.
Dad whirls on me, anger flaring in his gaze. “You know Hayden?”
“I just met her at the dealership earlier—” I start, but he thrusts his finger in my face, his furious gaze meeting mine.
“Do not talk to her. You’re not allowed to even look at her, do you hear me?”
I lean back to get away from his shaking finger. “What’s the big deal? I don’t even know her.”
“Keep it that way.” Dad growls, reaching for his drink and slamming it back until there’s nothing left in the glass but ice.
I watch him, remaining quiet, wondering what the hell the Channing family did to him to make him so angry. Helena won’t even look up from her phone. Dad suddenly stands and leaves the table, and I watch him make his way toward the nearest bar.
“Don’t mind him.”
I glance over at Helena. “He’s pissed.”
“He’s always angry lately.” She shrugs.
“What did Channing do to him?”
“According to your father, Brian Channing has stolen three deals from him, all within the last couple of months.” Helena rolls her eyes. “I think he might be exaggerating though.”
“Bad blood then?”
“Terrible blood. I’ve been friends with Brian Channing’s girlfriend for a long time. Longer than I’ve been married to your father.” She gestures at me with her wineglass in hand. “You met her. She’s my friend, Lauri.”
Wait a minute. Lauri, the platinum blonde, is with Hayden’s dad? That’s her father’s girlfriend she was telling me about at the dealership?
“Got it.” I try not to react, but this is wild.
I’m connected to Range Rover Hayden and I didn’t even know it.
“You should probably avoid her. Hayden,” she clarifies when I look at her strangely, “spending time with her will set your dad off.”
“Not like he ever spends any time with me,” I say with a little shrug. “What does it matter to him who I’m with or what I’m doing?”
“I’m being serious, Tony. Like your father said, Hayden is off-limits. I won’t have you ruining my friendship with Lauri because you want to fuck Brian’s whorish daughter,” Helena retorts.
“Whorish? And who said I wanted to fuck her?”
The people sitting on the other side of the table are watching us with obvious interest. I have no idea who they are, but when I turn to glare at them, they look away quickly.
“You didn’t have to say anything. I saw the way you looked at her.” Helena smirks. “From what Lauri says, Hayden spreads her legs for pretty much anyone.”
I seriously cannot believe what Helena is saying to me. Why is she being so crude? So damn disrespectful? “Do you have a grudge against her or something?”
“I’m just letting you know the truth. It’s the least I can do for you, since you’re my stepson.” Her smile is brittle. “Just watching out for you, that’s all.”
Dad comes back with two glasses clutched in his hands, settling in his seat before he turns to Helena and starts whispering ferociously.
I ignore them, wishing I didn’t have to deal with them.
But thanks to Hayden, this night keeps getting more and more interesting.
Four
Hayden
“What were you doing talking to Tony Sorrento?” Dad asks me once he has me out on the dance floor.
Dinner was a painful affair of eating dry chicken and pretending to enjoy my father’s friends’ stories. They all talk about themselves and their successes and how much money they have. I know pretty much everyone at this country club tonight is rich and successful, but aren’t we more than that? Shouldn’t we be discussing world problems and what we can do about them, especially considering how much damn money everyone has?
But no. It’s one big my bank account is bigger than yours bragfest at this table.
Some of them have sons who accompanied them tonight. They’re all mildly attractive, I can’t lie. One in particular is extraordinarily good looking. He’s seated across from me and flashes a cocky smile in my direction every few minutes, as if he expects me to melt in my chair because he’s looking at me. His father lists his stats as if he’s a stud horse we might be interested in purchasing.
From the near salivating expression on my father’s face when they were talking, I’m thinking I wasn’t too far off the mark in my thoughts.
The stud in question is a lacrosse player. A senior at Harvard, pre-med. Wants to be a plastic surgeon like his father. Considering Lauri knows his father so well, I’m gathering he’s the one who gave her the recently purchased fake boobs that are practically spilling out of her blue dress.
I glance down at my own chest, feeling flat compared to Lauri. I have nothing against breast implants. I get why a lot of women want or have them. But I don’t think I want boobs so big they’ll bust out of everything I wear if I’m not careful.
“Who is Tony Sorrento?” I ask my father. I am playing innocent, and assuming Range Rover Tony is who he’s talking about.
And why wouldn’t I talk to him? He’s the hottest guy in this place, hands down.