High Stakes (The Kingdom Book 2) (10 page)

He gives me a chaste kiss on my lips, before loosening his arms from around me and taking my hand. He kisses each of my fingertips before letting go and marching purposefully out of the room. He kisses his mom, who has come in from the balcony, on the cheek as he walks past her, and she looks at him a little perplexed.

“Girls, can one of you fill me in?” Dana questions.

Lottie looks to me, and I raise my brows to give her the opportunity to tell Dana what’s going on. She gives a small shake of her head, and the pleading look in her eyes tell me she can’t voice it all again. I really feel for her in that moment. I know how she feels. I’ve been there a thousand times and every time felt as bad as the first. The difference was, I was never brave enough to tell anyone, until now.

“Uh … Lottie had some trouble at work is all, and Denham has some more things to do. He won’t be long. He said to order whatever we would like. Did you find more Prosecco in the fridge, Lottie?” I prompt. I know she knows Denham is sorting it out. He’s probably filled Spike in, well, as much as he can right now, and I imagine they are on their way to see Lottie’s ex-boss as we speak. But I don’t want her worrying about it, and Dana and I will need to keep her occupied for however long it takes for them to get back here.

“Uh, earth to Lottie … Come on, chica, let’s drink.” I link my arm in hers, and she puts on a brave face and strides off in the direction of the fridge mumbling aggravated words under her breath.

“How fucking dare he … I mean, all I did was throw a drink over an asshole customer. It probably deserved getting fired over, actually. I understand that. But, who does he think he is? Putting his hands all over me. How fucking dare he, Ari!” I almost run to keep up with her, and I’m pleased that she’s starting to feel the anger; it means she’s getting past the deep emotional stuff. She stops at the fridge and flings open the door, it reaches maximum extension and bounces back, making jars and bottles stored in the door knock together and rattle. “Ugh, I feel so fucking stupid. Fuck, fuck, fuck. I am not a weak fucking pussy that will let a dickweed like him push me around.”

“Lottie, it’s …”

“Don’t! Don’t tell me it’s perfectly normal to feel scared or cry like a baby. It might be normal for every other woman on this earth, but not me. I’m not a fucking pussy, Arianna. I am Charlotte fucking Miller. I might be small, but I am a fierce, fiery redhead and I will not be pushed around.” Her voice is getting louder and I know we are finding our way back to the Lottie we all know. “I can’t believe I let someone make me feel like that. I might be small in stature but I am not going to be made to feel little and worthless and scared. Damn, stupid fucker made me feel scared. How dare he, Ari! In fact, I’m going to show that sleazy bastard what it’s like to hurt.” She points her index finger at nothing in particular, before popping the cap on a bottle of beer and slamming the bottle down on the countertop. She takes a huge breath and throws her head back. That right there, was therapy. The beer that has been shaken and slammed, pushes up through the neck of the bottle, spraying all over the countertop and Lottie too. I clamp my lips between my teeth to keep from laughing, and Lottie looks between Dana and I, and starts to laugh. Dana follows and before long, we are all belly laughing. Dana crosses the room, and pulls Lottie in for a tight hug, kissing the top of her head.

“Aw, girls. What are we going to do? Arianna, come here …” she beckons. Dana wraps one arm around Lottie’s shoulder, and one around mine. “Now, I think we should take my boy up on his offer … let’s get some more to drink, and something to eat if you’re planning on drinking a lot, Lottie.”

Lottie’s mouth falls open and she feigns shock “Me? Why do you aim that statement at me?”

Dana just raises a brow, and goes back into the lounge to call for more Prosecco.

“Come on babe, let’s drink and forget!” I say, holding out my hand for Lottie to take. She gives me a smile, although I know it’s pained for her. She’s a tough cookie, we all know that. But, everyone has a weak point, an Achilles heel. And Lottie’s ex-boss hit it today. I think it frightened her, as she never likes to seem weak or helpless, but it only served to remind her that she’s only human. I hope it also reminds her, that she has fabulous people around her that care deeply.

Two bottles of chilled Prosecco are delivered, and we almost manage a whole one before the boys come back. I think we succeeded in keeping Lottie’s mind off things, but I was totally aware of the time, and they had been gone for about an hour. When they stride through the door, Lottie’s face pales. Spike walks toward her with a casual air about him, and Denham goes to the fridge, grabs two bottles of beer, and pops the caps. Spike reaches into his back pocket and pulls out a thick wad of bills, then, standing behind the couch, he drops them into Lottie’s lap. He bends over the leather back of the couch and drapes his arms around Lottie’s neck pulling her tight to him and whispering something in her ear. She smiles and he kisses her cheek, before taking a beer from Denham as he walks past. They chink the necks of their bottles, grin, wink and sit next to Lottie and I respectively. We all look at each other with confusion on our faces, perplexed at their nonchalance.

“Do you boys want to tell us what’s going on?” I ask.

Dana stays quiet, but wears a proud smile at the men her boys have grown into.

“Nothing to say,” Denham answers. “Lottie’s boss fucked up, didn’t he? He paid. End of.” He shrugs.

“Denham! What did you do?” Lottie asks worriedly.

“Nothing that asshole didn’t deserve. I don’t think he will be grabbing anyone for a while, and after that, he will hurt even if he thinks about it.” Denham seems pleased with himself, and Spike is totally comfortable with whatever went down. After all, he was protecting his girl. Neither of them have marks on their knuckles or anywhere else that I can see, and knowing these two, they just roughed him up a bit, and scared him enough to never do it again.

“And where did all this money come from?” Lottie questions. “There’s got to be over a thousand bucks here,” she says flicking the corner of the bills.

“Two actually. Two grand, no questions. It’s wages you would have had, had you not been forced from your job. Now you can chill for a few weeks, and maybe find a job that you actually want to be doing,” Spike answers, casually taking a long swig from his bottle.

“For fuck’s sake, I’m not a—”

“I know, I know. You’re not a charity case. You want to find your own way. Lottie, will you just take the fucking money and enjoy it? You fucking earned this after what that prick did to you today, so just stop trying to be all big and ferocious, and drink up.”

That’s the most I’ve ever seen anyone, other than Lottie’s parents, argue back at her. Spike is trying to act all cool, but you can tell that he’s slightly tense just waiting for Lottie’s reaction to his little speech. But, she shocks everyone and doesn’t say a thing. She reaches forward, dropping the cash on the table and picks up her glass.

“Thank you,” she mumbles before taking several very big gulps of Prosecco.

Spike relaxes and kisses her cheek. The mood around the room is lightened, and it’s Dana that breaks the quiet.

“Well, I’m going to leave you kids to it.” She stands and comes to rest a hand on Denham’s shoulder.

“You won’t stay for supper, mom?” he asks. “Where’s Tara today anyway?”

“No, I’m out with the girls for cocktails tonight, thank you darling. She’s out with a boyfriend. I don’t know if he’s a boy ‘friend’ or a boyfriend. I don’t like to ask too many questions.”

“You should ask. I would,” Denham replies sharply, taking a swig of his beer.

“Yes, I know you would. But she’s not a little girl anymore, and she needs to find her own way. I’m sure there will be plenty of mistakes and heartbreak, but it’s nothing that either of you boys haven’t done.” She looks between them pointedly, and neither of them has anything else to say. “Now, I have to get going.” Dana picks up her purse, and both the men stand to give her a peck on the cheek.

“Jack will take you home, Mom,” Denham says.

“Oh no, it’s fine, I’ll walk.”

“Jack will take you home. He will be waiting in the foyer by the time you get downstairs,” he insists kindly but firmly, and it’s clear that there’s no room for negotiations.

“If it makes you happy, Denham.” Dana relents with a roll of her eyes, and an affectionate smile. It’s very clear that Denham feels the need to look over everyone like the head of the family. It’s endearing but also a little heartbreaking that he doesn’t still have his dad around to do that. It’s a heavy weight to carry on his shoulders.

I stand to say goodbye to Dana, and she pulls me in for a hug.

“Now, you make sure you rest up and I’ll be in to see you, and the latest delivery at the boutique, sometime this week.”

She hugs Lottie, and tells her to call if she needs her. I feel like there’s a mother/daughter friendship going on between those them, and knowing that Lottie’s not very close to her own mother, I’m pleased that she has someone in her life that can be a mother figure and a friend to her.

“We need to go, too,” Spike says. He drops his bottle on to the coffee table and takes Lottie’s hand. “Ready?”

“Where are we going?” she asks.

“Home to my place. Would you rather go to yours instead?”

“No, I’d rather stay here. Arianna has nicer Prosecco than us, and I am enjoying her company,” she says indignantly with a deep frown on her face and I swear I saw her foot twitch, getting ready to stomp it with a tantrum. I glance at Denham, who’s smirking at them. They are like a comedy duo act, and actually if they do stay, I could watch them all night.

“Well, that wasn’t an option. Your place or mine.” Spike sighs. He’s bossy tonight proving to Lottie that he can, and will, take care of her. And as much as she protests and argues back, I think she secretly likes it when he takes control.

I catch Lottie’s lips curl upwards just a fraction, and it reaches her eyes making her look mischievous. “I want to stay here.”

“Don’t make me spell it out for you … Your place …” He pauses and looks to me with a wink. “Or mine?”

Lottie pouts and drops her shoulders like a teenager that can’t get her own way. “Can’t we go out for—”

Lottie doesn’t get to finish her sentence before Spike picks her up and tosses her over his shoulder in a fireman’s lift. She squeals and he slaps her ass. She continues to shriek as Spike marches with her slung over his shoulder all the way to the door. He opens it skillfully one handed “Say goodbye, Lottie,” he instructs.

“BYE!” she shouts through her laughter.

Dana grabs up Lottie’s purse and shoes before pulling the door shut behind them all, and I can still hear Lottie laughing and screaming until the elevator descends.

I turn and curl myself into Denham. His warm body envelops me, and somehow makes me relax and feel sleepy. I sigh a contented breath and nuzzle into his chest.

“You must be tired, huh?”

“Yeah,” I answer. He strokes my hair and rests his chin carefully on the top of my head avoiding the bump that’s still there from where I fell. “You going to tell me what happened with Lottie’s boss?”

“Nope.” He stiffens momentarily then changes the subject. “How much did you drink today?”

“I don’t know. Two, maybe three glasses …”

“No more for you.”

“Yes, dad. Why won’t you tell me?” I ask. I know it’s pushing him and I don’t know why I even want to know, but the fact that he won’t tell me makes me more curious.

“Because you don’t need to know,” he answers with finality. “You need to eat. Then rest. You’ve had some pretty strong painkillers and a real nasty concussion over the last twenty four hours, and I don’t think it would help to add more alcohol into the mix.”

I can’t help but grin at him. I don’t actually want any more to drink today anyway. It’s been a long, tiring day. I’m drained emotionally and physically, and now my limbs are starting to protest. I give up on questioning him about Lottie’s asshole boss. He’s right, I don’t need to know. It’s over and done with.

“Is it time for bed yet?” I ask.

“Arianna. If you want to go to bed, you can go to bed. I might be looking after you, but I am not your parent, and you don’t need to ask if you can go to bed.”

“I know, but I don’t want to sleep on my own.”

“What makes you think I’ll let you sleep on your own?”

“I was hoping you would say that. Can we stay here?” I look up at him with my arms still wrapped around his waist and catch a sparkle in his eyes.

“We can stay wherever you want, Ari.”