Page 129 of Submission

I give him a side eye which silently communicates to him to shut the fuck up.

“Thanks, Lena,” I say. “Add whatever you think is good to the menu.”

“Ooh, stuffed mushrooms are my fav’,” Vaughn says as he grabs a cocktail napkin and helps himself.

“I thought you’d decide,” she says carefully to me. “Maybe pick your favorites?”

Of course.

I’m an idiot.

She wants my approval.

“Right,” I agree. “Then why don’t you just leave the platter on the table so I can sample it while we finish our meeting.”

“Okay, then.” She offers me a slight smile, avoiding Christian’s eyes. “Just don’t let your friends eat everything.”

“I won’t.”

“I’ll leave you to it then,” she says to the three of us, walking confidently away, and I swear if he weren’t my best friend, I’d jab a knife into one of Christian’s eye sockets — he’s clearly watching her ass.

“She’s getting comfortable with you,” Vaughn notices. “That’s good.”

I nod quietly, waiting to hear what Christian is going to add, but he doesn’t say a thing, only making me feel more uneasy about his obvious growing feelings for my sister. I’ve been trying to lean into Megan’s advice for me to not obsess about something that hasn’t even happened between them yet but it’s hard as hell.

“Damn, this mushroom is good,” Vaughn comments looking between the two of us with newfound curiosity. “What the fuck is wrong with you two now?”

“Nothing,” Christian says.

“This isn’t what we do,” Vaughn says. “The three of us have never lied to each other, and that sounded like a big one.”

“I didn’t ask you here to talk about whatever issues Christian and I may or may not have,” I say in a steely voice. “I brought you here to help me tie up loose ends so we can all move forward.I’ve got a business to run, and you two have lives you need to get back to. You can’t babysit me forever.”

“And so I’m just supposed to ignore that there is tension among us?” Vaughn asks, chewing his food obnoxiously.

“Not between us,” I correct him. “It’s between me and Christian, and for once in your life, it’s none of your concern.”

“Chris?” Vaughn looks over at Christian, who gives me a once-over before answering.

“Hunter’s right. It’s between me and him. Let’s drop it.”

“Well, you two better work it out fast. This uncertainty doesn’t sit right with me. We work better when we’re a tight unit.”

“We are a tight unit,” Christian says resolutely. “There’s nothing to worry about, Vaughn,” he says, grabbing a chicken wing covered in some sort of sticky honey-colored sauce. “Besides, why are you pretending like you don’t already know what’s going on?”

“Like Hunt said, it’s none of my business, right?” he scoffs. “Well, all right then, gentlemen. Let’s talk about tightening up loose ends.”

By the time we’ve finished our platter of appetizers and a round of drinks, the three of us have figured out a plan to assure my business associates that the Blue Whiskey is safe and that I’m in complete control of all of my business affairs. While we still haven’t figured everything out regarding who may have had a hand in Jonathan’s ill-fated plan to destroy me, it doesn’t matter. Whoever it is knows now that I’ll crush anyone who comes for me, and more than likely, they have made the smart decision to rethink their position.

We agree that while the club will always remain my central hub, I should consider moving myself and Megan to another location. The one thing I always hoped was to keep private where I lived, but now that they have violated my home, we’re fair gamefor any random Tom, Dick, and Harry who doesn’t know any better. And since I know Megan will protest raising a baby under the protection of armed guards, my only alternative is to relocate us.

“What will you do about the friend?” Vaughn asks about Naomi.

“She can stay at the apartment if she chooses, but I’m sure her family will have a few things to say about that.”

“Not sure Megan is going to like that,” Christian says.

“You’re right. She won’t. But I can stand a little heat at home as long as I’m protecting it.”

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