Page 21 of Snapshot

I tried, but I couldn’t look past it. It reminded me of the friends I grew up around and what I was trying to escape. Name brand this, name brand that. What you’re wearing or driving defines your worth.

Leah’s dad could’ve used a new sitting chair. Their house needed repairs. Leah’s mom had a bad back and weak knees, and it was hard for her to keep up with the house. I suggested a cleaning service once a week so she didn’t have to bear the burden alone. But instead, Leah drained their account for a purse.

I returned the bag I bought for her and ordered a cleaning service for her parents for an entire year. I had the vendor tell them they won a sweepstakes. Then, I ended things with Leah.She wasn’t happy, but I’d hardly call her the vengeful type. It’s been six months. I’m sure she doesn’t even think of me anymore.

“Did you tell Dottie?”

“Yeah,” I say with a shrug. “I told Grandma everything.”

“Funny, you’d think she would’ve mentioned it to me,” Denny mutters. “Okay, well…” She holds out her left hand, her large diamond catching a glint of the overhead lighting. She’s been divorced for nearly two decades. Her ex is remarried, yet she still wears it. “I’ll be right in the front row. If you start feeling any type of way, just give the signal and I will take over, okay?”

I nod. “Okay.”

“Dex?” Denny rakes over my hair, making a makeshift comb with her fingers. It’s the same way she’s been fussing over me since I was a little boy. “I’m glad you’re home. It’s time to take your throne, and I’ll be right here beside you. If no one else, you have me. You’re not alone. You can trust me.”

Throne?So dramatic. But she’s not wrong. There’s a lot of responsibility on a man whose total net worth is now a little north of eighteen billion dollars. It’s not just my duty to my company but to the economy. Every decision I make from here on out isn’t simply about business. It has to be strategic. A declaration of who I am and what I align with. When it comes to money like this, life is a giant game of chess. One you’ll never win. Grandma bore the burden for far too long, and now it’s my turn. I have a game to play, even if all I want is to disappear into the ocean.

I grab Denny’s free hand, squeezing the tip of her fingertips and rubbing my thumb over the bright red polish. The same shade Grandma would always wear. “Thank God you’re here, Denny.”

She smiles. “Come on,” she says, nodding to the door. “Let’s go say goodbye.”

5

Lennox

Present Day

Las Vegas

The dim glow of the small TV is the only light in my bedroom. Alan kisses me on my temple before pulling me tighter into his bare chest. My bed creaks loudly, even at the most subtle movements. This mattress has seen better days, that’s for sure. But replacing it is low on the priority list. First, see a dentist for my aching molar. Next, figure out why my car is making that wheezing sound. Third, replace my mattress.

Actually, scratch that. Before replacing my mattress, I really need to look into a new living situation. I share a tiny apartment with my roommate, Grace. She’s a little quiet, definitely a wallflower, but she’s kind and considerate. Oftentimes, she picks me up a soda and a candy bar when she swings by the gas station. She leaves it on the kitchen counter, always with the same little note:For my favorite roomie.It’s sweet, but I highly suspect it’s a bribe, so I don’t go poking my nose into herbusiness. I am almost certain Grace is not her real name and that she’s using her room to store the drugs she distributes.

I can’t be certain. I’m not in the business of raiding people’s rooms when they’re away. Nor am I a snitch. As long as I don’t see any dead bodies or questionable sleepy-eyed women going in and out of my apartment, my lips are sealed. It’s Las Vegas. The city of sin. Everybody is drunk, high, or some combination of the two. It could all be in my head, and blue-eyed, blond-haired, sweet Grace is really just a normal roommate who happens to have four burner phones and pill cutters in every color.

I highly doubt it, though.I’m pretty positive she’s dealing prescription drugs.

Alan lets out a low hum, a sheepish, satisfied smile on his face. “I think that was our best sex ever.”

“Definitely.”Liar.I silently scold myself.Just tell him the truth. He’s sweet, handsome, polite…and has never once given you an orgasm.Maybe I just need to hold his hand through more adventurous stuff. Perhaps he’s waiting for an invitation. “I have an idea,” I say.

“What idea, Lennox?” he asks.

Lennox?That’s another thing… Alan always calls me by my name, and it makes me feel like I’m in trouble. Okay, this is actually a good first step to opening this conversation. I won’t tell him about the leather cuffs and anal beads I have in the back of my closet yet, but I can tell him I am a sucker for cutesy names.

I kiss his pec and nuzzle against his chest. “Hey, you know, you’re welcome to call me nicknames if you like. I’m not one of those girls who doesn’t like pet names. I think they’re sweet, and they make me feel adored.”

“Nicknames?” Alan asks.

“Yeah,” I say, snuggling deeper into him. “Like baby, sexy, sugar, sweetheart, angel…anything really. Whatever feels natural.”

“Oh.” His brows knit together. “I uh…okay. I can try that if you’d like. It’s just you have such a pretty name, I love to use it.”

I exhale in exasperation. Therein lies the problem. Alan says and does everything right. Why aren’t we connecting inthatway? It’s been over a year, and it’s still awkward. Does he feel it, too? Is he faking it as well?

“What was your idea…um…Muffin?”

Muffin?Oh God.This nickname thing is going to take some work. “I was thinking, maybe I grab you a snack from the kitchen, we cuddle for a little longer, and then round two?” I waggle my eyebrows at him. “Me on top?”

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