Page 12 of Gluttony

Only, the name beneath the picture isn’t Bella Jones.

“That has to be a joke. Nobody has a name like that. Nah. It’s a fake, H. Gotta be.” Hadley shrugs it off and stands to his full height, but he’s still looking at the screen as he finishes off his drink.

“You’d think. But no. I’ve searched the name and it’s real. She’s real. I just haven’t figured out why she lied yet.” Hayes slams back the rest of his bourbon and stares at the screen.

“Well, with a name like Bowie Diamond Glitter Jones…maybe that’s the reason?” Although, saying it out loud doesn’t feel as ridiculous as it is. I actually quite like it. Suits her.

“Lots of people change their name. You ain’t found shit.” Hadley huffs and heads back to the armchair.

“Unless she was in two places at once, she didn’t attend Harvard for her degree because whileBellawas at Harvard,Bowiewas in Miami.” Hayes is seething, it’s clear with his chipped tone.

He hates being lied to.

“Okay, so she told a porkypie about where she went to college. Did her references check out?” I’ve been friends with these guys for more than half of my life at this point, so I understand their British slang and have even adopted some of my own. When I first heard a lie being referred to as a porkypie, I was confused as hell, but it’s catchy so it stuck.

“Yeah, but the responses were all too well put together. I’m tellin’ ya, nobody is that perfect.” Hayes will repeat himself until he’s blue in the face, but his free moment is over and we have to get ready for our drinks with the new festival sponsor.

“The car’s coming in fifteen minutes, H, so you’re gonna have to pause the sleuthing and put on your sociable scowl.” I pat his shoulder and hand him the rest of my bourbon. He needs it more than me.

“Why did Abby have to go and get run over?” Hayes sulks as he stands and stalks toward the door to his room.

“‘S okay, the fucker driving the car was picked up by one of the don’s Reapers this afternoon. No more driving for him!” Hadley chuckles and wags his brows.

“Good.” Hayes is as bloodthirsty as his brother, he’s just not as loud about it.

“Seriously, Hads? It was an accident. Poor fucker.” I pour each of us a fresh bourbon for the road.

“Yeah, but was it, though? Abby’s not exactly one to walk into traffic. So accident or not, the fucker drove off like a guilty coward and is at fault. He deserves to be punished.” He shrugs like it’s no big deal that he’s sent a possibly innocent-ish manoff to the New York mafia to be dealt with, and no doubt killed because they don’t leave loose ends.

To be fair, it isn’t a big deal to Hadley.

“Knew she’d fuck up!” Hayes saunters back into the lounge with a smug grin on his face. “She forgot to pick up my dress shoes. They’re not in the bag I brought in from the office.”

“Like you haven’t got a dozen other pairs.” Hadley rolls his eyes and stands, heading toward his own room next to Hayes’s.

“For her first week, only forgetting one thing isn’t too bad.” I finish off my drink and grab my jacket from the back of the couch before sliding it on.

“Who knows what else she convenientlyforgot? I guess we’ll see when everything starts going to shit over the next few weeks.” Turning, Hayes walks back into his room, quickly reappearing with a pair of dress shoes in his hand. “I’ve just sent her a text to meet us at the bar before we go in.”

“What’s wrong with the ones you have there?” I fix my sleeves, making sure my shirt cuffs are longer than the jacket.

“Nothing. It’s the principle.” Hayes adjusts his black tie once his shoes are on and runs a hand over his carefully styled hair.

“Does that mean we’ll get another rendezvous with our Little Rabbit in the back of the limo again tonight?” Hadley’s eyes are wide as he saunters back into the living room with a huge grin. “I get the blow job seat tonight. I wanna see her face covered in my cum too.” He slides on his coat, looking like something fromPeaky Blinderswhen he pairs it with his hat.

“No limo tonight, Hads.”

“You’re not. Fucking. Her.”

Hayes and I speak at the same time and Hadley just laughs.

“A blow job isn’t a fuck… Silly.” With every word, Hadley steps closer to Hayes, then he ruffles his hair before rushing for the front door. “Let’s go, fuckers!”

“Wanker.” Hayes glares at his twin, sighs, and looks to me. “You too. You encourage him.”

“Yeah, yeah. But you love us so it’s okay.”

The security system turns fully on as soon as the three of us step outside the apartment and lock the door, and we’ve timed it perfectly because my phone chimes to tell me our car has arrived.

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