Page 12 of The Mogul: Leonard

The guys thank my sister with their mouths full of cheesecake, but Spike stops mid-bite and frowns. “And you agreed to go?” His voice has a shade of anger.

We’ve had this ongoing discussion ever since he discovered who my brother-in-law is, and it’s becoming a bit uncomfortable.

“Of course, I’m going! She is my sister, and my parents will be there.” The statement sounds a bit more frustrated than I intended.

The guys glance back and forth between us, and Candy lowers her gaze to her shoes, unsure what to do.

“You know you can always tell your sister you don’t want to, right? She can’t force you to go. You don’t even like those events,” he scoffs.

“Well, believe it or not, I want to go. I want to be there for her.”

As soon as those words roll off of my lips, I realize they’re true. I may not like that kind of event, but I love Silver and can’t wait to spend the evening in her company.

“I’ll come with you,” he states like it’s already decided.

My skin crawls at the idea. I don’t want him there. He would ruin the night for everyone. He would make snarky, rude comments, maybe even make a scene, and I don’t want that to happen. I can feel the embarrassment of showing up with him and it’s so strong I almost feel guilty. I don’t want to be like those stuck-up rich people who think they’re better than everyone else and whom I despise, but I can’t stop my heart from leaning that way.

“No, you are not.”

“Why?” he challenges me.

“Because you’re not invited, and I’m going alone.” My answer is final, and he finally shuts up.

I grab a piece of cheesecake, the dress bag, and walk away before saying something I will regret.

It’s time for me to find another place to live, even if I don’t know how I’ll afford it.

5

Leonard

The limo line is endless. It seems everybody is here for Raphael’s party, and maybe that’s true. When the Senator asks you to attend a charity event, you cancel all your appointments and come in your best attire.

I study the parking lot from behind the tinted window. Leaving these comfortable leather seats and the refreshing air conditioning will take me a while. Mid-June weather will make us sweat in these tuxedoes, even with a pleasant breeze outside.

A loud bang from the left side of the car startles my driver, making him lose his usual poker face. I hired him ten years ago, and I haven’t seen him smile once. Sometimes I wonder if he even has the muscles on his face to curve his lips upward.

I turn toward the noise and see a familiar rusty yellow Beetle parking beside the catering service truck.

“Jesus, is that thing still running?” I murmur to myself.

I notice the driver’s eyes briefly meet mine in the rearview mirror. Yeah, I know. I’m surprised too. The last time I saw that car was four years ago at Raphael and Silver’s wedding, and the most annoying girl was driving it.

As if I summoned her, Roxanne steps out of the car. First, her long, toned legs peek out of the slit in the fabric, her small feet wrapped in golden sandals. The rest of the lean figure follows, wrapped in a dress of the same color. She looks like a present ready to be unwrapped. Sexy as sin and with a regal bearing very few can pull off so naturally. It’s like she owns the world, and she probably does. It’s a shame that package comes with the most annoying attitude.

I watch her strut toward the entrance, her chin high, her strides long, and her long legs making more than a few heads turn.

By the time I finally step out of the car, she is already inside the garden, rocking the crowd next to her sister, Silver. She seems a bit detached, but the smile never leaves her face. These events can be very tiring, but they are also an excellent opportunity to revive those connections that are so useful in this environment.

I don’t know what she thinks about them, though. She is not exactly a billionaire willing to open their wallet for a donation while discussing the most crucial work-related topics. She is probably here because her sister asked her to be, and is bored out of her mind. She probably already illegally obtained all the information she needs about the people here at this event. I’m surprised the FBI is not here to arrest her.

A small smile curves my lips at the idea of something like this happening tonight. Raphael is so deeply connected with the FBI that I doubt anyone will risk his wrath to get their hands on the little sister-in-law and famous white-hat hacker.

“Why are you smiling?” Harrison’s voice penetrates my thoughts.

“I was thinking, how funny is it for Raphael to have a sister-in-law who can make his life a living hell?” I grin turning my head toward Harrison and his partner, Sienna.

“Who is she?” Sienna asks.

---