Page 113 of House of Pain
But he always recognized the faces.
Tonight, there was not a single face he recognized sitting around the dining table.
Also, his mother wasn’t around.
Galliermo had ensured it was because she went away for the weekend, to some retreat in suburbia.
But Blaze knew better than to trust what his father said.
Something was weird, but he couldn’t figure it out.
At least Val didn’t seem to pick up on the difference. She was chatting away as per usual, her face pleasant and voice sweet.
Blaze glanced around the room, and when he found theCrahen, he waved it over, letting the server refill his wineglass.
If it weren’t for his father, he would have asked for the whole carafe of wine to be left by his side. He was determined to drink it all.
But Blaze didn’t want to piss his father off tonight.
Some part of him was flattered that his father offered him smiles and encouraging words in front of other people. He wasn’t ignoring him tonight, proudly parading Blaze like a puppy, telling his associates about his win at the last rockey game.
Of course he would be happy Blaze won against Dominic.
At least one son was less of a disappointment than the other.
“The crowd is definitely colorful tonight,” Val murmured to Blaze, and that snapped him out of his own head.
So, she had noticed after all.
“What do you mean?” Blaze asked, his voice low.
Val glanced around the room for a moment. “Half of the Upper West Side is here tonight. Not the usual crowd your father runs with.”
That was something worth the attention.
Why would Blaze’s father invite people from the side of town where he didn’t do business?
“Any ideas why?” Val asked.
Blaze blinked a few times, rubbing his chin. “Have no idea. You know more about my father’s business than I do.”
Which was a thought that made Blaze feel a certain type of way.
He just wasn’t sure how yet.
Suddenly, the chairs shuffled, and the guests were rising to their feet, getting ready to move to the lounge for dessert and cocktails.
Blaze strolled towards the double door leading to the lounge, Val’s arm looped in his.
“I know someone who knows someone,” a tall woman with sickly pale skin said to Galliermo as they passed.
Blaze’s spine stiffened. Val’s hand tightened around his, but they didn’t stop moving, drifting with the crowd.
“You heard that, right?” Val asked once they were settled on one of the leather couches, right where they could see everything going on around them.
Blaze nodded, bringing his glass to his lips as he eyed the woman who spoke before, still chatting with his father in the corner of the room.
“Do you think he invited the Imp Queen tonight?” Blaze asked Val. “And she didn’t show?”
