Page 74 of Signed, I'm Yours!
“That’s Red Viper, isn’t it?”
I glance at the woman in red and huff.
“Yep.”
“I knew it was weird she’d be a friend. That woman hates her own guts.”
“Yeah, and me even more.”
“Why?”
Before I can tell him, Jack clears his throat and looks at me. I straighten and smile.
“What was that, darling?”
“I was just saying what a wonderful job Kevin did with the party. The apartment looks phenomenal.”
“Yes, indeed. It’s never looked better,” I say and take his hand to join him at his side again.
“Wait a minute,” Red Viper says and puts her drink down. Her eyebrows knot in confusion as she takes in everything around her. “This is my apartment!”
Well…shit.
“What?” some of the other guests from my little black book exclaim.
“You!” Red Viper points at me and crosses the room to get to me.
My whole body stills for a moment, but then I turn to Jack and whisper, “Stop her,” before I walk up to his friends to welcome them to the party.
“How is everyone today? Thank you all so much for being here.” I keep looking behind me as Red Viper reaches Jack, and he asks her a question, but she’s still staring at me.
“Who is that?” Robin asks, but Red Viper is about to push Jack away, so I whip my head around.
“Oh great. Talk to you later, guys,” I tell them and weave in between them to go to the next group of people.
A group that includes two more guests from the little black book.
“Have we met?” asks the short guy whose bank account I cleaned out only five months ago. Well, one of his bank accounts. The smallest one, sadly.
“Me? I don’t think so,” I tell him. His supervillain name is Rugrat, and he lives a double life, one as a billionaire philanthropist and one as a crime lord in New Jersey.
“Me? Billions? Stole? No!” What the hell did I just say? Why would I say that?
“How did you know I lost?—”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about. But enjoy the party. Did you know there’s caviar? I’m sure I saw it right… Server! Where are the caviar thingies?” I raise my hand to get her attention, but instead catch sight of Red Viper trying to get away from Jack’s friends and failing miserably.
“What’s your name, young man?” Rugrat asks me.
I smile at him and pat his shoulders.
“Okay. Good chat.” I walk away before I lose control of my mouth again, but Red Viper is on the move again.
Somehow, I find myself surrounded by weird, geeky guys dressed in jeans and T-shirts. SPAM agents.
What is wrong with them? Do they not understand dress code or something? Before I can ask them, I stand behind one of them and look back at Red Viper’s progression.
She’s stopped to talk to Rugrat, thank God.
