A Dirty Business (Kings of New York #1)(49)

Kelly was back to swooning. “Then I absolutely cannot wait to meet this aunt of yours.”

Justin’s gaze grew dark, and he was starting to lower his head right as I clued in on what was about to happen. I turned, coughing, and gestured toward the main house. “Yeah. I’m, uh—going there.”

They were still kissing when I got to the barn.





CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE


JESS


There were rich people everywhere.

I knew they were because they had the rich-people speak. The “oh haw-haw” or the “Insert name, dawrrrling, how are youuuu?” or the “lovely” and “gracious me” and the laughs. Fake and forced and uppity. I knew my rich people, and I was surrounded by them.

That’s why I stuck to the food table and the bar.

I was on my second martini—don’t judge if I was pretending to be a rich folk today, but the martinis were good—when I heard next to me, “Officer Montell. I was informed of your arrival, but didn’t believe it. The same birdy told me you drove here with two other of my employees.”

Aw, crap.

Ashton Walden was at the end of the table, his head cocked to the side, and his eyes narrowed.

I tried to get a beat on what he was thinking or feeling, but I got nothing. Maybe curiosity? He didn’t seem perturbed that I was here, and I didn’t want to believe he was amused I was here either.

“Please tell me your other half is not present today.”

Now he was amused. I could tell as he tried hiding a quick grin. “At this rate it seems like he’s more like your other half.”

“You know what I mean.”

“I do, yes.” He glanced behind us, and I saw Vivianna watching us with avid interest. He came forward and took my elbow in his hand in a light grasp. He moved in close, speaking to the bartender. “A bourbon, please.” He eyed my drink. “Is that your first martini?”

I tipped my head back, drank the rest, and slid the glass on the counter. “Soon to be my third, hopefully.”

The bartender was eyeing us as he filled our drinks.

Ashton moved back a step, dropping his hand, and he turned to face me directly. “You are not striking me how Trace speaks of you.”

“How does he speak of me?”

“He’s never said you’re funny.”

“I take offense to that. I have a dry humor. It’s like wine. It appreciates.”

Ashton hid another grin before taking his bourbon from the bartender. “I’m learning. And I’m finding you oddly amusing.”

“It’s that wine humor. You must have class.”

He choked on another chuckle as he fished out a twenty and put it in the tip jar. “I’m sure I do.” His head lifted and he moved back, standing with his back to the bar but still beside me. “What’d you say to Viv earlier?”

The martini was slid across to me, and I took it, giving him a smile. “That tip was from me.”

“Thank you, Miss.”

Ashton turned again, giving me a wry look before putting another twenty in the jar. “I’ll take it from Trace later.”

“I’m sure you will.”

I was smiling and drinking, all casual and cool looking on the outside, but on the inside I was freaking out. What the hell was I doing here? This was a lesson to me. Stop hanging out with new people. Stop thinking an adventure was a good idea. Stick to what you knew, and maybe life wouldn’t get handed to you backward on a spike. And I was still hoping the latter wouldn’t happen, but knowing my luck, I doubted it.

Ashton indicated forward with his head. “Come with me. Tell me about your interaction with Viv. It looked very entertaining.”

That was another rich-person word. Very. They liked their “verys.”

We moved to the side, going through the barn to the back end. I glanced his way. “You were watching?”

“I was having a conversation on the side patio of the house before the barn. I saw your arrival. The birdy who informed me was myself. I informed myself.”

“Do you have appreciating humor too?”

He laughed, stepping out first to a back patio area. Beyond was a myriad of walking paths made of cobblestone. A large fountain was in the middle. Beyond was a horse pasture fenced in by white posts. I glimpsed a tennis court to the side.

Why was there not a pool here as well? Perhaps on the other side of the estate?

I was being sarcastic.

“I’m waiting, Officer Montell.”

Right. He wanted the 411. “It wasn’t much of anything. She insulted my friend, and I didn’t like that. I informed her of my profession and that I had a penchant for reporting whenever I saw drugs around. That was all, really.”

Ashton stopped, his head reared back as he was giving me another assessing look. We were in the middle of one of those cobblestone walkways, making our way around the fountain. I was hoping we’d keep going and I could see what kind of pool these people had. My guess was that it would be epic.

“Viv insulted Kelly?”

I frowned. The jokes were less appealing. “You’re aware of my friend’s name?”

He flashed me a look. “Of course I am. Trace is my best friend. I was the one who hired the PI for you.”