The Grand Pact (The Grand Men #1)(10)

“I’m okay,” I tell her quickly, not wanting to make the night about me even for a second. If there’s one thing I hate, it’s attention. Or all eyes on me. I haven’t told any of the girls the real reason why Miller and I broke up. They knew I had been struggling for a while, but that’s about all I’ve let on. “It needed to happen. I’m ready for what’s next.”

But what is next?

“Either way, it’s gonna be a buzz.” Scarlet winks.

Megan lifts her glass in a toast. “You’ve outdone yourself with this one, Luce. Fucking queen!”

“Agreed.” Scarlet joins, lifting her glass.

“We are not toasting this. How about to Nina, on an incredible night to come?”

“Nope. We’re toasting you and your balls.” Nina chuckles quietly, diverting the attention from herself and toasting with the girls.

“Whatever.” I lift my glass and let it clink. “I think I should toast to Miller and his tiny HOLY… Wowww.” I finish on a whisper as I catch myself, but my hand hitting the table seemed to gain the attention of everyone in our party. I close my eyes and try to ignore the buzzing at my core.

I think on my feet. “These cocktails. Woooo. Just… yum!” I try to hide my blush behind the lock of hair that hangs loosely against my cheek.

“The fuck is wrong with you?” Megan mutters into my ear.

I look across to my parents, and my dad gives me a concerned grimace. I close my eyes as if blocking out the world would also miraculously make me disappear.

The balls are vibrating.

The balls are fucking alive and riveting relentlessly against my walls.

I might come, right here, surrounded by my family.

I might go to hell.

I definitely can’t move.

“I don’t know about anyone else.” My eyes peel open and land on Elliot Montgomery. “But I am buzzing for this showcase.”

My stare is dead set on him.

“I’m like a big ball of excitement.” His shoulders widen as he leans back in the chair, cocksure and not a care in the world. “My body is practically vibrating and making me giddy.”

“Giddy?” Charlie mocks into his glass, none the wiser.

You bastard.

“That’s what I said, my friend.” He bites his lip, smirking at me. “Fucking gidddddy.”

My hand clenches as the buzz intensifies.

He turned it up.

I’ll kill him.

“Anyone want a drink?” he asks, looking around the table with a smug look on his face.





4





Elliot





Standing from the table, I eye the few empty glasses and mentally note what’s needed.

I can feel Lucy’s gaze glued to me, but I don’t look her way. She’ll follow after me any minute now anyway. I laugh inwardly as I replay the look on her face when I turned on the device.

I’m a bastard.

“I’ll give you a hand.” John, Lucy’s father, stands, rounding the table and heading off towards the bar.

My eyes land on Lucy’s mortified ones, and she shakes her head.

I drop to level zero before cranking it up four clicks.

Her face blushes a deep pink hue, and her shoulders tense.

I’m going to have so much fun with this.

“How are you, John?” I ask as I take up position next to him at the bar. It should probably be awkward standing here chatting to him whilst I control his daughter’s arousal, but it’s not.

Not for me anyway.

I turn and watch over my shoulder. Lucy makes a sign for me to cut it out.

“I’m good now that I’m here.” He huffs as he raises a hand at the barman for another beer. John’s your typical geezer. As laid back as it comes, happy when he’s at the football or with a pint in his hand. “Maggie’s been worried about Lucy. It’s all I’ve heard this week.”

“Luce is alright,” I tell him with complete certainty. John knew I disliked Miller. We shared the same opinions many times over the few years I’d known the Morgans.

“I think it’s the move. Mags doesn’t want the distance between them. And she worries. We want her to go, but I have to agree. I don’t know if she has it in her.”

My brows knit as I dip my head to the side in confusion. Righting my shoulders, I turn to face the bar and process his words before I reply.

“Maggie’s worried about the move.” I nod, not letting on that I’m clueless to what he is talking about.

“It’s bloody New York, Elliot. Can you really see it?”

I swallow, trying to loosen the lump that’s moulded to the back of my throat. “New York.” It slips past my lips before I can stop my tongue from forming them. I turn my head to look at her.

“It got rid of Miller. That’s one plus.”

“I didn’t know,” I mutter, still watching her.

John whips his head around to face me. “You didn’t know?” He blanches. “About Miller?”

“I didn’t know about New York.”

“She didn’t tell you?”

I glare at her, and her face falls the slightest bit, her facade slipping. I don’t want her to feel uncomfortable, but I can’t help the annoyance building inside me.