The Grand Pact (The Grand Men #1)(69)

“Car’s here,” Mason claps, drawing both Nina and my own eyes up.

“Let’s go,” I tell her.

Nina slides to the tiled floor and readjusts her dress. I shut off everything I need to downstairs, then step out and into the waiting car.





Lucy





After turning down the invitation to the gala, then feeling utterly gutted over missing out, I texted Maxwell and asked him if he wanted to meet for drinks tonight. I knew I’d be sitting at home, sad about not being out with my friends if I didn’t do something. And then there would be the pictures. I’ve only ever been to two events for Charlie, and both blew me away. The suave of it all. The passion for the charities and organisations being spoken about. It always amazed me how he could stand up on stage and speak to a crowded room when he rarely had a word to say to the rest of us.

When Nina sent me a picture of them ready in their gowns and tuxes, it was enough to make my eyes well. She would’ve sent it to make me feel less left out, but it did the opposite.

I miss them.

Thankfully, Maxwell was up for going out, which means at four o’clock on a Saturday, I’m at a bar drinking every cocktail I can find on the menu.

“You should slow down,” Maxwell tells me, a slight shine in his own eyes.

“I’m fine.” I wave him off. “What’s the point of getting day drunk if you aren’t going to drink?”

“The morning.”

“I’ll deal with the bitch when she gets here.”

He gives me a grin and eats a handful of nuts. “You like the house?”

“I do. You never told me how incredible it was going to be. I feel so safe and content there.”

“When I got to the house and saw it, I knew I wanted it to be a surprise for you. They had a removal van there taking Ralph’s things. I just knew it would be better in the light of day.”

“You were right. I was gobsmacked when I arrived.”

He nods, clearly pleased. “Hey, the apartment below, is it renovated?”

“Uh, I think so… Ralph just said it’s dark and dingy.”

“Hmm. Alec and Polly are looking for a place. Is it up for sale or rent at the minute or just empty?”

I rest my arms on the table, leaning in. “Just empty. How come they’re looking for a place?”

“There was a fire at Alec’s apartment building two nights ago. They don’t have anywhere to go right now.”

“What? Polly and Alec?” He says it as if it’s nothing. As if he’s reading off his shopping list. “That’s awful. Do you know what happened? What caused the fire?”

“Arson,” he grits out. “Fuckers.”

“Oh my god, that’s terrifying.” I sit up a little straighter, my blood turning cold. “You didn’t mention it before. Are they okay?”

“From what I’ve heard, they’re fine. Alec’s a hard man to get hold of.”

“You think they would want to live in the apartment? I could call Ralph?”

“Would you? They’re likely to go anywhere right now, and I’ve seen how clean your new place is.” He pulls out his phone and starts to type.

“Of course. I’ll get hold of Ralph as soon as I get home.”

Maxwell looks up from his phone, giving me a warm smile. He seems spaced out, and I wonder if maybe the fire has been playing on his mind this whole time, and he didn’t say anything.

“Do they need help at all?” I nod to his phone. “We could help.”

It would give me something to do besides sinking cosmopolitans as a distraction technique.

“Nah, I tried to help yesterday. They have it sorted.”

We order basket meals and eat them at the bar, and I order a Coke to drink instead of any more alcohol. I want to go home. The news that someone intentionally set their apartment building on fire has made me feel sick to my stomach. And I know that this sort of thing probably happens all the time in such a big city—I live in a super safe area (apparently), but it doesn’t make it any less scary. For the first time since I got to New York, I feel unsafe.





We’re sat watching football on the wide screen when Maxwell’s phone rings.

I watch him as he answers. He doesn’t say much other than the standard greetings, and when his body tenses, a flush of heat rushes me. “Yeah, she said she would speak to the owner.” I roll my lips, waiting. “I’d say so. And it’s a quiet street… Yeah, okay, let me know.”

Once he hangs up, I step forward a little. “Was that Alec?”

“Yeah, he said to say thank you.”

I nod, glad that I might have helped. Polly seemed like a super nice girl, and the thought that she could live so close to me makes me feel surprisingly happy.

“You don’t have a lift in your house, do you? Only stairs?”

“Uh-huh, there’s stairs in the main house and also a hidden stairway that leads to every landing from the apartment. It’s creepy, and I haven’t been down them since Ralph showed me. I’ve locked the door for now. It won’t be an issue for Polly and Alec, but I expect to have a nomination for rear of the year by the end of my internship.” I laugh, finding myself funny.