Bonus Scene
Gem
The soft smile the woman sent me edged toward nervousness. It had me tipping my head to the side in silent query as she continued to just hover there, blankly gaping at me. “Is everything okay?” I asked hesitantly.
The blonde woman standing beside the redhead giggled. “Aoife’s just fangirling. Give her a moment?”
Holding out my hand, I introduced myself, “Serena Akeroyd.”
“Is it true your real name is Gemma Mazurke?”
“It is. I have another pen name that’s my real name. Maybe you’ve read some books under G.A Mazurke?”
It was the blonde’s turn to go bright pink. “Oh, yeah, we’ve read all your Quintessence books.”
“They’re the first books I read and loved of yours,” ‘Aoife’ croaked out. “They’re my favorite.”
I beamed a smile at them. “I’m so happy to hear that. The Quints will always have a place in my heart. Mostly, I just wish I could be Sascha when I grow up.”
The blonde chuckled. “I mean, I’d wish that too but I’m living with a real book boyfriend.”
My nose crinkled. “Lucky you. Maybe you can introduce me to one for myself.”
The two women shared a glance, one that was loaded with…
Huh.
I couldn’t describe it and seeing as I spent half my life studying people’s interactions and reactions to one another rather than, you know, actually living, that came as a surprise. By no means was I an expert in body language, but I was good at reading between the lines.
When the silence turned awkward, I cleared my throat. “Do you have some books for me to sign?”
That was when a god appeared from nowhere.
One worthy of Greek God infamy.
One so fucking beautiful I gaped for a moment as he walked toward me.
Me.
Mouth round, I studied the stranger and realized that he was—
I blinked.
Was he dragging a cart loaded with books?
I blinked again.
Shit, that meant he wasn’t going to sweep me off my feet. He’d already done the sweeping…
“Aoife, I almost lost you,” he groused. “How many times did I tell you that you can’t run off?”
The redhead huffed and shot me an embarrassed look. “Finn only sounds like an asshole but he really isn’t. He’s just concerned for my safety.”
My brows lifted as I glanced around the convention hall. “Safety? Are we in danger?” I asked with no small amount of alarm.
The blonde coughed. “No, no danger.”
Why didn’t that reassure me?
“Inessa, dammit, how did you run off?”
The gruff voice had my mouth gaping wider than before when I saw another beautiful specimen of a man appear with a second crate. Both of them wore Brioni, tailored to perfection. Their suits alone had to cost twenty grand, never mind the watches on their wrists.
The women looked normal, though. I’d bought Aoife’s dress from Zara last year when I thought I was going on a diet and that I’d stick to it, and the blonde’s boots were UGGs like mine.
The blonde beamed a grin at the man… Was he her bodyguard? “Eoghan, you thought we weren’t immediately making a beeline for this table?”
“Considering you have forty books here for her to sign, no,” ‘Eoghan’ muttered with a scowl. He stared at me, unblinking for endless moments. It had me feeling like a deer in headlights.
Gulping, I muttered, “Well, erm, I guess I need to get started if you both have so many books?”
My assistant, Anne, her head bowed as she studied something on her phone, popped out of nowhere, stating, “Only five books per person, I’m afra—” Then she looked up. Then her mouth rounded. And, hell, I couldn’t blame her.
She cut me a look. My eyes flared wide. Then hers did the same in a silent byplay that would make sense to only us.
These guys were fucking hot and, clearly, they were taken and whipped if they were carting around dozens of paperbacks for their women.
Jealous? Yes. I was very, very jealous.
“They want all the books signed, Ms. Akeroyd,” Aoife’s man, Finn, intoned.
I gulped. “Convention rules—”
He shot me a grin that would’ve knocked me out if I weren’t sitting down. “Rules were made to be broken.” That’s when he placed an envelope on the table. “For the charity of your choice.”
I swallowed as I picked up the envelope then, as I untucked the fold, my already round mouth gaped even more. “Jesus Christ,” I spat, shoving what had to be ten thousand fucking dollars under the table. Then, I frowned. “Is that a bribe?”
“I like to think of it as being persuasive?”
“Finn,” Aoife tutted, her cheeks pink with embarrassment. “You don’t have to listen to him. We can line up again if you want—”
“We can’t spend all day here, Aoife. We only came because she canceled that other goddamn signing and she doesn’t attend that many,” Eoghan grumbled, glowering at me as if it were my fault that I lived across the pond and not in the US.
I squeaked, “Sorry about that.”
Anne leaned low and muttered, “Ten thousand dollars for THORN.”
I nodded. “Definitely but will I get in trouble?”
She snorted in my ear. “You’re such a good girl.”
“And you’re not,” I retorted crossly. Blinking at the odd foursome in front of me, I murmured, “I don’t want you to think I’m easily bought but this is the most exciting thing that has ever happened to me so I’ll do it this once…”
That was when Eoghan dropped an envelope on the table. It was bigger than Finn’s. I swallowed at the sight then at him.
“There’s a card in there with our address as well as a generous donation for the charity of your choice. I’m sure Aoife and Inessa would love to have afternoon tea with you tomorrow.”
My mouth gaped even more than before. I picked up the envelope then gulped. Anne snatched it from my grasp with one hand and held out the other for him. “She’ll be there. What time?”
“Two?” Eoghan queried, shaking hands with her.
“Two,” Anne agreed. “If you’d prefer, Serena could—”
“Gemma,” I interrupted. “My friends call me Gem.”
Inessa squealed and elbowed Aoife in the side. “OMG.”
Aoife whispered, “Gem.”
“I can sign the books when we meet tomorrow?” I offered, glancing around like we were conducting a shady business deal…
But then, I guessed we were. I’d just been fucking bribed.
Adrenaline shot through me at the notion as Aoife grinned. “We’d love that! Okay, so, tomorrow at two.” She slipped a card on the table. “Here’s my cell number. Feel free to message, you know, if you need anything. I know it’s, like, your second time in the States so…”
I smiled. “You follow me on social media?”
Inessa chuckled. “We stalk you everywhere.”
I picked it up, studied the luxurious vellum card, and read: ‘Aoife O’Grady.’
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Aoife.”
Another card made an appearance on the table. This one read: ‘Inessa O’Donnelly.’
My brow furrowed at the names. “You know I think I’ve seen you in my Diva group…”
When I looked up, however, they were gone.
Shooting the next person in the line a shaky smile as she surged forward, shrouding the foursome in the crowd of people attending the event, I turned to Anne. “Did that really just happen?”
Anne wafted the envelopes in front of her like they were a fan. “Thirty thousand dollars just happened.”
I shook my head. “This is the weirdest day of my life.”
Anne patted my shoulder. “And this is just your first convention in the US.”
Fuck, she was right!
What would happen at the next one?
Copyright, Serena Akeroyd 2023
Copyright Serena Akeroyd 2023
Cin
“I have a plan and I think you need to hear it.”
My brows lift as Savannah plunks herself beside me at the Thanksgiving table.
Well, I say Thanksgiving table but that’s a recent development as Star was behind this year’s preparations and a natural interior decorator she isn’t.
The cornucopia looks distinctly unseasonal what with a medley of tropical fruits in it to piss Lena off but Aoife tutted at the sight of her sister-in-law’s lackluster offering and took over. That means we’ll be eating in an expensive department store’s idea of Thanksgiving.
Complete with Caribbean fruit medley.
“Do you even like me?”
That earns me a scowl. “Do I have to like you, Cin?”
“Fair point. So what’s the plan? Is it political because I really don’t want to have to deal with this today. If you knew what your husband had me—” I break off before I can incriminate either myself or Aidan Jr. but it earns me an intrigued glance.
“Aidan has a plan?” She releases a dreamy sigh. “Should have known.”
“The cranberry jelly is on the table, Grandma!” Shay yells as he dips his head into the dining room. “Can I go watch a movie with Kat now?”
My eyes flick off him and onto Savannah who beams at me then claps her hands together like a seal at SeaWorld.
“Please don’t squeal,” I grumble, rubbing my ear in preparation but she earns my respect by only declaring:
“Someone will be getting a blowjob tonight.”
I snort. “Good to know.”
Truthfully, getting a mobster’s son into the White House deserves more than a BJ. But who am I to criticize?
“Are you two planning the downfall of civilization?” Star inquires as she also steps into the room and plunks down beside me.
“Maybe,” Savannah muses. “What do you think would happen if we assassinated—”
I groan. “No politics!”
Savannah huffs but concedes with a deep sip of her Manhattan.
Star’s finger flicks at a disgustingly neat napkin that has a tiny pumpkin with our names on them as a ring. How Star’s sister-in-law pulled this off on such short notice is beyond me. “I swear Aoife wanted me to break out in hives. It’s too much.”
“It’s not that bad,” I reason. “Looks like something from a movie. I think it’s neat.”
And I do.
Thanksgiving used to be a big deal in my house but since my work took me away one time too many, I never feel all that welcome at home.
When Star invited me, I swear I almost cried.
Not that I told her that.
“Aoife must have been a window dresser in a past life,” Savannah drawls. “These are silver.”
When she points to the engraved napkin rings, my eyes widen. “Do I want to know how she got a jeweler to engrave this stuff today of all days?”
“I saw Brennan head out with a set of brass knuckles earlier,” Star says around a cackle.
“Real festive,” I chide with an eye roll.
“What are you doing in here?” When Troy strolls in, I take note of the weapons strapped to her shoulders. Yes, plural. And yes, visible. Only in this household would that be allowed. “Dinner won’t be served for a while yet.”
Ignoring her question, I chide, “Troy, even I came unarmed.”
“Bullshit,” she rasps unapologetically. “Tell me those bell-bottoms aren’t hiding an ankle holster.”
I sniff. “I plead the Fifth.”
She rubs her nose with her middle finger.
“And I don’t do flares unless they’re the pyrotechnic version.”
“Where’s kiddo?” Star asks Troy before we can start bickering.
After that stunt she pulled last week, she’s lucky I’m only bickering. It’s either that or drown Troy in a gravy boat.
“With Lena. They’re doing something disgusting with macaroni and cheese.” As she takes a seat opposite me, she asks, “You still flying out tomorrow?”
I scowl at her. “I’m not talking about work. Sheesh!”
“Where is she going?” Savannah asks.
“Russia,” Star answers. “Bought her ticket myself.”
I heave a sigh. “I’m going to sit with the kids and watch Disney movies.”
Star tugs on my hand to keep me seated. “Want to talk about turkey and stuffing?”
“Is it too much to ask?”
“You wouldn’t want to sit with the kids anyway. They’re watching Bambi,” Troy informs me.
I gape at her. “Are you for real? I think Aoife needs to dose everyone with lithium. Apparently, the two of us are the only ones feeling the festive cheer!”
Savannah rocks back in her seat and raises her glass. “If you’re unaliving who I think you’re unaliving tomorrow then ho, fucking ho. I’m totally feeling the festive vibes.”
“Wrong holiday,” I grouse.
She beams at me. “This deserves an epic Christmas gift.”
“I take American Express.”
Star chuckles. “Cin only accepts cash or gold.”
“That can be arranged,” Savannah half-purrs.
Troy grumbles, “I’d have done it today to avoid this bullshit.”
“Yeah, well, you’re not allowed on a job until you prove to Aidan you’re not completely deranged,” I counter.
“It’s not my fault I had to unalive three—”
“No. Work. Talk!” I slap my hand on the table. “We’re going to eat too much turkey, gorge on marshmallow yams, drink a gallon of wine, glut on pumpkin pie, and forget that the world is a shitshow for one day. Now, if you bitches can’t do that, I’m going to sit with the Grinch himself and let Brennan cheer me up.”
Savannah tuts. “Man, you weren’t lying when you said she took Thanksgiving seriously, Star.”
I growl under my breath then, as I stomp out of the room, call out, “Brennan, where are you? SOS!”
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