“I’m last on that list?”
“Time for me to go. See you tomorrow,” Matt says with a smirk.
“You’re kidding, right?”
“Yes, I’m kidding. I want lunch dates, though. Those C&C women are going to be drooling over your ginger sexiness.”
“Like them men drool over you?”
“Only one or two.”
“Hundred?”
“Charmer.”
“Is it working? Remember, I have that locking bedroom door.”
“You know you’re getting lucky, but we should mingle a little more first.”
“Fine.”
I see Seriyah chasing little Micah, the son of Harlow’s cousin, Xavier. He has something in his hand, and he’s moving fast for a toddler, while she tries to charm it from him. X is across the yard, talking to Scott and Ainsley. I pull Lennon towards those three, and pin X with a look when we approach.
“Where’s your son?”
“In his travel playpen,” he says.
“So, that’s not him over there being chased by our friend?”
“What the hell? How did he get out?”
He moves like he’s a superhero, and scoops up his son, hanging him upside down. Seriyah looks like she’s about to breathe fire, so we head back that way to help limit the bloodshed.
“You can’t just leave him alone,” she yells, as he swings his boy back and forth.
“He was napping, and he’s never gotten out before.”
“You sound proud!”
“I am. He’s smart like me.”
“As long as he doesn’t grow up to be a jerk like you, he should be fine!”
“Excuse me?”
“There’s no excuse for a man who leaves his child alone, and then doesn’t even thank the woman who tries to help.”
X’s beautiful face transforms as the smile drops from his face, and he looks at her intently. “I appreciate you looking out for him. Honestly, I do.”
“He’s adorable,” she says, squirming under his gaze.
“Do you work at the police department?”
“I work at Corrigan & Co.”
“As?”
“None of your business.”
“Matt, can you come here for a moment?”
Seriyah looks like she wants to run, and I start to step forward to help her, but Lennon holds me back. “Let her take care of this herself. They’ll both have more respect for her.”
“What have I been summoned for?” Matt asks.
“Where does she work?”
“Seriyah is part of the secretarial pool. Why?”
She opens her mouth to speak, but X beats her to it. “I want her. To work for me. I want her as my assistant.”
“This situation is making me a little uncomfortable, so I’m going to have to say no.”
“She cares about the well-being of my son, which means she won’t let me work too late, and she was not afraid to call me out, which tells me she’ll help keep me in line when I get too far into my own head and start barking orders. I need her, or I walk.”
“I’ll do it,” Seriyah says.
“Are you sure? I have other openings coming up.”
“I like a challenge, Matt.”
“Alright then, but if he gives you too much trouble, you come to me.”
“Thank you.”
“Wow,” I say, as they all walk their separate ways.
“This is going to be very interesting,” Lennon agrees.
Not as interesting as what’s about to go down upstairs. “I think we’ve mingled enough. I’ll meet you upstairs.”
“You don’t have to ask me twice.”
I wait until he leaves, and then I run to the other side of the house, and pull out the climbing cups I borrowed from Darcy. I make my way up to his window, and knock. His eyes go wide, and then he smiles that smile I love so much. I love him so much, and right now, I’m about to be the girl he fantasized about, climbing in his window to do very naughty things with him.
Epilogue
Kalila
I don’t know why Reina and Jade are calling me to the conference room, because I know I’ve been doing okay with my lessons. Except for fashion, but that’s no surprise to anyone. I practically lived in the lab before I was recruited, and I’m more about function that fashion. Old habits die hard, and I’m trying remember to dress better. Trying hard, and wishing I was with my friends right now, celebrating Lennon’s team and their win.
When I walk in, I have to stop short, and catch my breath, as a blast from my past hits me. Not as hard as seeing Theo when I first came here did, but it’s almost as bad because he’s sitting with her. His arm is around her, and it’s just like I’m transported back to the day I saw them together. The day life as I knew it ended.
“What is that bitch doing here?” she shrieks, and I come hurtling back to the present.
“Hello, Meg.”
“Kali’s going to help,” Theo assures her.
“I don’t want her help! Get her out of here! I thought you were done with her cheating ass after you left her at the altar.”
“I do not know what’s going on here, but one more insult directed at Kalila comes out of your friend’s mouth, Theo, and you’ll be visiting her in the hospital,” Jade tells him.
“And I’ll sanction it,” Reina adds. She’s supposed to be taking it easy, but I know she wanted to let Audrey be with Camari tonight.
“Typical little whore, making everyone think you’re so sweet,” Meg says, not willing to back down.
“Stop, Meg. You need them to help.”
“Typical is right,” I say, finally speaking up, and directing my anger at Theo. “You’re not telling her to stop because you’re defending me, but because you don’t want to get her in trouble.”
“She’s already in trouble, Kal. She needs help. Please tell them to help her.”
“Help her,” I tell them, and walk out of the room.
I hear the footsteps behind me in the hall, but I know they aren’t the ones I wish they were. “Kali, are you okay?” Jade asks, pulling me to a stop.
“No.”
“We’re on your side. You know that, right?”
“Yes, and I appreciate it.”
“He should be, too.”
“Yeah, but he never will be when it comes to her. She’s his best friend, and I’m just the girl he always pretends to love.”
Acknowledgments
To my girls, Dominique and Gabi, who I love more than anything!
Helen, you always make the covers look amazing, even when they’re yellow lol!
To Mallory, Vicki, Jessica, Sabrina, and Natasha—thanks for reading it early, and telling me you loved these two as much as I do.
To all my readers—thanks for sticking with me and my girls! You are the absolute best!
About the Author
Crystal Perkins has always been a big reader, but she never thought she would write her own book, until she sat down and did it one day. She lives in Las Vegas, where you can find her running author events and selling books at conventions when she isn’t reading, buying too many Sherlock t-shirts and LulaRoe leggings, or finding a place to put all of her Pop! figurines. In 2016, she won the Creative Initiatives Award from Romantic Times for encouraging literacy, and also the Community Advocate Award from the Clark County School Librarians Association. A mac and cheese connoisseur, she travels the country looking for the perfect version, while attending book conventions and signings as a cover for her research. The Griffin Brothers, Corrigan & Co., and the Society Girls series are all international best sellers, and she’s thankful to the readers who made that happen.
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Find her here:
www.crystalperkinsauthor.com
facebook.com/crystalperkinsauthor
@wondermomlv
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Society Girls: Camari Page 15
