Page 54 of Brian and Mina's Holiday Hits
Well,thatmessage has been delivered clearly. Brian leads me to an area away from the clusters of guests where we have some privacy.
“Why would he have two big parties so close together?” I’m sure it must annoy Brian that I have so many questions in a place where we should be keeping a low profile, but I’m just so curious. This is a pretty fancy party. Why does this guyalsoneed to throw a masquerade ball on Halloween in six weeks? How often does he entertain?
Brian leans in close to my ear, one of his hands pressing lightly against my lower back when he does so. It takes a lot of concentration to hear his words over the loud rushing in my ears at the way my body reacts to these small touches. You’d think that after a while I would just somehow get used to Brian’s intense energy, but I never do. When all his focus and attention is on me like this, it does things to me.
“The masquerade ball is a charity event he holds every year. Tickets are through the roof but there are are a lot of aspirational wealth social climbers that aren’t part of his inner circle. Everyone here tonight is.”
“Except for us and the others like us,” I whisper back.
“I have my suspicions about that.”
As if on cue, an older man in a sharp suit that broadcasts wealth approaches us. Even if I hadn’t seen his photo on the murder wall, I’d know this is our target. He carries himself with too much confidence and just a dash of refined swagger. He knows he’s the king here, and he knows everybody else knows it too.
He claps Brian on the back. “Sloan! I wasn’t sure you’d accept my invitation.”
“It seemed like a good excuse to impress my lady friend,” Brian says.
Windsor turns to me, his gaze lingering longer than it should, and I can tell just by the look he gives me, that he thinks I’ve been hired for the night to be on Brian’s arm. I refuse to let it offend me. If this guy knows Brian well at all, the idea that he might actually have a love interest is far too extreme a leap for most. Brian isn’t exactly a big marshmallow.
Brian clears his throat, and Drake’s lecherous gaze shifts, then he’s all business again, dismissing me and going back to Brian. I hope Brian lets me kill this one.
“I’ve got to give a speech here in just a moment, but as soon as I’m done, I’d like to speak to you in my study about some business.” He gives Brian a meaningful look as though they are speaking in some sort of secret code and of course asthe lady of the nighton Brian’s arm, it’s above my pay grade. If only this motherfucker knew.
“Of course,” Brian says, with a tight smile.
Windsor excuses himself and winds through the crowd to get to the stage. As he starts his boring self-important soliloquy, I’m rescued from having to pay attention by the trays of champagne andhors d’ oeuvreswinding my way. I take a glass of champagneoff a tray and one of the stuffed mushrooms off the other. Brian shakes his head at me when I offer him one.
When the trays pass by and we’re alone again, he says, “I don’t eat avant garde tiny food.”
“Why not?”
“Because it’s pretentious bullshit, and I don’t do pretentious bullshit. Food like this is a way for smug rich assholes to signal their wealth and old money because
nobody who just fell into money would wake up one morning and say, ‘Today I think I’ll have some fish eggs and snails.’ Meanwhile all these other assholes are rambling on about their ‘sophisticated palate.’ More like sophisticated bullshit.”
“But we need to blend in.”
“Fuck that.”
“Okay, so no on the stuffed mushrooms?”
“Definitely no.”
“You never told me why you took this job.” I wonder if there’s some kind of personal vendetta between these two or if it’s just another kill to him.
“Isn’t this enough?” he says, gesturing. And I know he means the entire obnoxious show and all the pretension surrounding us.
“Your logic is sound,” I say, popping the obnoxious, though admittedly delicious tiny food into my mouth.
“My logic is impeccable.”
“Brian, is that really the only reason?”
“The money was good. Normally I don’t shit where I eat but…”
“Tiny food?”
“Tiny food.”
