Twisted Lies 2 (6 page)

I shrugged. “I guess. I also found out he
got one retailer back onboard with carrying my collection.”

“Okay. So what’s with the sour face? You
should be jumping up and down with joy—or at the very least,
planning a scorching hot lap dance for Mr. McKay.”

I shook my head. “You do realize a lap dance
isn’t exactly the solution to every girl’s problems?”

Jade screwed up her mouth. “Says who?”

I groaned. “Moving on because it’s just too
exhausting to debate over your theory right now.”

“Well, it seems to me McKay is doing all the
right things by you.”

“I beg to differ. He had a conference call
with the retailer this morning and didn’t bother to invite me.”

She jammed her hands on her hips. “Uh-huh.
And why does that matter?”

My eyes widened. “Because I’m a part of this
business. I’m not just the hired help.”

“There could be a plausible reason for his
oversight.”

I walked toward the settee before sitting
down. “Like what?”

She rolled her eyes heavenward. “Like why
don’t you fucking ask him? This shit is ridiculous. Woman up. Pick
up the phone and call him.”

“Negative on that idea.” I rolled my
shoulders to relieve the tension. “Do you think I’m cursed? Because
it feels like it.”

“Cursed? Blessed is more like it. He paid
off your fabric distributor bill and smoothed things over with at
least one retailer.” Jade humorously blinked her eyes. “Holy shit!
Yes. He’s a damn monster,” she finished mockingly.

“He didn’t do it because he’s a saint.”

She strolled over to the sofa and sat down
with a loud sigh. “You’re damn right. He did it because, guess
what? He’s a businessman. Has it even crossed your mind that your
approach to your predicament is all wrong?”

I sat straight up. “Oh, hell no! Don’t go
all Zen bananas on me.”

She held up her hand. “Don’t get mad. Just
listen to me. I know men.”

I frowned. “And I don’t? I haven’t fucked in
a while, but that doesn’t mean I’m hopelessly out of
commission.”

“I’m going to ignore that statement because
it’s just too much work to go into why it’s just… well, all wrong.”
She gave a quick shake of her head. “Jesus. Have you learned
nothing from me all these years?”

“Oh, I’ve learned plenty from your
too-much-information recaps of your sexual escapades. Lesson number
one”—I counted off on my fingers—“breathe through your nose, not
your mouth, when trying to take a cock to the back of your throat
without gagging. Number two, a Dirty Sanchez isn’t for the
fainthearted. Oh, and the most important lesson”—I batted my
eyelashes almost comically—“have lots of painkillers on standby
after getting fisted.” I smiled saucily. “All good lessons. Thank
you.”

Jade winked at me. “Well, you know me. I’m
willing to do all the hot, sweaty research for the betterment of
your fuck game.”

“I haven’t had any complaints yet.”

“Because of me doing all the damn legwork.”
She slapped my thigh. “But let’s not get all distracted. Back to
McKay.”

I reclined. “No. I’m tired of talking about
him.”

“All I’m saying is you’re fighting fire with
fire and getting absolutely nowhere with him. Honey is what’s
needed.” She fluttered her eyelashes, dramatically tossing her
hair. “Like that, but with you, you’ve got to spread it on thick
and wear something low cut when you’re doing it.”

I looked at her like she’d lost her
ever-loving mind. “Not going to be able to do it.”

“Okay. Your choice, but he’s holding all the
cards.”

I scoffed. “He’s a prick.”
Gorgeous and
smoldering, but undeniably, he’s a bona-fide asshole.

“Grasshopper, that shit doesn’t matter. All
that matters is you’re making yourself miserable over a deal you’re
stuck with until he chooses to end it. Do you know how many deals
I’ve made that suck ass? Too many to fucking count, but I did them
because I had to give a little so those Hollywood movie executive
pricks would even consider me for prime roles.”

“He took ninety-seven percent of my
business.”

“He’s the bank, and you’re the creator. You
both need each other.”

“But—”

Jade interrupted me. “It doesn’t matter why
this shit happened, but it did. He gave you two million dollars and
an accountant. Use this opportunity to learn what makes him tick,
and work the man until you can flip this deal and change the
business stake on paper.”

I groaned painfully. “I know I should, but I
can’t.”

She shook her head. “I love you, but you’re
driving me crazy with your stubbornness.” She arched a brow. “Let’s
keep it real. You’re a talented designer, but keeping financial
books isn’t your forte. You can barely balance your fucking
checkbook. I think it makes perfectly good business sense to have
someone manage your finances. It’s no biggie. If McKay wants to pay
all your expenses, let him.”

I exhaled loudly. I hated that she’d picked
the most inopportune time to be logical.

“Sin, I’m telling you play nice with him.
Now put on your big-girl panties and then call him and thank him…
nicely.”

“I can’t.”

“Why?”

My body tensed. “Because that’s exactly what
he wants me to do.”

“You mean that’s what you want to do and it
scares the shit out of you.”

Damn it!

I couldn’t hide shit from
Jade.
It’d been that way since the first day we met as
freshmen in high school, and it would always be that way.

“Yes, it does.” My fascination with McKay
was fucking sordid. I’d been masturbating almost every night since
my last meeting with him. My vibrator, The Beast, simply couldn’t
handle the pressure. “On a business level, I get him. He’s all
about money and work. It’s the personal side that scares me because
I can’t read him.”
Or trust myself when I’m around him.
“One
minute, he looks like he wants to devour me. The next, he looks
like he wants to kill me. He’s crazy.”

“Excuses. It’s not complicated, Sin. You’re
tearing yourself up for nothing.” Jade arched a well-manicured
brow. “Just swallow—”

I cut her off. “I will not give him a blow
job.”

“Uh…” She smiled. “I was going to say
swallow your pride and call him. But I’m all for you taking the
blow-job approach.”

“I’ll just call him.”

Jade was right. I had to call him. Things
between McKay and me couldn’t go on the way they had been. Maybe I
was building this friction thing between us to be a bigger thing
than it was.

I jumped up, pulling my cell out of my
pocket as I braced myself to make the call I’d been dreading for
days.

This madness between McKay and me had to
stop.

Her face dropped with disappointment. “Okay.
You could do that, but the BJ is much more fun and creative.”

My mind raced while I paced. On one hand, I
disliked him. On the other, I wanted to fuck him. I was on the
verge of snapping like a twig from the stress.

She rolled onto her stomach on the sofa,
propping her chin on her hands.

I stormed over to her and slapped her arm.
“What are you doing? You’re rolling around in a couture evening
gown.”

She fanned me away. “Stop stalling. And
don’t forget to put it on speaker. I want to hear it all.”

I plopped down next to her, scrolling down
my contact list, and touched his number, automatically calling it.
I pointed at her, putting it on speakerphone. “I’m going to
cunt-punt you if you make a sound,” I whispered.

She made the zipping motion across her
mouth.

“Hello?” he rasped in a gravelly voice.

My heart thumped at the allure of his voice.
Get it together, Sin.

She whacked my arm and mouthed,
Oh my
God!

I jabbed her in the side and mouthed,
Shut up!

“It’s Sinthia Michaels,” I croaked, suddenly
feeling like an insecure high school girl. I counted to ten before
saying, “I wanted to say thank you for calling the retailer and for
paying my distributor.”

He took so long to reply that I thought the
line had disconnected.

“Are you still there?” I asked
impatiently.

“I’m only cleaning up the shit you got
yourself into.”

My back straightened. “What did you just
say?”

“I’ve reviewed your business records, and I
found the steady decrease in your income. I also noticed the few
business deals you’ve made are ridiculously unprofitable.”

I wanted to claw his damn eyes out.

He continued. “I will not lose money on this
business deal. I’ll give you free rein to steer this business
creatively, but I’ll make all the strategic decisions from this
point on.”

I jumped up and marched up and down, feeling
my frustration mount. “This is my business, and I will not be
relegated to some corner while you run
my
business,” I
hissed. “You might have a major stake in my company, but there is
no Sin Michaels collection without me. So this is how it’s going to
go, McKay. Regardless of what’s on that fucking contract, you will
treat me as an equal partner.”

The phone was silent.

“Hello?”

“Ms. Michaels, don’t ever give me an
ultimatum,” he said in a brisk tone. “You might have creative
control, but that doesn’t mean shit without my fucking money.” He
clicked off.

I gaped at the phone in shock. “He hung up
on me.” I stared at Jade. “He’s an asshole.”

She smiled. “I disagree. He’s just not
putting up with your shit. He’s alpha delicious.” She moaned like a
porn star. “The man is sex on a stick, and he’s ready to blow your
back out, girl.”

I sat down beside her. “You sound like a
lunatic. That shit is not happening.”

“Yet.” She smiled smugly.

“Ever,” I snapped.

McKay might have my livelihood in his hands,
but now I was determined to find a way out of his clutches—the
sooner, the better.

Jade scooted to sit up. “I know that look,
Sin. Your mouth says no, but your mind and body are saying
completely the opposite.” She wiggled her eyebrows.

I gave her the evil eye. “Are you trying to
make me stab you?”

Ariana breezed in with her new bestie, Erika
Watson, walking beside her.

“Cate, enough!” Ariana screamed into the
cell pressed against her ear.

“Hello, Erika,” I said.

Erika kissed me on the cheek before dropping
her outrageously expensive designer bag onto the sofa like it was a
sack of greasy fast food. “All the way over here, they’ve been at
it on the phone.” She rolled her eyes. “If I wanted to hear that
shit, I could have stayed at work and listened to the overpaid
divas bitch about who has more lines.”

“Are you talking about Jade?” I winked at
her.

I loved Erika. She was remarkably laidback
for a woman who’d achieved so much so fast. She was an
award-winning writer and producer who created hit TV shows. She was
also the first African-American woman to create and
executive-produce a top ten network series, a series starring
Jade.

Erika smiled. “I refuse to confirm or deny
that shit.” She looked Jade up and down. “I love you in that gown.”
Erika smiled at me. “Are you ready for me to get all sexy?” She
poured a glass of champagne.

“You’re set up in the second room,” I
responded.

“I’m done with this conversation, Cate,”
Ariana growled into the phone.

“Thank God.” Erika grimaced, eyeing Ariana.
“Ariana and Cate are like two pit bulls in skirts.” She swayed
toward the fitting room before slamming the door behind her.

“Good-bye. Yes, I’m hanging up, Cate,”
Ariana barked before tossing her cell into her handbag. “I’m going
to kill her.”

Jade arched a brow. “So what’s the
self-appointed queen bee of the Bellisario clan bitching about
now?”

Jade was the daughter of Ariana Bellisario—a
philanthropist, heiress, and successful businesswoman—making Jade a
member of the illustrious group of New York socialites. Her aunt,
Cate Bellisario, was older than Ariana by a
couple years. To some, that made Cate the most powerful member of
the Bellisario family. She was using that status among the New York
elite to get her fiancé, Bigsby Calhoune, a wealthy shipping mogul,
elected as New York City mayor.

“Anything and everything.” She flopped down
next to me and smiled. “How are you, darling?”

“Better than you, I gather,” I said.

“Mom?” Jade asked.

Ariana sighed. “She’s micromanaging the shit
out of this fundraising gala.” She rolled her eyes heavenward.
“Bigsby arranged a family photo opportunity at the gala with a
major magazine.
Arrive early
.” She mocked Cate’s whiny
voice.

I laughed because it’d sounded exactly like
Cate. New York City’s queen socialite bitch, Cate, had handpicked
the rich elite and A-listers for the fundraising gala, and they had
been granted the opportunity to get all gussied up in honor of her
fiancé. The gala was the biggest event on the New York elite
calendar. The ten-thousand-dollars-per-ticket gala was meant to
raise funds for Bigsby’s mayoral race, but in reality, it was just
an excuse for a self-celebratory orgy of red-carpet posing.

“Blah, blah, blah. God, I hate that fucker
Bigsby,” Ariana hissed.

“Exactly!” Jade chimed in. “He reminds me of
some two-bit car salesman.”

I shuddered. “He just gives me the
creeps.”

He did. He always seemed to be leering at me
like some perverted slime ball.

Ariana pointed at me. “Exactly. You hit the
nail right on the head. He’s creepy. That’s why I hired a private
investigator. I’ll be damned if I let my sister marry that sleazy
bastard.”

I gave Jade a sidelong stare. “Does she
know?”

Jade nodded. “Hell yes. We’re the last
members of the Bellisario dynasty and each worth millions. If you
want to date a Bellisario, you get investigated thoroughly. Most
guys just ungracefully bow out because they can’t deal with Irvin,
the investigative proctologist.”