Page 36 of Cold Hard Cash

Jimmy nodded obediently, peering earnestly up at Cold. He was truly enjoying himself, but it was hard to relax. “Then can we talk?” he asked hopefully.

“Maybe,” Cold purred, his eyes raking over Jimmy’s suited form. “We’ll see.”

Jimmy nodded, watching Cold leave with Tamerlane and Jules. The longer he had to wait, the more pent up he was starting to feel. If he didn’t tell Cold the truth soon, he was going to burst.

He stood up, restless, moving to the fireplace to watch the flames. Sipping at his drink, he glanced around at the remaining occupants. None of them really paid much attention to him, and Jimmy was glad for it.

He didn’t notice when another guest arrived since he returned his attention to the roaring fire until he heard Thirdsies groan a quiet, “Come on.He’shere?”

“Sorry I’m late to the party,” a smooth voice announced, prompting Jimmy to turn around again and see a blond man in a dark blue suit. Not entirely unhandsome, but there was something unsettling about him that gave Jimmy pause.

“Now, now,” Valdemar scolded at Thirdsies, “don’t be rude, sonny. Make sure he can hear you, poor bastard might be deaf!” He took a deep breath before shouting dramatically, “Oh, for the love ofGodddddand all that’s holy!He’shere?”

“Like that, huh?”

“Just like that.” Valdemar nodded.

The newcomer did not look amused.

Rowena called out her drunken salutations, the other Gentlemen either mumbling or ignoring him completely. He didn’t seem distressed by their dismissal of him, but his eyes immediately zeroed in on Jimmy.

“Well, hello there,” the man drawled, a bright smile lighting up his face as he approached.

“Hands off,” Rowena warned with a slight slur to her words. “He’s with my brother. Mybrother’s.”

“Oh, ho ho. What a sweet little princeling. And imagine that, for the king himself.” He snorted, looking Jimmy over curiously. “So, Cold left you here all by your lonesome?” the man asked with a mocking pout.

“He just, uh, he had to have a meeting,” Jimmy replied quickly, forcing a small smile and trying to be friendly. He didn’t know this gentleman, but there was something about him that made Jimmy uncomfortable.

The man was staring at Jimmy unabashedly, his eyes flicking over him from head to toe, like he either wanted to sleep with Jimmy or wear his skin. Maybe both.

Definitely creepy.

Jimmy fidgeted, his smile becoming more strained as he said, “I’m sure he won’t be much longer.”

The man suddenly advanced, so close now that Jimmy could see the blue of his eyes and his gaze was uncomfortably intense. He bowed his head as if they were about to share a secret, murmuring softly, “Do you know who I am?”

“Uh, no?” Jimmy replied, blinking as he took a step back to put some space between them. “I’m sorry, I’m not technically supposed to, uh, talk to anyone. I don’t... I don’t know who you are, sir.”

The man seemed to relax at that, his lips curling up thoughtfully. “No, I suppose you wouldn’t,” he said after a moment, allowing Jimmy to retreat to a comfortable distance. He smiled and extended his hand. “I’m Rufus Corman.”

“Hi,” Jimmy said, shaking his hand politely. “I’m Jimmy, Jimmy... You know, just Jimmy.”

“Jimmy Poe,” Corman supplied quietly with a cocky smirk, not letting go of his hand. He squeezed so hard it hurt, pulling him even closer as he hissed, “You may not know me, but I definitely know who you are.”

Fuck.

Jimmy’s face flushed, as he frantically jerked his hand away. This wasn’t good. How did Corman know his name? How did he know who he was?

Lorre had been hovering a few yards away, watching Corman stalk Jimmy. He had come close enough that he could hear them, snapping suddenly, “Wait, Jimmy Poe? As in, Augustus Duplin’s kid?”

Corman scowled for a moment, but his polite expression returned in a blink. It seemed he hadn’t wanted to share his discovery with the rest of the class, but there was no point in hiding it now. “Indeed.”

Jimmy didn’t know what to do. Cold had told him to stay put, but all he wanted to do right now was run like hell. Neither Corman nor Lorre looked very friendly.

“Oh, yeah, I knew you looked familiar. I fucking know you,” Lorre sneered, glaring at Jimmy. “Your fucking dad killed my fucking brother. What the fuck! Does Cold fucking know who you are?”

“I-I don’t know anything about your brother,” Jimmy stammered, frantically backing himself against the wall with both Lorre and Corman closing in. “And Cold... uhm...”