Page 27 of Devious Corruption

“No.” He slaps my wrist before I can get a grip on the stem and jerks his head, signaling to the server to leave. “No more for her.”

The server, a short woman with a pixie cut, nods, flashing me a small look of pity before taking her tray and moving into the crowd.

“You can’t tell me if I can have a drink or not,” I shoot at him.

His eyes settle on me at the same time his jaw clenches. Everything about the fierceness of his stance and his expression warns me to shut my mouth, but I’ve never been good at keeping quiet.

“I have never met anyone so rude, so condescending, so…so….annoying before.” I’m barely able to stop myself from stomping my foot, but I do manage it.

His expression only hardens.

“The only reason you’re here is because Nicolette insisted, and it’s her last night home. If it weren’t for the amount of extra security I have in place tonight, you wouldn’t be allowed within a hundred feet of my sister.”

I’m taken back by his words.Hethinks I’m a danger?

“Do you have the information?” He questions, taking advantage of my momentary lapse of words.

“First of all, I’m not a danger to you or to Nicolette. I would never put her in danger.” I clear my throat when my voice cracks a little. “Second of all, you said I have until tomorrow.”

“Your brothers obviously have ties to people who aren’t friends of mine. You being here is a danger to her.”

“Why would who my brothers do business with have any effect on her or you? I don’t know them, and they don’t know me.”

“Did you tell your brothers what I want to know?”

I pause, take a deep breath. He obviously wants to argue, and I’m not in the mood for it.

“Yes. Now. Since my attendance is such an annoyance to you, why don’t you go away. I’m sure you have plenty of other people you can bother with your angry eyes.” I lean to the left, purposely looking into the crowd. “I think I see Jaxon; I’ll go finish my conversation with him.

“You won’t.” He sidesteps, blocking me again.

“Why not? I can’t possibly be a danger to him, too.”

“He’s not someone you should be involved with.” His tone dips.

“That’s not really your business, is it?” I fold my arms over my chest.

“It is.”

“It’s not.”

“Do you always argue every point?”

“When they are stupid, yes.” I give a hard nod.

“Oh, looks like you found Lev.” Vee is back, Megan and another girl behind her.

“She did.” Lev’s demeanor softens as he turns to the girls. “I need to speak with Alexander; I assume he’s around.”

Megan nods. “He and Ivan are by the bar.”

“Good.” Then he stalks off.

“That man is unbelievably rude.” I clench my hands at my sides. “He actually told me I can’t have another drink. No, that’s not right. He told the waitress not to serve me anymore.”

Vee exchanges a look with Megan, then laughs. “He’s probably still irked about having to pour you into your apartment that night at the club.”

“I wasn’t that drunk.”