Page 15 of Merciless Heir
“And when will that be?” I don’t bother keeping the hard edge from my voice. All that gets is the merest flicker of a gaze from her.
“I’ll let you know when I know.”
“You have two hours. Then I’ll go with someone else.”
There are others. They just don’t happen to be as good as she’s meant to be. As Black Raven or Midnight Raven or whatever she wishes to call herself.
I can make do. Top notch jewelers and PIs exist. People with niche skills that I can use. They all exist. I have a list. And not one will cost what she does. Not one will give me the headache she will and yet…
I want her.
Maybe I’m no different to the rest of the society. Maybe it’s the thrill of using the services of someone who used to steal from the rich. Maybe it’s the fact she’s no Robin Hood and she harbors a hard-edged dislike of my kind.
Or maybe it’s her.
She mutters something under her breath, creatively crude. And I glance over to see Jemima Mao making her way to us. My gaze meets Sadie’s and her mask slips, the dislike is palpable, and I can taste it, but then she’s cool and accommodating and smiles.
I almost point out Jemima married up, monetarily. Her husband’s the one born into wealth and power and is figurehead of the tech company his father created. I use the term tech company loosely. His father created a new computer chip back in the day and that’s what they do. Create and make hardware and Mao himself sits as CEO and lets others do the work.
Jemima, on the other hand, is a lawyer. One who came up from nothing and carefully created her own image while riding the Harvard HLS Grant program. She graduated top of her class and is the kind of lawyer anyone smart wants to handle suits that come their way.
I know, because I’ve hired her.
She doesn’t have a practice anymore, per se. Just does jobs she wants. So, she hides the shark beneath the layers of bubbles her husband likes, and, I suspect, she enjoys. The idle rich woman she is here is worlds from what she is when she dons her law persona.
Thinking about it, maybe Sadie has a point about what women do for love. This is what her billionaire husband wants and this is what he gets. And she gets…all this…
“Kingston,” she says as she comes to a stop. “I see you’ve met my guest of honor, Sally.”
“I have.”
Her gaze sweeps me and then Sadie. “You never come to these things.” Now Sadie’s gaze is on me, assessing. “I hope you’re not trying to steal my star attraction.”
“Not until she’s done here.” I sweep my hand through the air. “I just decided to drop by after one too many meetings today.”
I might be on sabbatical, but there are some things I can’t and don’t want to get out of. Like the meetings today. Like nailing Sadie down. In a non-sexual way, of course.
“You know how it is, one too many meetings and a soiree is just the thing,” I add.
She laughs like I said something hilarious and Sadie’s expression doesn’t change, but there’s that same dislike that beats in the air. “I know you’re going to want to hire Black Raven for your new place.”
The elevator dings and she breezes past.
“Y’know, Sally,” I say before I can stop myself, “don’t underestimate Jemima.”
“These people. Of course you defend them. You’re all the same.”
“Really?”
“They gush like I’m a circus attraction.”
“You make yourself that to them and you know it,” I say, shifting to face her. “What? Did you grow up poor after some rich fuck stole your daddy’s money?”
“That’s what your kind do. Get richer by screwing the system and charging the little guy more and more and more.”
I just laugh. “You screw the system by stealing from us and turning that to your advantage. I don’t think we’re that different.”
Her eyes are pure, burning hostility. “Galaxies apart, Kingston.” She pauses. “What did you mean about our host?”