Page 98 of House of Scarlett
Leaning slightly, I speak directly into her ear. “Is it always like this?”
Scarlett’s smile doesn’t budge. “Not always. But Meryl is trying to raise a lot of money tonight, so I’m not surprised she pulled out all the stops. Making people feel important can really help the cause.”
“What exactly is the cause again?”
We finish passing through the camera-heavy gauntlet before she answers. “Building project. She needs to expand the center she runs for at-risk youth. It’s a huge undertaking, and she needs all the money she can get.”
“Got it.”
We walk into a ballroom already filled with people mingling. I see plenty of familiar faces, but none who would actually admit to knowing who I am. Rich guys liked to frequent my underground club, but they would never acknowledge me on the street because it would mean admitting where they’d been.
Several eyes lock on me and Scarlett, and you can almost watch the gossip travel from group to group until even more people are staring.
If I thought I was out of place before, I feel like a fish out of water right now. My tux feels too tight, and all I want to do is walk straight out that door, but I wouldn’t do that to Scarlett. No fucking way.
I slowly inhale a deep breath through my nose and let it out. They can say whatever the fuck they want about me, but if anyone says a cross word about her ... I won’t be responsible for what happens next.
Thankfully, a familiar blonde comes bouncing in our direction with a man in a suit trailing behind her.
“Scar, you made it! Oh my God, the antique silver tea set you donated to the silent auction is absolutely freaking incredible. I didn’t know you even had it! I’m jelly as hell because the bid is already two grand, and the silent auction has only been open for ten minutes.”
“Even I was tempted when I saw it,” says another voice that comes from the opposite side of Scarlett.Meryl Fosse. “Maybe I’ll have to rethink my position on Curated, because that tea set is divine.”
“Call me next week, Meryl, and we’ll set up a private appointment for you,” Scarlett says with pride. “I think you’ll be quite surprised by what you see and what we can do for you.”
The grand dame herself nods. “I’ll do that. It’ll be my treat to myself for pulling off this gala.” She shifts her attention to me. “You look sharp, Mr. Legend. I hope you’ll bring your little brother by sometime in the next few weeks. He seems like a truly remarkable individual, and I have several kids who would really benefit from meeting him.”
I’m not sure why she wants Bump to come in, and I don’t want him being exploited in any way, but I nod. “I’ll see what I can do, Ms. Fosse. Nice event you got here. I hope you pry open all their wallets and get the money you need.”
Her smile widens. “Me too. And you should all get those wallets out and take a look at the silent auction items. I expect bids from everyone.”
She sweeps away, welcoming another group, and Harlow grabs Scarlett by the hand.
“Come on, you have to see this necklace. I swear to God, it looks like it belonged to royalty. I didn’t get a chance to bid yet, but it’s going to gonuts.”
Scarlett looks to me.
“Go. I’ll get us some drinks.”
“I’ll come with you, man,” Harlow’s husband says.
“Oh shit, I didn’t even introduce you two yet.” Harlow waves a hand between me and her man. “Jimmy, this is Gabriel Legend. Legend, this is Jimmy.”
“Thanks, babe,” Jimmy says with a kiss to her cheek before we shake hands and Harlow drags Scarlett away. “I knew who you were without the intro. You’re as much of a legend as your name suggests.”
I shrug. “Not much these days.”
Jimmy and I move toward the bar, dodging men in tuxes and women dressed to impress.
“Yeah, that was some shit. Your club getting shot up when it opened. I’m glad to hear you got some new action coming in the door, though. Should be a real help to getting you back to where you need to be. Where you belong.”
I stare at the man as we reach the bar. “What are you talking about?”
“Your fight night. I heard Legend got approved as a venue.”
I try to smooth my features, but I assume my surprise is all over my face. “How do you know that?”
“I hear all sorts of shit first. Perk of being a sports agent. This city is a hell of a lot smaller than you think, and word in my circle is that your club is about to be the next big thing in MMA venues.”
