“Does your pimp know that?” Aisling challenged. “I know you’re bad at your job but pleasure is supposed to be part of the deal.”
That was enough to push Angelina over the edge. Honestly, I knew she wouldn’t be able to maintain the façade for more than a few minutes. Aisling had a unique way of getting under people’s skin ... and she was a professional when it came to Angelina. They’d been fighting with one another since elementary school.
“I bet your pimp has to pay your clients now that you’re fat and have had a baby,” she shot back.
Griffin stirred. “Hey now. Don’t even go there.”
Zoe removed her feet from Aric’s lap and focused on the newcomer. You could almost hear the sizzle in the room as she looked Angelina up and down. “Who’s the Kardashian wannabe?” she asked finally.
Aisling’s smile was evil. “This is Angelina Davenport. We went to high school together.”
“She came out of her egg evil,” Jerry volunteered. “I heard she had a tail and everything but her mother paid a doctor to snip it off.”
“Like I care what Jerry the fairy says,” Angelina intoned.
Zoe’s eyes narrowed. “It makes sense that the tail would have to be removed. No pimp — not even one in the dregs of Detroit — is going to take on a working girl with a tail.”
Angelina’s eyes flashed with hatred. “And who are you? Since when are you guys allowing blondes in this house? I thought Aisling disallowed that because of her fragile ego.”
“Don’t listen to her,” Aisling offered Zoe. “I like blondes. I just don’t like Angelina.”
“I can see why not.” Zoe cocked her head. “Out of curiosity, how did you get in here without anybody noticing? There are people in the foyer.”
I understood immediately what she was worried about. “Angelina is like a cockroach,” I explained. “She slips in through cracks.”
“I didn’t slip. I just walked right in through the back door when the cook was getting a delivery,” Angelina corrected. “It seems you’re having crabs tonight, Aisling. Those are different from the other crabs you get on a regular basis, of course. I don’t want you to be confused.”
Aisling smirked. “That was better than most of your other insults of late. Still weak, but better.”
“Not that we’re not happy to see you, Angelina — although we’re not — but what are you doing here?” Cormack queried as he smoothed Lily’s shirt. “Last time I checked, it was generally agreed upon that you’re not welcome in this house.”
“I’m here on official business.” Angelina straightened her shoulders, her eyes going to the baby. “Is she yours, Aisling?”
Even though I knew Aisling got a kick out of Angelina’s insults most days, there was something threatening in the look she slid her nemesis. “No. Here at Grimlock Manor we just pick up random babies from the street.”
Angelina’s expression faltered for a beat. “It’s too bad she looks like you,” she said finally. “That won’t be cute once she learns to talk.”
And that, I realized, was as close to a compliment as Angelina could manage. Aisling appeared to realize it, too, because she merely shook her head and heaved out a sigh.
“We’re trying to relax before dinner, Angelina,” she prodded. “What do you want?”
“To drop off this.” She pulled a square pink envelope from the pocket of her jacket and handed it to Cormack. Once close, her hand automatically moved over Lily’s head, as if she had no control over her actions. Her expression turned from one of disdain to marvel in the blink of an eye. “I have a client who wanted to invite you all to a party. I told him it was a bad idea but he insisted. I figured since I was in the neighborhood to deal with some stuff at my mother’s house, I would drop off the invitation in person.”
“I heard you were renting that house,” Jerry interjected. “You’re not moving in, are you? There’s nothing that will bring home values down more than a reality television show reject.”
Angelina’s expression turned haughty. “I’m putting it on the market. I was renting it because I wasn’t certain what I wanted to do with it, but it’s been long enough. I can’t live there and it’s losing value just sitting there, so I’m putting it up for sale.”
Cormack pursed his lips. “That must’ve been a hard decision for you.”
Angelina was the most hated person in the family but all of them, even Aisling, felt sorry for her on some level. Her mother had died more than a year before, leaving Angelina with no one but herself. Anyone who had ever met her could tell that was miserable company.
“It was, but it had to be done. I’m nothing if not pragmatic.”
“And full of chlamydia,” Aisling volunteered.
Angelina scorched her with a hateful look. “You can let some of them go.”
“Apparently not.” Aisling’s smile was serene as she turned her attention to her father. “What is that?”
“An invitation to a party,” Cormack replied in a heavy voice. “It’s being hosted by Adam and Julia Grimaldi.”
All the oxygen whooshed out of my lungs. “You’ve got to be kidding.”
He shook his head. “That’s interesting, huh?”
That wasn’t the word I would use. What was he planning? It was obvious the timing wasn’t coincidental. Something very bad was brewing, and for the life of me I couldn’t grasp what it was all leading to.
Seventeen
“What’s the deal?” Angelina’s gaze bounced from face to face. It was obvious she realized something was going on but, at the same time, was incapable of ascertaining what had thrown everybody for a loop.
“There is no deal,” Aisling countered. “You can leave now.”
Angelina’s eyes narrowed to dangerous slits. “You’re not in charge of me. I don’t do what you say. In fact —” She didn’t get a chance to finish
