Trial & Error

35 | Joie

"I am. By staying out of you and Aqua's situation. My answer's no. And that's final. Don't ask me anymore."

I wanted to punch him, but instead, I smacked the food out of his hand. "Ass," I stepped over the mess and walked out of his face.

Joel snickered behind me. "Love you, too, Joie."

I flipped him off, leaving the store, and into my Porsche. I let out a sharp breath. "Damn it."

The drive to JNC was a bit of a distance and when I arrived in my office there was an unexpected visitor. By the pricey heel on the tapping foot that was only one person.

"Goldie," I call as I went in and closed the door behind me. "You're here. Uninvited. Again. Is this gonna be a regular occurrence?"

"Young girl found dead," her smooth tone read. "Victim identified as Fiona fucking Perry."

Her brown eyes were stern on me, while I walked around my desk to look at her. Despite Goldie's angry expression, she was very gorgeous and dressed pricey and nicely as she does best. Seeing her mad always turned me on. But this wasn't the time.

Goldie actually held a newspaper, slapping it on my desk. "You should have a seat," she gestured to the chair behind me that I planted a seat in and her eyes never left mine. "Do you know how much money I put behind your friends program?"

I shrugged, "I'm sure you're gonna tell me."

"Well, that would be the purpose," Goldie retorted. "Nearly a million dollars I put behind a friend you called me to sit down with and help. A friend you told me to trust in."

"That I did—"

"I'm not done," She cut in quickly with her naturally demanding personality coming out. I zipped my lips so she could finish. "I gave her my help because of you. Now one prostitutes dead and your friend is dodging my calls and Kinsey haven't seen her. I feel like I've been hustled." She laughed, "I don't enjoy the feeling of being hustled. You know that about me."

"You're not being hustled Golden," I let out a breath. "You believed in that program just as much as she did. You knew the risk."

"Yeah, but your friend ignoring me is a problem."

"She just lost the person that would've helped her program that she seriously believed in. Not about the money." I rolled my eyes, "Give her a fucking break."

Goldie looked at me in silence, then raised to her feet and it gave me a better view of her body in the white, cape-sleeve belted crepe jumpsuit as she came around to where I sat. Personal space wasn't her strong suit because she planted a seat on top of the desk beside me and her thick thigh pressed on my arm. Delicately, her soft hand took a hold of my chin and made me connect eyes with her.

She had that smile. The one she placed on her mouth when she wanted to go off but kept her cool.