Gene sighed as Carter got into car and left.

The man beside him asked, “What are you going to tell the Elders?”

“To prepare for war.” Gene cast a shrewd glance over the younger man. He was new. He didn’t know the lengths Carter Reed would take to insure his win. And this woman of his had only made him even more lethal, no matter how often he teased him about going soft.

Getting out of the car, Amanda was right behind me. I glanced back to make sure she followed the rest of the way inside Joe’s and she was. Biting her lip and tugging at her sleeves, she rolled her eyes. “Why am I here? I don’t work at The Richmond.”

“You’re my friend.”

“But I don’t work at The Richmond. I’m not going to fit in.”

“Come on. You’ll be fine. Theresa’s already here. She’s holding the table.”

“Oh my god,” she groaned as we went through the door. “You are both nuts for making me come here.”

I shrugged. “It’s Friday Wine Night.”

“No, this is not Friday Wine Night. That happens at home, with pajamas, with the three of us, lots and lots of wine, and pizza. Not here. Not with your stuck-up co-workers and definitely not with your boss here. He’s my boss too. It’s still uncomfortable for me. Noah owns the cafe, remember?” She inched closer and hissed again, “I shouldn’t be here!”

“Oh, hush. You’re here. You’re going to have fun. And you’re teaching again.”

“I’m going back over the break. He’s still my boss.” She grumbled again, “Seriously, Emma. I feel so out of place.”

My hand grabbed her arm and I latched on. “You’re coming.”

She had to, she was my plus one. Carter would’ve caused too much of a commotion. Since getting free from the Mauricio family, his name and image was everywhere. The media’s interest in him hadn’t lessened. It’d been leaked that he had been released from his mafia connections. The news spread fast he’d been made into the poster boy for redemption.

I had a gut feeling that the news loved to report on him. He raised their ratings every time, but when Noah asked if he’d come since Theresa had somehow blackmailed him to going to Joe’s for Friday Karaoke, Carter had laughed before punching him.

They’d been sparring.

As we went inside, I wasn’t surprised to find the place full. Most of the workers from the hotel were inside. Varying expressions of nerves were on most of them, a few were eager and another handful determined—I wasn’t sure for what, but the night would be interesting. Noah Tomlinson was going to make an appearance at Joe’s. The rumor had gotten out. He was rarely in the office since he preferred to work from his home office so it was the first some of the workers met the Big Boss in person.

Theresa popped up from a stool and waved us over. She almost slipped off her stool and pitched forward. Noah grabbed her arm, sitting her back down with a deep scowl over his face.

Amanda started giggling behind me. “He looks miserable.”

“See.” I threw a grin over my shoulder to her. “Nothing to worry about.”

“So says you whose boyfriend is even more intimidating than the boss.” She nudged me with her elbow. “We should go over. Theresa’s going to come over and get us if we don’t march over there.” She paused as we watched our friend start laughing. She hit the table with her hand and kept laughing, even as she spilled some beer from her pitcher.

Noah grimaced as he lifted the pitcher out of reach.

She kept laughing.

Amanda amended, “That’s if she can walk.”

I shook my head. “Let’s go.”

Leading the way, a few people said hello when we moved past. I extended a polite greeting, but I never wavered. Since my promotion people had been friendlier, but there’d been a time when they froze me out. I wouldn’t be forgetting that.

As I rounded the table of girls that I once considered casual work friends, it was the same reception. All of them were warm and a couple gushed to me, but they’d been the worst.

Bitches.

I wasn’t blind to their keen gazes as they watched us approach Theresa and Noah’s table.

“Hey!” Theresa threw her hands in the air again. The glass she’d been holding emptied onto a person walking by. They stopped, but saw Noah’s hulk size and kept going.

They were smart.

Then Theresa hollered, “My friend and roommate! You’re here.”

Amanda and I shared a look. This night was definitely going to be interesting.

Noah’s head leaned back. He gazed up at the ceiling, groaning at the same time.

“Heya, heya. Sit here.” Theresa padded the empty stool on her other side. She jerked her hand to Amanda. “Now.”

I nudged her this time. “You heard your roommate. Get going.”

“Emma,” Theresa wasn’t finished. She leaned forward. Her elbow grazed the top of the pitcher. It started to teeter as she commanded with a wide smile, “You sit there.”

Noah’s hand darted and he scooped up the pitcher before it spilled anymore.

“Good catch.”

He grunted in response and passed the pitcher to a waiter walking by. She started to ask him a question, but he turned his back to her. A scowl came over him and he scanned the room. “When is this over?”

I laughed, taking my seat. “It hasn’t even started.”