“Come on!” Blayne urged. “Dance with me!”
“To this seventies shit? Don’t they have anything from this century?”
“It’s a seventies-eighties dance party!”
“That explains the white people in Afros.”
“Those are African wild dogs!”
“That means nothing to me.”
The music switched to Donna Summer—another singer she knew because of her Pop-Pop—and Max was done. She turned to look for the closest bar and then Zé, but instead found her baby sister. When they spotted each other, Stevie stopped and stared at her.
What are you doing here? she mouthed to Max.
Charlie, was all Max had to say in return.
With a laugh and nod, Stevie started off but abruptly stopped again and motioned to Max to come to her.
“What?” Max asked when she stood next to her sister.
“Livy asked about you.”
“Livy who?”
“Your cousin.”
Max frowned, confused.
“The one you’ve threatened with death many times?”
“Still unclear.”
* * *
Kyle sat at the bar nursing his virgin Bloody Mary and wondering when this night would be over.
“You’re here!” Oriana greeted, putting her hand on his shoulder. “We didn’t get to say ‘surprise’ to you.”
“Seriously?”
“I promised Mom I’d make sure you got a party.”
“I’d rather be home. Doing anything else.”
“I know, but Mom feels bad she couldn’t be here.” When Kyle simply stared, Oriana added, “I know. She’s rarely here for our birthdays.”
“It’s hard to turn down the King of Spain.”
“At least try to have a good time.”
“How? ”
“There are kids your own age.”
“Are they all African wild dogs?” When she shrugged, he said, “Yeah, I’d rather be home.”
“At least stay until we cut the cake. Stevie ordered it just for you.”
“Meaning?”
“I think it’s made to look like one of your pieces. The one that got some award.”
“Many of my pieces have gotten awards.”
“Oh, my God! I can’t with you anymore. Just stay until we cut the fucking cake,” she snarled before storming off.
* * *
Max found her cousin hanging over the balcony railing, her camera aimed at the crowd below.
Briefly, Max entertained the thought of shoving Livy over the railing but she knew that would only piss off Stevie and she’d never hear the end of it. Not in the mood for the yelling that would follow such a move, she simply called out, “Livy! You wanted to see me?”
“Gimme a sec.”
That “sec” turned into five long minutes and by the time her cousin had removed herself from danger, Max was cracking her knuckles, entertaining the idea of punching Livy in the face for keeping her waiting. Damn artist types.
“Sorry about that.”
“Took you long enough.”
“I said sorry, bitch.”
Max stepped into her cousin’s space but Livy quickly pushed her back. “Before you get out of control . . . I wanted to let you know that the aunts came to me.”
“All of them? Because we have a lot.”
“They sent one representative but she spoke for all.”
“I guess it’s about my mother?” Christ, her mother had only been back a couple of days and despite her being gone for two decades, Max had to admit . . . she was already sick of her!
“The aunts are hoping she goes back to Europe.”
“So they should tell her that. Why are they bothering me? Or you for that matter?”
“They’re bothering me because they don’t want to even suggest they’re opening a line of communication with you since they consider you more MacKilligan than Yang.”
“Bitches.”
“And they aren’t telling her anything because they don’t want to look like they’re forcing her out. Even though they’re hoping to force her out through you.”
“Through me?”
“They probably figure she’s not going anywhere unless you go with her.”
Exasperated, Max finally asked what she’d been thinking for days now. “When did I become the center of this chick’s life?”
“She’s your mother!” Livy yelled back with a laugh.
“Yeah . . . I guess. I mean, don’t get me wrong. It’s been great actually seeing her. But I don’t necessarily want to become traveling buddies with my mother. I work alone. Plus, I’ve got the playoffs coming up and we are getting into the finals.”
“Oh, that’s right. You play basketball. Right? I forgot how much I don’t care.”
“Don’t bitch at me because you don’t have any trophies.”
“Look, I’m just telling you what those old biddies wanted me to. What you do is up to you.”
Max sighed. “I guess it couldn’t hurt to spend some time with her. She did just get out of prison.”
“I think that’s actually called a prison break.”
Max ignored that and continued, “And I have missed her. So maybe I could give it a year or so.”
“If you really want to.”
“Why wouldn’t I want to? I’m her daughter. Daughters should want to spend time with their mothers.” She frowned a bit. “Right?”
“Maybe asking me isn’t such a good idea. My mother and I don’t exactly get along. You know, since she keeps calling me ‘The Mistake.’” Livy briefly eyed her. “But, in all honesty, it doesn’t really seem like you want to go.”
“I guess I don’t. I’ve got a lot going on here and I just met a guy. He’s extremely hot.”
“Did you try to throw this one out a window, too?”
“I never try, I succeed. And I haven’t had to do that with him. Plus, he’s a cat, so he’d land on all fours anyway.” She blew out a breath. “It’s my mother. I can at least give her a year. At least until she can get back on her feet financially. It has been a while since she’s done any real work. Safes and alarm systems have changed drastically in the last twenty years.”
“What are you talking about?” Livy asked.
“You can’t tell me the aunts have been giving my mother money since she’s been locked away.”
“Of course not. You know the family rules. But she has that guy’s money. Devon, right? I heard she took him out, by the way. Let the hyenas eat him.” Livy shuddered. “That is so gross.”
“Wait.” Max couldn’t give a shit about Devon. “What do you mean she has Devon’s money? She’s never had Devon’s money.”
“Yeah, she did. Before she got banged up in Romania, she handed it off to one of the Beijing Yangs. How do you think she got that Bugatti?”
“She stole it?”
“That would be less than subtle for a fugitive on the run. She bought that shit. With money. That she has. Because she has Devon’s money. The Beijing Yangs laundered it and put it in an account for her, taking only a thirty-five-percent cut.”