CHAPTER FORTY

TORI

THE GIRLS DINNER DISCUSSION

I peeked at the gumbo brewing on the stove.

She smiled at me. “What do you think?”

“It smells pretty good,” I replied.

“I’ll take that. Ritchie said your gumbo is amazing.”

I beamed on the inside at her words.

“I’ll admit, I felt a little nervous cooking this for your dinner party.”

“Janeesha, if Ritchie trusts your cooking. I do too. Thanks for helping out.”

A wide grin lifted her mocha cheeks. “It’s my pleasure.”

I walked into the formal dining room. My eyes fell over Bianca, Asia, and Simone.

“Girls, I’m so happy you all could make it.” I hugged each of them.

“Ezra told Catch you suffered new injuries from the last explosion.” Bianca cocked her head to the side.

I poured myself a glass of Moscato, then glared at Simone, who sat to my right next to Bianca. “Your husband can’t keep anything to himself.”

“Husband?” Bianca and Asia shrieked at the same time.

I laughed, holding Simone’s gaze while she explained herself out of that one.

“Bianca, how pissed were you after the last kidnapping?” I arched a brow.

The girls burst into laughter.

“Very fucking pissed. But Catch made up for his actions.” She smiled. “With his tongue.” Bianca winked.

Our banter kicked up as we slapped hands around the table.

Janeesha rolled several serving dishes toward the table on a rolling cart.

“Do you need help?” I asked.

“Absolutely not. Ritchie said, I’m not to let you lift a finger.” Janeesha replied as she placed the dishes of food in the center of the table.

I raised my hands like I was surrendering. “Okay, it’s so hard not to lift a finger.”

Asia grabbed my left hand. “It’s okay to accept help. Rémy and Romeo are teaching me that, too.”

Janeesha returned with Brock. They placed a giant sheet of parchment paper loaded down with corn on the cob, shrimp, crab legs. All the makings of a great crab boil.

Chatter kicked up around the table as the girls marveled at the spread of food.

“Let me know if you ladies need anything else. I’ll be in the kitchen,” Janeesha said.

“Thank you,” we yelled.

We dug into the food. The girls and I didn’t say a word. Only moans left our lips as we ate.

“How are you really doing, Tori?” Asia asked.

“Anymore demons trying to swallow you whole?” Asia peered at me.

Bianca and Simone’s worried eyes fell on me, too.

“Not since Simone and Ezra found me passed out in the shower last night,” I admitted.

“I can’t exactly go to a therapist while we’re dealing with Tyra’s ass.”

“True,” left each of their mouths.

“Before we talk about Tyra. Let’s discuss Ritchie’s crazy neighbor,” I stated.

I ran down what happened earlier.

Catch had already asked Bianca to handle the surveillance video from earlier today.

“How do you want to handle it?” Asia asked with a sly grin.

“I think fucking with her life is in order. She strikes me as the kind of woman who needs order. So we’re going to turn her world upside down before the season finale.” I had to speak in code because Janeesha was in the kitchen. She didn’t need to know the girls, and I planned to kill Gloria.

“Sounds like we’re returning to New Jersey,” Bianca said, before sipping her wine.

“Yes. Right after we remove the issue at home once and for all this weekend,” I added.

“I say we hunt her down and make her wish she stayed dead,” Simone whispered.

“Fuck yeah,” Asia growled.

“When I get back to my big fancy house tonight.” Bianca rolled her eyes.

“I’ll hack the cameras around the hotel. See which way Tyra went when she left.”

“Bianca, that will give us a leg up. That way when we return to Chicago, we can finally find that bitch,” I breathed.

“Tori, you should get some rest. It sounds like it’s going to be another action packed weekend,” Asia chimed in.

A mischievous grin spread across my face as I swirled the wine in my glass. “It’s definitely going to be an explosive good time. We’re dropping the explosives this time.”

The girls cheered and raised their glasses.

“Hell yeah, it’s going to be a blast,” Simone said, holding out her fingers like she was in a western showdown. “Time to say goodbye to that bitch once and for all.”

“Absolutely,” I shouted with excitement.