“Darren,” I asked, voice sugary-sweet. “Can I borrow your fork?”
“Maybe now’s not a good time.” Darren reached up through my hair and squeezed the back of my neck. “You don’t really need it at the moment.”
“I just want to hold it. For a little bit.”
“Maybe later,” he said.
Taylor was confused.
“If we win,” I told him, “you push to have the contract with Jack It renewed. Nonnegotiable. Until 2026.”
He narrowed his eyes. “And just how did you know there was a contract?”
I shrugged and didn’t speak.
He looked between the two of us. “Is that what this was about?”
Darren snorted. “You brought it up. All I wanted to do was introduce my father to my girlfriend.”
“It’s just a noticed opportunity,” I said.
“Have many of those, do you?” Taylor glanced at his son.
I didn’t like what he was implying, even if he was technically correct. I was using Darren, but Taylor didn’t get to know that. Besides, Darren had his own motive that I wasn’t privy to, so I thought we might have been even.
“A few,” I said, letting him fill in whatever blanks he had.
“And if I win?” he asked after a pause.
Mike wasn’t going to be happy with me. “You can close the club. With as little resistance as possible.”
“You act like you can speak for everyone in their entirety.”
“There’s a lot you don’t know about me. One is that I have a very big mouth. Isn’t that right, Darren?”
“Jesus Christ,” Darren muttered as he flushed horribly. It was amazing.
“That means he agrees with me,” I told his father. “I know it doesn’t sound like it, but that’s just how we roll.”
“I think I like you,” Taylor said. “Very… ruthless. But why would I possibly agree to something like that? Surely you realize you can’t win. And even if you had a chance, all I have to do is say no and you have nothing.”
“Except the attention of the national media,” I said. “I’ve always wanted to meet Anderson Cooper so I can ask him if he considers himself a daddy. I’m sure he would be sympathetic to the local gay bar crushed under the unfashionable fascist boot of tyranny.”
“The unfashionable what of what?” Darren asked.
“You can’t really threaten me,” Taylor said. “And you’re treading a very thin line between speculation and extortion.”
“Not really treading as much as I’m straddling,” I said. “I’m better at that. Darren—”
“Don’t even bring me into that one,” Darren said.
“You’re no fun,” I accused him.
“Maybe she can’t threaten you,” Darren said to his father. “But, hey. Do you think people would be interested in hearing that their mayor cheated on his dead spouse with another woman and produced a child out of wedlock almost thirty years ago? Especially since said mayor is so keen on family values that he’s willing to close down a local business.”
If my dick hadn’t been taped between my legs, I would have popped a boner right then, I swear to god. As it was, I grunted quietly, choking back the TAKE ME NOW that I almost screamed out loud. I didn’t think the other patrons would have enjoyed me flipping up my skirt and presenting myself to Darren while demanding he stick it in me before I punched him in the mouth. Well, unless Tim Curry was here. He’d have probably enjoyed it just fine, the kinky fucker. And I would have been fine with him watching.
Taylor tapped his fingers on the table. “Blackmail,” he said finally.