I’d struck a nerve.
“Maybe he would’ve.” He smirked. “If he ever bothered to get up off his knees.”
Crack.
Prince’s head whipped to the side, and my palm was suddenly stinging. He looked at me in shock, bringing a hand up to his face to wipe away a trickle of blood coming from a split lip.
Oh.
Oh fuck, no.
I looked up, and sure enough, my father’s eyes were fixed on my face from across the room. Terror twisted in my gut, and I lurched forward with a gasp on my lips.
“Oh my god, I am so sorry,” I said, my hands fumbling on his arms and shoulders.
I grabbed a napkin from a pile beside me and managed to spill all of them onto the floor. When I looked back at Prince, I couldn’t draw my eyes from the angry red patch blooming on his cheek. I reached up to wipe away the blood, and he snatched the napkin from my hand.
I let out an anxious whine as I wrung my hands together, stepping closer to him.He couldn’t be mad, he couldn’t be mad, I was going to be in so much trouble…
“Honestly,” he muttered, but he relaxed his shoulders slightly, rolling his eyes. I swallowed my pride as he let me dab the blood from his lip.
A bell’s gentle chime rang through the air, and I stopped.
“I’m so sorry. I—I have to go and do the opening announcements,” I said, stepping away and bowing my head. I shot him another apologetic grimace before I hurried over to the left side of the balcony, where the swing was ready and waiting. I climbed on, and my assistant, Bellamy, secured my harness.
Then, with a familiar jolt to my stomach, it whirred to the center of the room. I took a breath and centered myself, pushing away the panic and settling into my show face.
I fixed my smile and my posture so I was elegantly draped as I was lowered to the center of the room, and the spotlights swung up to blind me, pushing everything else away.
“Good evening, ladies and gentlemen!” I announced with a flourish of my hand. “Welcome to the Blood Well, New Oxford’s mostexclusiveentertainment. I am the CrimsonDuchess. I’m delighted to announce that we have a very special event taking place here tonight! Our first match will be… Blood Court!”
I paused for effect, twisting the swing as the crowd cheered and a chant ofBlood Courtrose over the din.
I raised my hand, and it settled before I continued.
“All of you well know our operation here is only possible because of loyalty. Trust. My father built his empire on that premise. And there’s nothing worse than someone who betrays that trust.”
The Blood Well’s lights flicked on, revealing a lone beta pressed against the wall of the circular Sink. Even from here, I could make out the sweat beading on his bald head, dark patches already soaked into his white button-up. With his skinny arms and beer gut, he’d look more at home at an accounting desk than in a fighting ring, and that’s essentially where Brian Caulder had worked until last week.
“But my father is nothing if not merciful. Which is why he’s giving Mr. Caulder here a chance to redeem himself. All he has to do is defeat one of our alphas tonight in single combat, and all will be forgiven. Don’t forget to place your last bets, because we have some quite impressive odds on this match! Without further ado, I’ll hand you over to our announcer, Joakim, to start the countdown to our first fight!”
The lights danced up the balconies, and theatrical sparks drew the audience’s attention to the golden balcony on the third level, to where Joakim was waiting to take over. The swing rose, returning me to my balcony, and Bellamy took my hand as I stepped off.
I wiped my hands on my dress and fixed my smile as I moved toward my father’s table to continue my hosting duties. The group he was meeting was settled, and I’d be at his side for the rest of the evening.
My heart was still beating wildly as I made my way over to my father, stopping to rest my hand on an alpha’s shoulder. I had the power of a duchess’s scent and years of practice of making alphas feel at ease. My scent soothed, comforted, and usually opened them up to my father’s influence that much more easily.
As the head of the Fairchild family, my father coordinated all the various illegal businesses and efforts, took care of the deals, made sure everyone was on the same page, and mediated disagreements. My presence made his work a lot smoother when it came to dealing with people.
So, I laughed and flirted and touched as my father talked business, and tried to ignore the murderous look in my father’s eyes.
THREE
LAUREL
I locked the door of my dressing room and staggered to the bathroom, kneeling over the toilet as I fought not to vomit.
I’d done my best not to watch the Blood Court match, but it had been impossible.
