Flynn threw up his hands defensively. “I’ll just be on my way. Be sure to call me as soon as you decide!”
After Flynn made his exit, Pablo gestured toward the elevator. “Miss White, will you join me?”
Pablo seemed like an affable guy with manners and a code of conduct. Those were usually the ones I didn’t trust.
“You don’t sound Italian,” I said, walking beside him.
“My Creator gave me that name. It meanslittle lion. I suppose he thought that would make me sound more formidable, but never judge a book by its cover.”
When the elevator doors opened, he let me enter first. I rested my back against the wall and grimaced at my reflection in the doors when they closed. Why the hell did I pick today to wear the spiked bra?
Pablo turned to face me, hands clasped in front of him. “That’s the brilliant part about becoming a Mage, don’t you agree? A new identity, a second chance at defining who you are and what you’re worth to the world.” His eyebrows drew together. “How much did Mr. Washington tell you about this job?”
“Flynn? Basically nothing. Only that I’d be fighting for money. I’ve been doing it for free all my life, so why not get paid?”
“We all excel at something, and it’s important to know what those gifts are. People who squander their talents will never know their true potential.”
Instead of going up, the elevator went down.
“These aren’t the cage fights you’ve heard about,” he said. “We run a classy operation. Our fighters are paid their worth, and our audience is a mixture. Some place bets, others like to watch. It’s an exclusive membership, and confidentiality is paramount.”
The bell chimed and the doors opened.
“If you please.”
I strutted past him into a carpeted hallway and moved left toward a door.
He seized my arm. “We don’t go that way.”
“What’s that way?”
He led me to the right down a slightly longer hall with another door at the end. Once inside, the walls curved as if forming a circle, and the doors were spaced apart. I reached up and made sure my necklace was facing the right way and not tangled up in my hair. Hopefully Wyatt was getting all this.
“What did you do before working at the White Owl?”
I walked a step behind him. “I mostly lived on the streets.”
“And how did someone with your lack of experience acquire a job at such a prestigious adult club?”
“I grew up in bars, so I’ve got the experience. They were looking for a Mage, and I guess I checked off all their boxes.”
“It’s unfortunate that we don’t all have responsible Creators who will guide us through the pitfalls of immortality. Perhaps then we wouldn’t have so many like yourself, struggling to make ends meet. You might be surprised to know just how many people have entered this world under false pretenses or even by force.” He glanced up at me over his shoulder. “Is that what happened to you?”
I pressed my lips together and nodded.
Pablo reached a narrow staircase against the outer wall and went up two steps before turning to face me. “Is this someone I’m going to have to worry about?”
I opened my mouth but wasn’t sure how to answer.
Don’t be eager to answer, Raven. Figure out what he wants to hear.
“I have patrons with excessive riches. Is your Creator likely to be one of them?”
I exhaled the breath I’d been holding in. “No. That’s not the kind of trouble I thought you were talking about. I’m an independent, and no one has any claim over me. And you can bet your ass that if some rich guy turned me against my will, I would have milked him for every dime before parting ways.”
A doleful smile stretched across Pablo’s face. “You’re candid. I once knew a woman like you, but this world ate her alive.” He turned back around, heading upstairs. “Most pretend to be blunt, but they’re professional liars.”
After a short twist in the stairwell, I followed him to a spacious floor shaped like a donut. Windows circled the center, and when I reached the glass and looked to the other side, I couldn’t see my reflection since they were two-way mirrors. Down below, an empty room.
