“We go tonight.”
I think for a moment and then shake my head. “Tomorrow night. There will be more people there on a Friday. More pixies. The club culture is tight. If I’m going to do this, I need to look the part of a Dragonfly Club regular. That won’t be as hard as it seems considering most of them change their appearance regularly. Only by gaining their trust will I learn anything about this guy.”
He nods. “Smart. Tomorrow then. I’ll pick you up at eight.”
My mouth drops open. “You’re going too? I thought the entire point of this was for me to get these pixies to trust me.”
“You might need me there for luck or a distraction. Don’t worry, I’ll stay out of your way.”
I consider arguing with him, but I don’t have the energy. His jaw is set, and the expression he’s sending my way is resolute.
“Fine. Do you have a smaller version of that picture of Michael? It might help if I can show it around.” I could print his profile picture, but the guest photo is clearer and more recent.
“Snap a picture with your phone.”
My cheeks heat. “Don’t have one. FIRE took it. How about a scanner?”
“Unacceptable,” he says around a frown. He opens a drawer on his right and pulls out a smartphone, tossing it in my direction. “I’ll have my assistant reassign this one to you.”
“You keep extra phones in your drawer? Who keeps extra phones?”
“In case of emergencies. I’ve been known to lose mine a time or two.”
What?“I can’t afford it!” I wave the phone between us. “Even if you gave me the phone itself, I’m not sure I can pay the bill anymore.”
He levels a stare at me, looking totally exasperated. “The phone is yours, and I’ll have the bill sent here. It won’t cost you a thing.” He grabs the phone and sets up facial recognition using my face, then puts it in my hand. “Take a picture of Michael.”
Slowly, I shuffle the photos to the one where he’s not dead and snap a picture. I guess I have a new cell phone. One more drop in the bucket of debt I owe Seven. No, I tell myself that this is needed for the job I’m doing for Godmother. As soon as we’re done, I’ll give it back. “Fine,” I say. “We done then?”
“No.” He stands and rounds to my side of the desk, leaning his hip against the edge tantalizingly close to my face. Something low within me clenches when our eyes meet. “Have dinner with me.”
“Why?”
He pauses, licking his lips in a way that sends my heart racing. “To catch up. Get to know each other again. Talk about old times.”
I lean toward him, pulled by some unseen force. I wish I could say it was his luck, but not this time. It’s him, the charm, the confidence, the intense way he’s looking at me like he wants me more than any of the expensive things in this room. “I don’t want to know you,” I say, thankful I’m a skilled liar.
He sighs. “It would make things easier if you’d just let me explain.”
“Does this dinner have anything to do with the case?” I ask, standing to put more space between us.
“No.”
“Then I’m not interested.”
“Sophia…” He tips his head like he doesn’t believe me.
Suddenly I’m exhausted, and my shoulders sag as I say, “The answer is no, Seven.” Before he can use his luck on me or I do something stupid like change my mind, I stride from his office.
I move through Seven’s door so quickly I almost slam into Chance Delaney. Seven’s father is standing outside Seven’s office, looking as pretentious as I remember, an older version of his son with shorter graying hair and sharper features that give his face an almost ratlike appearance. His green eyes are narrower, and his cheeks more sunken as well. He straightens in his perfectly tailored suit as his gaze slides down his nose at me.
“What areyoudoing here?” His tone is laced with revulsion.
For a second, I’m caught in his disapproving gaze. The night of the Yule Ball comes back to me—the physical pain of falling from the carriage followed by the emotional agony of Chance cruelly revealing Seven’s intentions.Now you know your place, pixie. You’d do well to remember it. How it would have sickened him to know I’d had a secret romantic relationship with his son.
I’m tempted to say nothing and flee, just like I did that night. But then I remember I’m not that little girl anymore. I lift my chin and flash him a wicked grin. “Who, me? I was just meeting your son for a quick fuck.”
I take my time striding into the elevator as Chance’s face turns red with fury. Just before the doors close, I catch a glimpse of Seven behind him.
