Josh’s eyes widened. He nodded and mimed zipping his mouth. “My lips are sealed.”
“Are you going to pour anyone else a wine?” Georgie said, nodding at the bottle. “I think we could all do with one. Or seven.”
“We really should get to why we came.” Josh slipped across the room soundlessly, grabbed the bottle, and began to pour a glass. “Aside from seeing Amy, of course.” He handed Georgie the glass and then poured another.
Monique homed in on me, her gaze both cunning and sly. I wasn’t sure what she was about to say, but my stomach felt like a storm was brewing. A feeling I got when something terrible was about to happen.
I sighed. “Hit me with it.”
Chapter 55
A Picture Is Worth A Thousand Deaths
“Just so we are perfectly clear, you want to offer me up as bait to draw Sarah out?” I sat the champagne Josh had poured me on the white marble coffee table.
“That’s right.” Monique’s smile was saccharine. “All you have to do is look pretty, go up to Karson at the party, dance, smile, and look madly in love. The photographer will do the rest.”
“I don’t like it,” Ethan growled, his stance wide, arms folded.
“You want to draw her out? When Sarah sees they’re happy, living their lives, while she has to hide away, it will send her crazy with jealousy. She won’t be able to help but come for her then.”
“One problem,” I said. “Karson doesn’t act like he loves me in front of anyone. Quite the opposite.”
“You only have to get him to dance. The photographer will take care of angles.”
“And this is at the nightclub opening, a party for vampires?”
“Yes.” She brushed flint off her orange silk blouse. “There will be a lot of humans there too.”
The storm in my stomach didn’t abate. “Witches though, will there be witches?”
“A few.” She flapped her hand out as if it was barely worth mentioning. “He does have some witch friends. It’s an inclusive nightclub. He wants to bring everyone together. Besides, you wear your ring and no one knows what you are.”
Ethan scowled. “I still don’t like it.”
Monique shot him a hard look. “Do you have any better ideas? Or do you want to spend months searching for her?”
Ethan’s brow flickered, his jaw tight. He had put his life on hold like the rest of us.
I slumped into the couch and sighed. It seemed a half-baked plan at best, but better than none at all. “When is the opening?”
“Tonight.”
“How do you even know Sarah will see the pictures?” Georgie asked.
“Old habits die hard. She’s like Michael, she likes to keep up with the news in areas she frequents. She will see you looking gloriously happy, and it will be too much for her and she will try to kill you.” She smiled, taking a sip of champagne like the thought was pleasing to her.
“Karson won’t allow his photo to be taken,” Ethan stated.
“I have that covered. The photographer will use his phone, so he won’t be noticed.”
“You’re forgetting he can mind-read. He will know.”
“I have thought of that too. The photographer is actually a reporter. He is a witch who uses his intuition to help solve cases. He has strong walls. Karson won’t be able to read him.”
“What about Rodney?” Georgie’s mouth twisted bitterly. “I assume he’s going—can he read him?”
“No, not without touching his head, and why would he bother trying some random guy reporting on a nightclub opening?”
