For as long as I could remember, the connection between me and my husband was the most stable thing about me. Still was. But the problem was, there were too many unstable people at this party.
Lothario had worked to turn the tide against Luca. It didn’t take much.
Most of the enemies had not been friends to begin with, but men who pretended to be, and after Luca was locked up, they rejoiced in the fact that he was.
The beast is behind iron bars—hoorah!
What most of them failed to remember was that one day, he would be free, and once he was, all those grievances would come back to haunt them. Not by a ghost, but by a real man. Luca Leone Fausti.
What the hell had Lothario and his cohorts planned? If not tonight, when?
What hung heavier in the air was whatever Luca had planned. It was almost tangible. If I reached out, I could almost touch it, and taste the bitterness of revenge on my tongue.
Juliette touched my elbow, almost making me jump out of my skin. “What’s going on?”
“I don’t know, but I don’t like it.”
Juliette sighed. “If the job doesn’t kill them,wewill.”
I grinned. “That’s what I’m trying to do, save them.”
“Scarlett,” Mitch said, touching my forehead, “whatever you’re thinking, forget about it.”
“Forgotten,” I said.
He wasn’t impressed or convinced.
“Let’s get closer to the exits,” I said, fixing him with a serious look. “I know this place. I studied the layout over the last year, planning this.”Thisencompassed the party. “We should be prepared. Brando said so.”
“I’m with her,” Violet said, standing closer to me. “There’s a lot of people here. We could be crushed.”
“And these shoes mean a lot to me.” Juliette showed him her shimmering heels. “These are one of a kind.”
“Why do I get the feeling I’m being duped?” Mitch made us all get in a line. He walked behind us, his arms spread out, like he was herding a bunch of irreverent hens. “No pit stops, no stopping to mingle, if we’re going to do this, we’re going to stick to the plan.Exits.”
“WAIT!Aspettare!”
We all stopped, turning to find Maggie Beautiful flying toward us, drink in one hand, dress pulled up with the other. For a woman with a drink and heels, she still moved like a siren. Her breath came in pants when she caught up to us. She held on to my arm, taking a moment to catch her breath.
“The four of you reminded me of the characters in the Wizard of Oz, all heading into the unknown to fight the Wicked Witch. I’m Dorothy.”
“Why do you get to be Dorothy?” Violet asked.
“I have the same color hair!” Maggie Beautiful answered practically. “Besides, you know how much I love Judy Garland.”
“Everyone can be whoever they want to be,” Mitch said, ending the argument. And if you asked me, taking advantage of his position as the one in charge. “As long as I’m not the Cowardly Lion. Now move!”
“Bossy,” Violet muttered.
“Prepotente,” Maggie Beautiful grumbled, something lemony floating off her tongue. The bright scent mixed with the strong scent of alcohol.
“Tin Man,” I said underneath my breath.
“I’m Glenda,” Juliette said almost wistfully. “She’s my favorite.”
We all nodded and murmured our agreement. Juliette would make a good Glenda the Good Witch.
Mitch raised his hands, making an up motion, forcing us to move before he whacked one of us in the head with his urgent shooing. We moved as a group, attempting to stay as close as possible.
