I nod, unsure of what to say.
They’re both dressed like me, in tight dresses and expensive heels. The first one—the blonde—smiles. It’s meant to be friendly, but her eyes stay sharp. “I’m Tara. This is Margot.” Shegestures to the redhead who’s now wiping streaks of mascara I hadn’t noticed were running down both cheeks.
Tara releases a dark chuckle at my confirmation. “ The first time is always… a lot.” She smirks, looking at her friend through the mirror’s reflection. “You remember your first time, Margot?”
Margot huffs a laugh, straightening up. They’re both far taller than me in their heels. Tall and thin, like models. “Do I ever.” She rolls her eyes. “It gets easier, sweetheart, I promise.” She shoots me a jaded smile.
Tara pushes off the wall. “I know something that will help. Give me two minutes.” She gives my shoulder a reassuring shake as she passes me, exiting the bathroom.
Margot and I stare at each other for a minute.
“Do you want to touch anything up?” she asks, pointing to her open make-up bag on the counter.
I shake my head. “Oh, no thanks. I think I’m… good.” The last part feels like a lie.Am I good?
Filip, one of the Polish guys Koen and Liam are meeting with, hasn’t stopped leering at me all night. Koen’s been ignoring his comments, but I’m terrified of what he’ll say if Filip proposes a trade.Would he trade me?If it furthered his own agenda—I think he might. He’d warned me in the car about thetrading,but I hadn’t thought he meantIwas on the table. Now I don’t know what to think.
And what the men had said about his brother Aidan… Koen had made it seem like their entire family is against this sort of thing, but what they said he’s been doing to that girl…
My stomach flips and I rush to the sink. Flipping back on the water, I splash some of it on my face this time.
My head snaps up at the sound of the bathroom door opening, finding relief when Tara slips back in, shouldering the door open, three double-shots of a clear liquid in her hands.
Margot brightens, dropping her eyeliner pen, her heels clicking against the marble tiles as she scurries over to us. “Ooh, gimme, gimme!”
Tara smiles, carefully handing her the glass on her right before offering the one in the middle to me.
I hold up my hands. “Oh, I probably shouldn’t?—”
Tara hushes me, her hand snapping out and grabbing hold of mine, pushing the glass into it. My fingers close around it so it doesn’t drop to the floor when she lets go. “Trust me, it’ll calm your nerves.” She holds up her own glass. “One shot. Helps take the edge off.” She smirks at me before exchanging a look with Margot standing next to me.
“You’ll feel better in a minute.” Margot nods, pinching her nose closed before downing her own shot. Screwing up her face, she gives Tara a little glare. “Ugh, vodka? Tara, really?”
Tara just shrugs, downing her own shot in one go.
I feel both of their eyes on me—the shot of vodka still in my hand. My heart is still beating wildly out of control, and the hand holding the glass shakes a little as a result.
Staring down at the glass, I weigh the pros and cons. I mean… it can’t hurt, maybe it’ll help keep me from slipping into a full scale panic attack, which is probably the last thing I need to happen right now. If I fall apart now, Koen might get annoyed enough and just leave me here in a huddled ball for the vultures to pick on.
“What was your name again?” Margot asks, but I haven’t told them yet.
“Briar,” I say.
“Bottoms up, Briar!” she hollers, shaking my shoulders a little in her excitement.
“What the hell,” I say, giving in, lifting the shot and downing it. I wince at the sharp burn when the alcohol hits my throat.
“Your night is about to get a whole lot better.” Tara grins.
44
I DON’T SHARE
KOEN
Now
There’s something off about Briar. She’s moving through the crowd, on her way back to me. I watch her the whole way. I can’t quite put a finger on it, but something doesn’t feel right.
