My throat tightened. “It’s beautiful.”
“Matches your dress,” Leo said.
“Matches you,” Orion corrected.
Ares stood carefully, wincing once. “Let me.”
I lifted my hair while he fastened the clasp. His fingers trembled minutely against my skin.
Leo slid the earrings into place, brushing my cheek with the back of his knuckles.
Orion stepped back, surveying the full picture. “My God,” he whispered. “We’re done for.”
I managed a shaky laugh. “You’re not supposed to flatter me into forgetting there’s a bomb threat.”
“Wrong,” Leo said cheerfully. “That’s exactly the plan.”
Ares checked his watch. “It’s time.”
Orion offered his arm. “You walk in with me.”
Leo moved to my other side. “We’ll follow.”
Ares paused at the door. “Ready?”
No. Yes. Maybe never.
But I lifted my chin. “Ready.”
We stepped into the hall.
Toward the Gala.
Toward danger.
Chapter 28
Leo
The grand ballroomof the Olympus Royale had never looked more spectacular.
Frank had outdone himself. The Neon Elysium theme glowed to life around us—deep indigo walls accented with rose-gold lighting, ice sculptures gleaming under programmable LEDs that shifted through constellation patterns, and video displays that created the illusion of standing beneath an infinite star field. The stage where we’d make our announcement looked like a doorway to the cosmos itself.
It was perfect.
It was packed with Vegas elite, media, influencers, and curious onlookers who’d managed to score invitations. And somewhere above us, Marcus Talbor was planning to drop a bomb through a vent shaft.
I stood near the ballroom entrance with Orion, Ares, and Tashi, watching guests arrive in their designer gowns and tailored tuxedos, champagne flowing, the string quartet playing something elegant and atmospheric. Everyone was smiling, laughing, and taking photos for social media.
None of them knew.
Ares’s phone buzzed. He stepped away from us, pressing it to his ear. “Status?”
I couldn’t hear Neville’s response, but I watched my brother’s face tighten.
“Keep me informed,” Ares said grimly, hanging up. “Nothing yet.”
Tashi looked at him, her gold sequined gown catching the light with every breath. “You want to go up there, don’t you?”
