Locke doesn’t say a word, but his grip on my hand is firm as he leads me away, his watchful presence a solid wall between me and Luke.
My pulse pounds so hard I’m sure he can feel it through my skin. I give him a weak smile as we head towards the door. He doesn’t smile back.
Before we can make it out, two burly men wearing the same suits and ornate gold masks as the security guards from earlier cut in front of us. They’re each gripping an arm of a girl who can’t be a day over 20.
She’s frantic, writhing and screaming. As they drag her toward the door, I glimpse her face. The fight left her cheeks flushed, and trails of mascara smudged down them.
It feels as if the room is spinning. Where did they even bring her from? She’s not wearing a black slip or gold mask like the servers, so she must be a guest.
I turn toward Locke. His expression mirrors the same concern and confusion I’m feeling. He reaches into his suit jacket and pulls out a small black rectangle. “I’ll go check on her; you go outside,” he says as he presses my phone into my palm. He’s chasing after the guards before I can ask how he got it.
The brisk night air slams into me like a slap to the face. I welcome the sensation, taking a deep breath in. I tilt my head back, searching for stars that aren’t there. Exhaling a cloud of silver breath, I squaremy shoulders, lowering my chin again as the world rushes back to meet me. I’m just glad to finally be out of that house.
That’s when I spot him. Nate. He leans casually against his motorcycle at the edge of the drive, helmet on the seat, as smoke curls from a cigarette between his gloved fingers.
He looks me over once, a faint smirk tugging at his mouth, like he already knows exactly what I’ve just witnessed, what happened with Locke, and thinks I deserved all of it. “I’m ready to take you home,” he calls out to me, “unless you want to be the next one on the table.” He chuckles at that remark. The smug bastard.
I don’t respond. My throat is tight. I can’t get any words out past the shock of what I just saw and the very high chance that there were even more horrors to be discovered. Not to mention, I still have no idea what Locke has to say about all this.
I just tug on the helmet, climb on the bike, and exhale a sigh of relief as the engine’s roar drowns out the sound of twisted laughter still spilling from Luke’s open windows.
The city lights blend in streaks of red and gold as we cut through the night. I can finally let myself breathe as Nate puts more and more distance between us and the party. At a stop, he leans back just enough for his words to carry over the engine.
“Was the party worth the lecture you’ll be getting from my brother?”
“I don’t even understand how parties like that exist,” I say flatly, trying and failing to erase the images from my mind.
Nate chuckles, but it’s not lighthearted. It’s dark. Like he knows. “Locke hired you for your skills. Clearly, not your common sense.”
“What do you mean by that?” I reply, not entirely sure I’m hiding the embarrassment in my voice.
“It just might do you some good to listen to my brother for once.”
I arch a brow. “Oh, you mean just let him control everything I do? Because the jail threats aren’t enough?”
Nate just shrugs. “You brought this on yourself, girl. All the lying and stealing has finally caught up with you.”
I don’t reply. I know what he’s saying is the truth; I just don’t think I’m ready to face it.
Nate keeps quiet for the rest of the ride home. It’s only when he’s parked his motorcycle at the top of Locke’s gravel driveway that he speaks again.
“Listen. Do your job. Stop acting like you have something to prove.” He pauses to light another cigarette. I can’t help but shake my head.These men and their smoking habits.
“Most importantly, get to know him. You might be surprised at how much the two of you actually have in common.”
My brow furrows at him. “How could you possibly know what we have in common?”
He shrugs. “You both give off the same ‘lone wolf, can’t trust anyone but myself’ vibe. You must havesomethingin common.”
I can’t stop the laughter that bubbles up in my chest.
Nate’s phone lets out a loud *ding* that echoes through the night's calm air. He glances at it, then back up at me.
“Locke is on his way. He said you should pack a bag; you have a flight in an hour.”
Chapter 20
ARDEN
