“Only me and you will walk in together. Wylan and Felix will remain inconspicuous. In fact, this looks like your stop, Wylan,” Dagen says.
“Ay, trying to get more time with our girl, I see,” Wylan teases. “No worries. I’ll see you two love birds inside.” He pulls on his weasel mask and slips from the car, disappearing into the darkness like he was never there.
“I’ll never understand how he does that,” I say, shaking my head. “He’s a literal ghost.”
“He was trained to be a ghost,” Dagen says with a shrug. “It makes sense he’d be able to disappear into shadows. An assassin is no good if he’s caught.”
“Trained how?” I ask.
“You’ll have to ask him that,” Dagen replies. “I don’t know enough of the story to tell it. I only know rumors.”
I nod in understanding. Maybe one day I’ll ask Wylan about his past, but we don’t have the time right now. “So. . . what’s the plan?”
“For you to enjoy yourself,” Dagen answers. “We’ve got everything else covered.”
“And I’m what? Bait? An ornament for your arm?”
“Both,” Dagen nods. “Tempting bait at that.” His eyes trail over my body. “I’ve imagined you in this dress a million times. If we weren’t about to step out of this limo, I’d be smearing that lipstick all over your face.” He straightens his cufflinks. “Unfortunately, it’s our turn to exit.”
He hands me my mask and plucks off the tiara carefully. He slides the leather fox mask over his face. All I can see are his eyes through his mask, but it’s enough to make my thighs clench together and make me worry about how I’m going to keep my composure tonight. All three of the men look amazing, and my adrenaline is already pumping with what we’re about to do. It’ll be hell keeping my hands to myself.
My cheeks are rosy as he opens the door and steps out, not letting John run around to open the door for us. He reaches inside and offers a hand, helping me from the limo behind him. Cameras immediately flash in my face, making me see stars as I try to focus on anything but the people yelling at us to smile. I’m thankful the cameras can’t see who I really am behind my mask.
We stroll up the red carpet, ignoring the media asking us questions in favor of getting inside the doors. The moment we escape the flashing cameras and the shouts, I relax. Inside the large building, everything is decorated with real flowers dripping from every surface. The ceiling, the walls, the tables. Crystals flicker from every angle, from the candelabras to the glasses everyone carries around. Servers with trays move around the room, simple masks covering their faces, offering everything from champagne to finger foods. Everything feels wealthy and luxurious, something I’ve never been a part of or been privy to. Most Tech Galas include only the CEOs and the most powerful people in the industry, not people like me, the employees who remain in the background. Ric certainly never brought me to one of these things while we were married. That would have gotten in the way of his cheating.
I lean in closer to Dagen where I have my arm looped through his. “So, what do we do now?”
“Mingle,” he answers. “Pretend we’re innocently enjoying ourselves. Look coy when your ex notices us.”
I hum under my breath even as my eyes find Wylan in the crowd, his weasel mask both striking and somehow blending into the mass of people. He winks at me and disappears, off to cause whatever trouble he can. I don’t see Felix, but I assume he’s currently holed up in a room somewhere while he hacks the entertainment system that’ll be used for the speeches.
One of which will be from the COO of Aria Tech.
We trail around the room slowly, Dagen speaking to those who stop him and exchanging niceties as if he’d grown up doing this. He probably had. While Fox Industries is extraordinarily successful, he’d come from money, his father owning some sort of mine before he’d died. From what I understand, Dagen had shut it down once he took over, stating it was a loss. Apparently, too many people had perished in the mines trying to dig for precious metals.
Most people don’t even bother giving me any attention as we make the rounds unless Dagen forces them to. I don’t mind being ignored. I’d much rather keep my eyes on the room, tracing it for each time Wylan appears, watching for Ric. It makes it easier to ignore the fake pleasantries everyone greets us with.
I quickly realize the room is dripping with more than crystals and flowers. It’s dripping with illusion and false promises.
None of these people like each other. It’s apparent in the way their eyes watch each other, in the way they smile while they size each other up. But they enjoy the power gathered inside the room, being surrounded by it and being a part of it. That much I can tell.
I’m so intent on looking through the crowd, I’m surprised when a hand wraps around my elbow and tugs hard, jerking me free from my hold on Dagen. I cry out at the bite of pain, at the sudden violence of it, and stumble in my three-inch heels.
“Hey! What—” My voice cuts off when I realize who it is that has a hold of me. He’s wearing a mask that completely covers his face, but I’d know those eyes anywhere.
I was married to them for ten years.
Dagen turns when I’m jerked away and the moment he realizes what’s happening, he’s there, his eyes hard in his fox mask as he forces his presence in between us, trying to intimidate him into letting me go without making a scene. “I suggest you let her go.”
“What’s the matter? Thought you liked sharing, Fox,” Ric sneers, his eyes on mine. “Tonight is about debauchery, and I’d like a minute alone with your date, since everyone else seems to have gotten theirs.”
I jerk at his hold, but he doesn’t release me, not until Dagen has his hand around his throat, not until he squeezes and drags him closer, all decorum tossed out the window. “I said, let her go,” Dagen snarls.
In the distance, I see Wylan moving closer, dangerous intent flashing in his eyes. If he gets involved, things are going to get dangerous quickly, and the scene won’t just be some light drama. It’ll be bloodshed.
Ric’s hand spasms around my arm when Dagen grabs him. Before Wylan makes it to us, he releases me, his eyes burning with his fury at having been stopped yet again. Had he expected Dagen to cower before him in front of all these rich assholes? If so, Ric underestimated him. Which means he’s getting sloppy. Sloppy means we’re doing something right.
“Good boy,” Dagen purrs as Ric releases my arm. “Now go on up there and give your little speech and stay away from my date.”
