My stomach dropped, because never in a million years did I think I’d seehimhere.
29
Stella
Keith Shattuck had worked formy parents for nearly fifteen years, which was why I’d recognized him, even with the mask. He came from a staunchly middle-class family, had graduated from a state school, and joined the company with an entry-level accounting job before slowly climbing the ranks. And sure, his salary was decent, but he didn’t have the kind of money that granted access to parties like this.
“What are you doing here?” I asked him.
“Your boyfriend invited me.” He gestured back toward the crowd. “A bunch of us are here.”
My stomach sank.What the fuck?
“Who else?” I demanded.
“I saw Jessica a few minutes ago.”
“My dad’s executive assistant?”
Keith nodded. “And Mike, Brian, Adam, Laura, Charlotte, Wayne, Joe, and a few other people, but I’m sure there are more of us.”
It felt like the floor dropped out from beneath me.
“I haven’t run into Theo yet,” he said. “Will you thank him for us if you see him first? This is so exciting.”
“Please tell me you haven’t spent any money,” I said, the blood draining from my face.
“No. I’ve always wanted to try blackjack, though, so I think I’ll head over there first.”
He made to step away, but I grabbed him. “Keith, listen to me. You have to get out of here. This isn’t what you think. Theo’s not really my boyfriend.”
He pulled out of my grip, looking like he was torn between laughing and frowning. “What do you mean?”
Other people had noticed me lunge and were turning toward us, so I tugged him over to a corner. “This isn’t just some fun, themed party. This is an illegal gambling ring.”
He chuckled, looking uncomfortable. “Gambling ring? That’s going a bit far, isn’t it? I know you’ve always had a darker sense of humor, but—”
“Keith, I am begging you to leave. There’s way more going on right now than I can ex—”
“Steve!” he yelled as a fresh batch of guests arrived. “Hey, you made it!” And then he just... walked away.
I stared after him. Okay, Keith, you know what? Fine. Fuck you. It wasn’t like I’d been trying to save your ass or anything. I stalked away from him, as angry as I was afraid, and wove back into the crowd, a tingling sensation creeping up my spine.
Something was going on here. From everything I’d learned, Theo only ever went after a certain type of clientele: the wealthy, the criminal elite, social climbers, hedge fund managers, real estate investors, etc. Part of what made his parties so exciting was the chance to rub elbows with people outside your normal social circles, and the masks added an additional thrill because you had no idea who you were speaking to—the heir apparent to a foreign conglomerate or a mobster.
These events were supposed to be exclusive. Inviting random, regular people went against everything they promised.
My mind worked on overdrive as I discreetly searched the crowd for my brother. I had no doubt that if Theo caught either of us, he’d be furious.
From the beginning, I’d wondered why Theo had invited one seemingly random, underage college kid to something like this if it weren’t for a specific reason. Yes, Blake came from money, and he could have been targeted just for that, but he didn’t fit the guest list. He wasn’t an extravagant spender. He wasn’t a social butterfly or known in party circles; he was a bookish engineering student.
My assumption had been that Blake was a mark. That Theo had chosen him because he was vulnerable, with the plan to blackmail his way into high society and expand his clientele list to the uber-wealthy, making these parties even more exclusive.
That made sense. Explained why Theo had been so quick to offer that I take on Blake’s debt. And the whole fake-dating-to-lure-in-the-wealthy scheme had popped out of his mouth just as fast.
But now I wondered if I’d been a mark, too, and my parents were the real endgame. Because I couldn’t think of why so many of their employees were at this party—innocent and unsuspecting, and, judging by Keith’s nonchalance, thinking it was just a fun little game night—unless something bigger was in the making.
What if Theo did to them what he’d done to my brother? Plied them with drinks, sat them at tables with more knowledgeable players, and then offered to front them as much money as they needed, allowing them to spiral deeper and deeper into his debt?
