“I’m going straight to the bar, and if they make me drink out of those gold cups, someone is going to lose a hand.”
I nod, but swallow, distracted. Gold. All gold. Even they will be in gold tonight.Shewill be in gold. Does she have her vial?
Doesn’t matter. She’s been contracted, given her drug to use, and when the time comes, her loyalty will be called upon. Kenji’sright. I should try to get the girl Graves had last week. He’ll view it as a perverted form of flattery, but she needs a break.
When the elevator dings and we step off into the main club room, Kenji lets out a string of curses at all the gold and marches straight to the bar. New imported gold leather stools line the length of it, and when Kenji notices, he kicks one over. That earns him several death stares, yet no one, not even the guards, questions him.
I push my glasses up, scanning the sliver of open space between the marble stage and velvet curtain sweeping back and forth. Sets of gold heels shuffle around behind the only red still in the room. The microphone pops to life with a sharp crack and a shrill whine of feedback. When it settles, the emcee’s voice cuts through, rattling off the rules.
A prickle of uneasy anticipation crawls up my neck. Beyond the crowd, my grandfather and Graves sit with a few members of the Eight in one of the reserved booths, watching. They both raise gold glasses in my direction.
I offer a tight-lipped nod as the curtains part. In seconds, my plan shatters. I’m drawn instantly to her. Thea.
She stands dazed in the lights next to the beaten girl from last week, as if she’s in pain. I scan her from head to toe, searching, but see nothing. Her skin is creamy and pale, more so than I remember.
Sun, I tell myself. She’s not getting enough sun.
Another girl’s number is called, and she steps forward, but all I know is that it’s not Thea’s. They’ve had her hair blown out—straighter—and I growl at the thought they changed it, changed her.
What’s wrong with me? Focus.
The girl I’m intent on bidding on looks sick, like she might throw up, and though I’m supposed to concentrate on her, my body leans forward, squinting at Thea. My muscles strain, andmy lips part slightly as some sort of warring happens in her expression.
The tension pulls me in as I struggle to understand.
It happens so fast, too fast. The girl next to Thea wobbles, and Thea steps over to her, wrapping her arms around her. Out of the corner of my eye, two guards flood the stage, and the emcee stops whatever number he was at.
But then I see it—the subtle shift of her hand, the way her fingers dip beneath the curve of her lingerie. She pulls a small vial,thesmall vial Edmond gave to her, and tucks it into the other girl’s bra before pretending to feel her forehead and brush her hair away.
A guard reaches her and yanks her away, dragging her to the center stage.
Men murmur behind me as my blood boils.
“I want her.”
“I’ll make sure she remembers it.”
I clench my jaw and pocket my hands, curling into fists as they speak. What the hell is she doing? I’m going to have to purchase her now. The girl I’d planned to help has Thea’s GHB, and Thea has nothing.
She looks back toward the girl, and they exchange the most discreet nod. Hell.
Her eyes clash with mine, and I want to charge the stage and … and?—
Damn it.
Her hands wring together, and I stare at her, my gaze dipping briefly to the inked dandelion decorating her shaking arms. She threw away her help for tonight. Foolish. But not selfish. Now I need to?—
“Sold! Sold to Jake Bishop.”
Stunned, I backtrack, turning toward Jake Bishop, powerful CEO of Bishop Enterprises. He licks his lips.
Graves may be the worst, but Bishop falls in line not too far behind him. I missed the bid. I missed her.Let it go.She did it to herself, gave away her salvation.I did help her.It’s not my fault she made this choice.
She’s led offstage, and Bishop eagerly trots after the guards. He’ll waste no time in getting her home. He’s rough. Too rough.
The thought of someone else touching what’s?—
I—
