Maya wrapped her fingers around Harper’s, her grip so tight it was almost painful.
“Say you’ll make the drive. Now, while it’s still dark. Please.”
The look in her eyes was so surprising that it took a moment to identify. Harper had expected annoyance or frustration, perhaps. Not pleading. Not fear. As though something terrible would happen if this request, strange as it was, was denied.
“Alright… I’ll talk to Nell and Trish. We can be in the car within the hour.” She lowered her voice. “Are we in danger?”
Maya’s eyes unfocused. Then she cupped Harper’s face and pressed their lips together in a kiss that was as soft as it was startling. A kiss that made Harper sigh without meaning to.
Maya broke it before it could be returned. She rested her forehead against Harper’s, fingers brushing through her unkempt hair.
“Just one last time.” Tensing all over, as though she had to force herself to move, Maya stepped back. “The place you’re heading to is called Club Lotus. Natalya and… Natalya will meet you there.”
Maya turned and hurried towards the stairs. The building was old and creaked constantly, but despite that, her descent was silent. The moment she stepped into the shadows, not even her footsteps could be heard.
Chapter 14
“Are you sure you got the right address?” Nell asked from the backseat. “This Lotus place might not be open yet, but it looks fancy. Way too fancy to be hiring random people.”
Harper flicked on the high beams. They had just left the boundaries of St. Louis, and now she was staring down miles of dark winter roads.
“It isn’t random. Apparently, we come highly recommended.”
“And who is doing the recommending?” Patricia mumbled.
She’d barely spoken since they left the apartment. She’d had questions, as had Nell, but since Harper didn’t have any answers, they ended quickly.
Going by how Patricia was staring out of the window, brows knitted and fingers tapping against her thigh, she regretted getting in the car at all.
She looked Harper’s way. “You really believe Maya on this?”
Harper didn’t know what to believe. This job offer was obviously too good to be true, and if anyone other than Maya had made it, she would have seen it as bait of some kind.
Maybe it was still that. But bait for what? Andwhymost of all? If Maya was trying to lure them into a trap, there were dozens of simpler, more efficient ways to accomplish it. If Maya had bad intentions, she could have followed through on them without this ruse.
And the fear in her eyes hadn’t been acted.
“I do believe her. But if I’m wrong, we’ll leave. If this Lotus place feels sketchy, we can just drive away.”
Patricia nodded, more in acknowledgement than agreement. She looked back out at the road, fingers strumming against her thigh again.
Harper couldn’t exactly blame her for being wary. Patricia had been screwed over more than all of them combined, even though it was easy to forget. Caring about Patricia was second nature, but caringforher was a different matter. Only one person had been allowed to do so, and he died over a year ago.
“Oh my God. Look.” Nell leaned between the front seats, holding up her phone. Harper gave it a quick glance. And then had to repeat it when her jaw dropped.
A picture of a woman lit up the screen. Slender and elegant, with features as sharp as they were flawless. Her dark hair was thick and curly, and her skin was such a rich shade of golden-brown that it appeared radiant. She was dressed in a formfitting black gown and stylish sunglasses, giving a soft smile to the person behind the camera.
She was, without a doubt, the most beautiful being Harper had ever seen.
“Who the hell is that?” Harper said, forcing her attention back on the road.
“That Natalya woman you mentioned. From what I can find online, she’s been involved with the Chains place for years.”
Nell stiffened. She lowered the phone as she leaned back in her seat.
“Her last name is Atkins.”
Harper swallowed, keeping her eyes locked on the road. In her periphery, Patricia took a deep breath, exhaling slowly.
