“Deal, let’s bail,” Reid easily agrees, reaching a hand across the middle console to the front seat and looking at his brother. “Keys?”
Bo snorts, tucking them in the pants pocket of his charcoal suit. “Oh, hell no. If I have to suffer through this, you two do as well. Besides, if anyone’s going to run off with my date, it’ll be me.”
Reid turns to give me an apologetic shrug. “Sorry, gorgeous, I tried.”
The other car pulls up beside us, the rest of the Hawthornes piling out. Cinjin already ditched the suit jacket Slade forced him into before we left, his sleeves rolled up his forearms. Now that I have a better understanding of their dynamic, it’s hard not to see Slade as the picture perfect leader of all things dark and dangerous. Clad in pitch black, he offers a hand to help Emmy out of the car, his sister looking so stunning it hurts to behold.
She turns to give me a beaming smile and I groan, knowing I can’t very well abandon ship now. This entire thing is for her, so it’s not like anyone will even have an interest in talking to me, anyway. I’m here as moral support, an ear in case she needs to take a few minutes to scream in the bathroom. If she can sacrifice her life for her family with a smile on her face, then the least I can do is walk up those stairs into the den of vipers to straighten her crown.
Huffing out a breath, I reach for the door handle. “Okay, let’s get this over with.”
Reid reaches over me to cover my hand, keeping the door shut, eyes glinting with quiet amusement. “One thing you should keep in mind for the night, Sabrina, is that someone is always watching or listening, especially when you think you’re alone.” Gaze flicking to my lips and back up, he keeps his voice low while Bo gets out of the car. “This came to a head because they no longer think that we’re able to keep Emmy safe. You’re about to be surrounded by men that put their women on a pedestal, so we can’t have you opening your own doors, now can we?”
“So bringing me here is a power play?”
Bo opens my door, offering his hand with a smirk. “But a fun one. I promised you a date, and I fully intend to make it a lovely evening. If it just so happens to work in our favor to buy some more time for Em, or annoy therightpeople, that’s simply a bonus.”
Slipping my hand into his, I step out of the car. The late afternoon sun is positively brutal, so even though this dress leaves me feeling far more exposed than I’m used to, I’m definitely grateful. I can’t imagine suffering being stuffed into a suit like the guys. Meeting Cinjin’s eye, he winks, gesturing to his lack of jacket as if to say,You’re welcome for my amazing planning and impeccable taste.
Giving him a small smile, I take Bo’s arm. Slade’s gaze languidly rakes over me once from head to toe before he gives me his back without saying a single word, taking the lead with Emmy on his arm. Turning to ask Bo why I’m suddenly getting the cold shoulder, he subtly shakes his head, guiding me into motion. Biting back my onslaught of questions, I try to riddle it out myself, since it’s not like I have anything better to do on the walk up if we’re playing the quiet game.
The twins fall into step on our right, which puts a buffer on mine and Emmy’s exposed side. None of the five are talking now, even amongst each other, so there must be some sort of formality in play for entrances.
Two men that are working as security are stationed at the foot of the stairs, nodding to Slade and Emmy, the rest of us only worth acknowledging for the sake of threat assessment. I get a second glance, one man’s nostrils flaring with his suddenly pissed off expression. The moment passes without incident as he gradually composes himself and waves us through, dismissing us once more without a word ever being uttered and confirming my fears that I stick out like a sore thumb and don’t belong here. There’s another pair standing guard outside of the front doors that follows a similar pattern, but this time I’m dismissed as easily as Bo and the twins.
I get a brief glance around the marble foyer that we stride straight through before continuing our silent march to the gallows between the set of grand staircases flanking either side of us, crossing the threshold of a set of open, double doors. Quickly schooling my features after my initial shock to appear as indifferent as everyone else around me, I stare at the massive ballroom that’s been set up to resemble something similar to a wedding reception like Emmy claimed. White linen cloths cover twelve round tables spread out across the room, all filled to the brim with people, and two long tables laden with food spanning the walls to the side. Horrifyingly enough, there’s another table at the far end of the room separated from the rest, similar to that reserved for a bridal party that we’re heading directly for.
Making our way past a small sea of bodies, Emmy gives off an air of reserved confidence the likes of which I’ve never seen on my bubbly friend. But with every face surrounding us looking like they’re ready to take a bite out of her, there’s no room for nerves; any weakness she showed would be quickly pounced upon, that I have no doubt. She doesn’t let them intimidate her into submission, she spins it around, makingthemput in the effort to gain her notice.
I, on the other hand, have absolutely no qualms about clinging to Bo’s arm so that I don’t trip and embarrass myself in front of the massive crowd. I’m wildly out of my element and have no problem letting him be my buffer until I find my footing.
Backs against the wall and forced to face the room staring this way, Bo pulls out my chair for me to take my seat. Emmy is at the far end of the table with Slade at her right hand, Reid beside him, and I wind up sandwiched between Cinjin and Bo. A brief twinge of hurt rises in my chest at Emmy’s distance before I swiftly realize that it was for my benefit. Within seconds of her sitting down, a man appears out of the woodwork to start chatting her up. Others soon follow his lead until she has six gathered around her free side, Slade eyeing them all with an unreadable face made of stone.
These men are vultures. No wonder she spent an hour getting ready; she had to ensure her war paint would survive not only the night, but the first five freaking minutes.
Bo leans in, quietly whispering in my ear, voice barely audible. “I need you to do me a favor, pretty girl. You need to dial your fear back a notch; these men can sniff out an opportunity like bloodhounds. I promise, nobody’s going to hurt you while I’m around. You know that, right?” At my shallow nod, I can feel his lips curve up against the shell of my ear. “So breathe for me. You belong here, if only because you belong with us. The people outside of this table don’t matter, so they aren’t worth your stress.” Taking a second to pull myself together, I take a deep breath, and with my exhale, feel all the better for it. “That’s my girl.” He kisses my temple before pulling away.
I scan the room again, seeing multiple sets of eyes turned my way, but I don’t flinch away from them in an effort to stay invisible this time. Hell, it’s not like they haven’t already seen me. Some are possibly even stalking me, hence the guys rotating to subtly keep an eye on me. So rather than let them get off on knowing they bother me, I stare directly back, because Bo’s right. Worst case scenario, they kick me out; that’s not exactly much of a threat, it’s a reward.
“Is there anything in particular that you hate?” Bo continues. “I’m not sure what’s up there, so it might be easier to navigate what to avoid.”
I can’t even get my own plate?
“I’m not a fan of seafood, or things I’d have to ask someone what it even is.”
“Got it.” Taking my hand, he kisses the back of it before disappearing into the crowd.
As if they were working in tandem, Cinjin swings around in his seat the moment Bo leaves, ensuring that I’m never alone in awkward silence. The tablecloth rustles as he turns, resting his elbow on the table, and his cheek on his fist. “So, how was work this week?” He waggles his eyebrows. “Reid keeping you up all night?”
Buying into his teasing in an attempt to forget the rest of the room watching my every move, I don a similar pose, facing him. “Running me absolutely ragged.”
He grins, crystalline eyes locking onto mine. “Should I tell him to go easier on you?”
I’m not blind; Cinjin likes to poke things until they inevitably explode. Which means if he’s not watching the level of his voice while there are so many other people within earshot, there’s a reason, even if I don’t have a full scope of the game we’re playing quite yet. But since Slade and Reid aren’t hissing at him to shut up, they're on board with whatever it is Cin is up to with his insinuations, so I figure I may as well roll with it until someone kicks me under the table.
“Do I look like I can’t take it?” I challenge, raising an eyebrow.
His eyes darken for a slight flash before he tuts. “Such a dangerous little thing, you are. It’s absolutely intoxicating.” Leaning in close, his voice is so low that I have to strain to hear it. “Now that they think we’re whispering dirty nothings in each other’s ears, don’t look now, but in the far right corner of the room there’s a man with pitch black, buzzed hair, and a scar cutting across half of his face. Watch him especially, because he hasn’t taken his eyes off of you since we walked in.”
