The next morning, Alexandra had stacked her Goth clothing in the donation pile her mom kept in the basement, thrown away her dark makeup, and gone shopping for asundress.
Smiling at the memory, Alexandra continued flipping. There were group shots of Crockett with friends and family at his own high school graduation. One particular photo made her jawdrop.
In this close-up, Sophia wasn’t smiling and she’d removed her clunky glasses. Sad, gray eyes stared back. Clutching the photo in her hand, Alexandra flew down the hallway and into the diningroom.
After glancing up from his laptop, Crockett did a double take. “Youokay?”
She held out the photo of Sophia. “We need totalk.”
* * *
That eveningCrockett rolledinto Incognito with a guarded sense of hope. While he had no expectations that Sage was his sister, he couldn’t dismiss Alex’s comment, either.What ifhad kept him pushing forward for thirteenyears.
Alexandra’s voice had quivered when she’d shown him the photo of Sophia. She’d insisted the woman at the club—who looked nothing like his sister—had the same gray eyes. “It’s notjustthe color.” She’d jabbed at the picture for emphasis. “I don’t know what it is exactly, but I’ve seentheseeyesbefore.”
As he and Alexandra had planned, Crockett arrived at the club first and went directly into the “Master’s of the Universe” suite across the hall from the unmarked room. After snapping off the night table lamp and plunging himself into darkness, he dipped his hand into his sport coat pocket and retrieved Horse. Even with his phone set to dim, there was risk associated with what he was about to do. The surveillance cameras in the greeting room, the lounge, and the hallways were mounted in plain sight. If Jase did monitor the private suites, drawing attention to himself and Alex was the last thing he needed, especially if Jase was doing somethingillegal.
He cracked open the door, nudged the tiny creature outside, and shut it. Still fully clothed, he slipped beneath the linens and, using his phone, activated theinsect.
When the foot traffic from passersby quieted, he zoomed Horse across the hallway and landed him flush against the upper doorframe of the unmarked suite with the camera pointing toward the greeting room. If Jase or Francois entered the suite, he’d fly the buginside.
At long last, he and Alex would know what the hell was going on inside thatroom.
* * *
Just past ten o’clock,Alexandra entered the club. Her part in their scheme was simple. Alert Crockett when management escorted a member into the unmarked suite. She sashayed into the busy hallway, leaned against the wall outside the lounge and waited. Ten minutes passed. Another five ticked by. No sign of any rejuvenation activity. Then, Dracule stepped off theelevator.
Yes!Painting on her best Electra grin, she waved. That horny old geezer couldn’t get to her fast enough. “Why, hello, lovelyElectra.”
“Hello, yourself.” She’d worn a black, strapless bustier dress and his gaze roamed hungrily across her chest. “Here for a little late nightfun?”
His leer sent a shiver down her spine. “Absolutely. Life is short. Make every momentmatter.”
I’ve heard that before.She studied his masked face, but nothing came to mind. Dismissing thedéjà vu, sheagreed.
As if Jase had been watching, he joined them. “Two of my favorite members.” He glanced from one to the other. “Say the word and I’ll arrange a suite to accommodate a moreintimatesetting.”
“Thank you, my good man. If Electra were interested, she would have made her intentionsknown.”
You got that right.“Enjoy your evenin’.” Alexandra forced a smile. As soon as they headed down the hallway, she sent the cued up text from her phone. “Now.”
The two men vanished into the unmarked suite. She hurried toward “Master’s of the Universe” and pressed her keycard against the sensor. The light turned green and she entered. After slipping beneath the linens, Crockett pulled out an ear bud and handed it to her. She shoved the tiny device into herear.
“I have a kitchen emergency.” Jase’s gruff voice was void of the usual charm. “Those idiots can’t fucking boil water without causing a goddamn inferno. I have to pass you to Sagetonight.”
“Oh, Christ, not that little bitch.” Dracule’s harsh tone sent a shiver down Alexandra’s spine. “I’ll slap her if she bites meagain.”
PoorSage.
“I dealt with her myself. She won’t misbehave.” Jase hurried toward the back wall. A concealed panel slid open revealing another dimly litroom.
Oh, myGod.
Dracule stepped over the threshold and the door shut behind him. Crockett zoomed the bug forward, but it crashed into the closedpanel.
“Fuck,” Crockettmuttered.
Anxiety churned in her guts. The room was a pass-through, but to what? Her mind raced with possibilities, none of themgood.
