Page 14 of The Beast

Chapter Five

I don’t recognize the hotel we arrive at.

It’s not one of the big casinos that dominate the Atlantic City skyline. This hotel is smaller. More discreet and with an old money vibe. The facade is elegant but understated, with cream-colored stone, wrought-iron balconies, and the kind of architectural details that suggest it was built over a century ago.

It’s called The Obsidian, according to the bronze letters lit by a backlight so that they seem to glow above the entrance. And looking at it, that name seems to fit.

A doorman in a crisp uniform stands at the main entrance, but the car goes right past him, pulling around instead to a side entrance. The driver gets out, circles the car, then opens Gabriel’s door.

Gabriel climbs out without even a glance back at me.

I consider just staying in the car, but since that would just piss him off, I follow, sliding across the bench seat with my heart pounding.

Besides, despite Gabe’s strange distance and horrible accusations, I’m curious.

Or maybe that distance and the hard look in his eyes are the reasons I’m curious.

Either way, I’m not losing him again.

The side door leads into a service corridor with poured concrete floors and fluorescent lights. I don’t see even a hint of the elegance outside. Not surprising, though, since we’re apparently in the bowels of the building.

But why? Why are we here at all?

Gabriel walks fast, and I have to practically jog to keep up with his long strides.

“Gabriel, wait⁠—”

He doesn’t slow down. Doesn’t acknowledge me at all. Just keeps walking, leading me deeper into the building.

The corridor gets even less polished as we go. The industrial carpet gives way to bare concrete. The already unimpressive sconces replaced by harsh overhead bulbs. Even the air changes, taking on the slightly damp quality of a laundry room.

Despite a million questions, I stay quiet and follow him onto a service elevator. Gabriel punches the button for SB2, and the elevator descends with a mechanical groan as the voices in my head bombard me with questions—What is this place? Where is he taking me? Why won’t he just freaking talk to me?

I don’t know. And worst of all is the truly dark question that keeps repeating itself—is he going to hurt me?

I tell myself no. If that was his plan, he would have done it already. Would have had the driver pull over to the side of the road and then used his well-known temper to do more than a little damage.

The thought makes me shudder. No. He wouldn’t do that. No matter what he thinks, he wouldn’t do that to me.

I hope I’m right. I think I am. But at the same time, there are a lot of ways to hurt someone that don’t inflict bruises or break bones. And I don’t know this Gabriel anymore.

I realize my pulse is pattering along in double-time, and I try to breathe and calm myself. It’s not easy. This is Gabe, and I’m teetering on terrified.

How is this even possible?

Another breath. Another reminder to myself to just stay calm.

So far, I’ve been more curious than scared. More in shock than in distress.

Now though…now I’m starting to think a healthy dose of terror might be called for.

I’ve never wanted to be wrong more in my life.

That’s when the doors slide open onto Sub-basement 2, and I stare into a completely different world.

“Welcome to The Beast,” Gabriel says. “Or one level of it. My club.” His voice is flat, like he’s daring me to be impressed. Or horrified. Or to comment on the club’s name. Maybe all three.

Honestly, I don’t know what I expected. I was already in Wonderland, after all. Maybe I assumed we were going down into a storage facility. Someplace where he could lock me in a box, then toss me away. Or even just something mundane like a parking garage.