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Us.
Without looking at the plate, I say, “What did you get us?” just because I want to feel the word us on my lips. I like it, probably more than I should.
“Well…” She moves the plate in front of me and points with her left hand to the items. “This is a cannoli. This is a caramel cheesecake. And a mini apple pie. Oh, and this is a chocolate chip cookie, of course.”
“A classic,” I comment.
My hand reaches for the apple pie as we share a secret smile that says we both know that’s exactly what I’d go for and also the reason why it was selected in the first place. I love sharing secrets with her.
She steals the cookie as we both chat and snack together, but I leave most of the desserts for her to finish after trying a little bit of everything.
Scarlett locks eyes with someone across the room as she places the plate on the bar counter behind us, and says, “Excuse me.”
“Yeah, sure.”
My eyes follow her across the room where she finds Annie once again and chats for a brief minute before returning.
“Everything okay?”
“Yeah.” But she shakes her head. “Annie just had trouble locating Sebastian, but he’s home.”
“That’s weird.”
“Yeah, I guess he’s sick. I hope he doesn’t have food poisoning or something.”
“Oh, I hope not too,” I agree. I wouldn’t think it would happen at a five-star hotel, but you never know. I guess it could have been something from earlier too.
“She just left and is going to go check on him,” she adds as my eyes scan the room, before they focus on a woman who looks familiar.
I turn to my side. “Hey,” I say to my teammate Myles and lean in. “Who’s that woman near the bathroom door? I can’t place her.”
He tilts his head to the side and squints his eyes. “I think her name is Serena? Alena? Helena?” He snaps his fingers. “Athena.”
My jaw drops. The Hyena?
“What is she doing here?”
He shrugs his shoulders. “Here with a date. I think she’s with Feet.”
I cover my laugh with a cough, then add, “Thanks for the help.”
“Everything okay?” He narrows his eyes.
“Yeah. Just couldn’t place her. Thought I recognized her from before.”
“Probably have. I don’t think it’s her first time here,” he says, and I’m uncertain if he knows how true that statement is.
Chapter Forty-Three
Scarlett
Calvin tugs at my elbow, then pulls me to a small alcove off the ballroom.
“What’s going on? Are you okay?” I ask, confused about the sudden shift.
“The Hyena is here,” he whisper-yells.
“A hyena?”
