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What the fuck?

I rubbed at my forehead. “Yeah.”

“So?”

My stomach twisted even before the words left my mouth.

“On second thought, you can stay.”

His eyebrows shot up.

The instant I heard myself say it, I wanted to snatch the words back.

What the fuck did I just say?

“For real?”

I hated how pleased he suddenly appeared.

“Just stay the fuck away from me, and keep your friends away from me too,” I warned.

He raised both hands. “You got it, baby.”

I glowered at him then walked away before anything else came out of my mouth that made no damn sense.

At that point, I needed water… a whole bottle.

Apparently, those three shots had done more than calm my nerves.

I was halfway toward the bar when that familiar scent found me again.

The man in the black pinstripe suit passed close enough for the sleeve of his jacket to brush my bare arm.

I turned toward him just as he leaned slightly in my direction.

“It’s showtime, baby.”

I spun around so quickly I nearly lost my balance. “Caspian?”

He gave me another brief view over his shoulder, then every light in the mansion went out.

Screams immediately filled the darkness.

“What the fuck?!”

“Who turned the lights out?!”

“Oh, hell no!”

The music died at the same time, leaving the entire mansion completely dark. There wasn’t even enough light for me to make out my own hands.

Then came a violent bang.

BOOM!

The front doors slammed shut.

Another crash sounded from the rear of the house, followed by the mechanical sound of the window shades closing one after another.