I could smile, but the setting spray on my face hasn't settled yet, and I’m afraid to crack the mask Tannis worked so hard to apply. “That’s so sweet.”
“Is it still sweet if I tell you she has me collared?” Tannis fluffs my hair and then stands back, a big shit-eating grin on their face. A laugh rolls through me, pummeling my perfect composure. After a minute, I calm myself and dab at my eyes.
“Is that a yes?”
“It is.”
“Thought so. Now turn around, precious.” Tannis swivels a hand in the air and I turn at the hips to see the mirror. When I don’t immediately say anything, Tannis leans in over my shoulder and taps under my chin. “Had to test the setting spray, and you passed with flying colors. So, what do we think?”
“It’s hard to believe I’m looking at myself.” Honestly? My jaw could hit the floor, but then I would really mess it up.
No words can fully capture just how iconic this look really is. It’s wet, it’s messy, and downright sexy. My skin is glossy, with a radiant glow, complemented by a smudged smokey eye. A black lip is always a go-to for me, but Tannis chose a stunning shade of purple that reminds me of orchids. My lips almost look like they’re made of blown glass, delicate yet cool, and my hair is the final detail that pulls it all together. Loose curls gelled at the roots, with a few hand-placed tendrils forced to form along the curve of my cheeks.
I look… unearthly. It’s as if Tannis has shared some of their otherworldly beauty with me, using only a brush and some cool blue highlighter.
“I… I love it,” I stammer, finally finding my voice. “I can’t believe you did this so quickly. It would have taken me hours.”
“Centuries worth of practice, precious.” Another smile crosses their face. “Now, let’s get going, before the mirror makes you late.”
We make it to the club with a surprising amount of time to spare before it opens. There’s already a line of club-goers waiting outside, and I see Tim, one of the bouncers, talking to a few of them at the front. As we pass by, a lot of those eyes turn from each other to the sleek and expensive sports car slowing down to turn in. It might be dark outside, and the windows might be tinted, but that doesn’t stop me from feeling embarrassed, if not totally uneasy.
So much for discretion. I didn’t even know Tannis was coming with us until we were out the door and already piling into the car. When I insisted we take something with more than two seats, I caught a glimmer of mischief in Tannis’s eyes.
“I thought we could take my fastest ride,” Tannis had said before leaving. “You are running late for work, after all.”
There were a number of reasons I didn’t want to entertain Tannis or their car. One of them being the seating arrangements. With no back seat, I’m wedged between Gray’s legs with my back against his chest. He seems to be enjoying it, though. His arms are wrapped securely around my shoulders and middle like a seatbelt. His embrace on the way there is what keeps me calm during the drive, because Tannis drives like a fucking maniac.
It’s easy to sit there and forget about what I’ll be walking into tonight. I’m already in hot water with Dax as it is, and showing up in some sleek, expensive sports car with two men will definitely rub him the wrong way. Without any level of closure between the two of us on where we stand, I might as well be walking into a burning house blindfolded.
“This looks like fun!” Tannis exclaims as we pull into the back lot.
Fun for them, I think.
“Behave yourself, Tannis,” Gray says as we slide out of the parked car together. He sets me right on my feet, but keeps one arm wrapped around my shoulders.
“Oh, please. I’ve been to hundreds of clubs. I know how to handle myself,” Tannis says, starting toward the building where the line wraps around. I’m actually shocked they’re going to wait.
“No biting,” I say quickly. Beside me, Gray chokes on a laugh.
Tannis looks back with wide, puppy-dog eyes. “But what if they ask nicely?”
“No,” I say curtly.
“Fine. No fun for me then,” they grumble as they stalk off.
“Tell me again why they came with us?” I turn to Gray, whose hand has found its way into mine. The gesture is sweet and warms me instantly. I didn’t get to see him until we were heading out, and we didn’t exactly get to talk about anything from the night before with Tannis driving. I suspected that was part of Tannis’s plan. Why they wanted to bottle us up in a tiny car without privacy, who knows.
“It was my idea. An extra safety measure,” Gray admits.
My eyes widen. Puzzled, I ask, “Why? You make me feel plenty safe already.”
“I know you do.” His voice falters, though, which makes me think he doubts himself more than what I said. “I don’t want you to be afraid of your workplace because you’re worried about retaliation.”
That makes my heart race. String Theory is one of my safe spaces, which means he gets how important it is to protect that.
“Besides, you can think of Tannis like the flu,” Gray adds with a smirk. “Dante does. If anything, Tannis being here will keep him and his friends away.”
“Sounds petty,” I say, starting toward the employee entrance.
