“Malec, your forehead is… glowing?” Roran steps closer, squinting—but then covers her ears with both hands like she’s hearing something awful.
I spin around, taking a few deep breaths to calm myself before I face her again.
“You’re not going in there,” I repeat.
“You promised to follow my plan. And I won’t let it go too far,” she says softly as she lowers her hands. “Do you trust me?”
Her voice trembles slightly. Her eyes plead—not demand this time.
I curse under my breath. “I wish I didn’t,” I mutter. “But the second I don’t like what I see—it’s my turn. And it’s not a question.”
“Malec—”
“Show me what you need me to do,” I cut her off. That bastard is already on my killing list. He just doesn’t know it yet.
She blinks, clearly not expecting me to cave so fast. But this isn’t surrender.
It’s a warning.
“You’ll be in the safe room,” she explains. “That’s where the escorting guard monitors the VIP suites, makes sure everyone follows the rules.”
She turns and walks quickly back the way we came, but instead of opening the main door again, she presses a panel on the wall. A soft click. A hidden door opens.
She gestures for me to follow.
The only sound inside is the clicking of her ridiculously pink heels. Her ass bounces in that glittery excuse of underwear, and I fight the urge to pull her back and do something we’ll both regret.
I don’t have many regrets. But this might become one.
“That son of a bitch,” I mutter under my breath, only realizing I spoke aloud when she glances at me with a raised brow.
Her eyes behind the mask flick to me.
“I can’t curse now, too?” I retort.
Her lips twitch up for the first time today. Then a beep pulls my attention to the wall.
Five screens flicker on, showing empty VIP rooms. All but one.
One room has a bastard, I now memorise his face. Right into my list of no return.
“This panel here is for emergencies. Five rooms, five lights, numbered by these stickers,” she says, pointing at each one.The screen’s dim light casts moonlight-like glimmers on her glittering skin.
“The one Novax likes is number three. I’ll be there.” She points at the screen now. “That hallway behind that black curtain leads to the rooms,” she adds, nodding toward it.
“Don’t enter unless it’s a real emergency. We need the info. You can hear everything if you press this.” She clicks a black switch by Novax’s screen. He’s just sitting there smoking, scrolling through his phone like the cheap bastard he is.
I inhale—just to keep it together.
“No one comes in here but us?”
She nods. “Tatiana canceled the guard. We’ve got one hour before the next girl’s VIP session. It’s just us. Don’t worry—I know this place better than anyone.”
I roll my eyes.
“Like you knew about the four men out back?”
“Ha. Funny. That wasn’t on me—no one ever sends them to the back door. That’s the entrance just for the girls,” she huffs, planting her hands on her glittery hips.
