“Mmm? Let’s dance, shall we?” He sweeps me away from the door into the ballroom off the foyer, where a band plays a rendition ofAloneby Heart.
I close my eyes, resting my head on JJ’s chest, feeling his pounding heart and slight tremble on my cheek. Whatever he’s up to, it has him nervous. His hand rests on my neck, his tender caress bringing tears to my eyes.
This should be Eric… I should be spending my evening with him, but he’s disappeared.
A massive chandelier, lowered from the vaulted, gold-plated dome ceiling, sends prisms of light dancing over JJ’s face. He doesn’t let himself look directly at me. I don’t even try to speak to him over the music and the din of loud discussions from the tables surrounding the dance floor.
Mid-spin, my eyes lock on Aaron being dragged by the arm onto the dance floor by a leggy blonde in a low-cut, black velvet dress. He’s staring right at me. Not once during the song does he focus on his partner, his eyes remaining on me. My chest and face flush hot. Damn him… I don’t like how provoked my entire being is by him. JJ catches on as we break away, and polite applause resounds for the band. He looks between us chewing on his lip.
I’m saved from having to explain when Eric lays a hand on my shoulder from behind, “Thanks for keeping Biz company. Dr. Fraine needs a word with you.”
The silent auction doesn’t start for an hour, but I already want to leave.
Besides Aaron’s behavior, Eric’s acting strangely, and JJ is nervous as hell… something isn’t adding up.
“He does?” JJ asks before fidgeting with his bowtie. “Uh… yeah, okay.”
Chapter Eighteen
Eric Hewlett
Bizzy is an absolute vision tonight.
For a packed party, she stands out easily. It took an extreme amount of discipline to leave her side when we arrived. It actually ticked me off. Not that I can voice why I had to.
Just another instance where being part of the House of Eights feels like a sentence rather than any kind of honor. Once I slipped away from Dr. Fraine, the search was on for a painting we believe may have symbols to decode.
Earlier I’d looked like a madman racing down one hall, then another. Twice I got turned around while searching rooms, only to find most doors locked.
I’ll call it a sign that our evening can get back on track as the band starts playingWith or Without You. I smile down at Biz, taking her hand. “Our song.”
God Almighty, she’s everything.
Holding her close, my head resting on top of hers, I softly sing the lyrics with my eyes shut. We sway, tightly holding each other as the rest of the room falls away.
One of her hands strokes my back as everyone else in the room disappears. She sighs, “It’s hard to stay mad at you.”
“I’m sorry, Biz. You know how long-winded Dr. Fraine can be. I tried to break away sooner. I…” I pull back to look down at her. “I’m not leaving your side for the rest of the night. I’ll even stand outside the bathroom waiting for you.”
Rolling her eyes at me, she snorts. “I don’t need you velcroed to me. But I wouldn’t mind you groveling later.” Oh, that’s right. She’d told me her roommate, Amy, won't be home.
“I’ll beg for your forgiveness in the very best way I know how.” Winking at her, she playfully slaps my chest. I’d be happy to ditch the rest of the evening for time alone together.
But the House dictates otherwise.
Every member is in attendance tonight; each assigned a different task. But God help me, I couldn’t care less.
A painting, a riddle, dreams that could have been spurred on by all the garbage fed to us over the years… a lifetime membership tethering me to an endless mystery.
All I truly want is Biz. To build a life and family together, get to the Olympics, and then settle into something quieter. For my closest friends, Aaron, JJ, Rob, I hope they find happiness too. That they are able to leave some of the things the Eights set into motion, things that could be seen as… unsavory, unjust… even sinister.
If an “out” presented itself from the Eights… short of death, I’d jump at it.
But the same line keeps echoing in my head from the decoded message… “Sacrifice the one… sacrifice the one…”
Let justice be done-though the heavens fall.
Part of the pledge oath, the only one that resonated within me when we stood shoulder to shoulder at our induction ceremony.
