Nothing.
It’s been almost thirty minutes since his last text.
Then there’s a knock on the door.
“I’ll get it!” Emma calls.
She opens the door.
Two hotel security guards are standing there.
Every conversation stops. The music keeps playing but no one’s moving. Everyone frozen.
One of them clears his throat. “We’re looking for Juliette Chastain?”
The floor tilts. My earsstart ringing.
“That’s—that’s me,” I manage.
One of them steps forward. “Ma’am, we need you to come with us.”
20
RODRIGUEZ
Owen’s suiteis three floors down from ours. When I knock I can already hear voices and laughter inside.
One of the guys opens the door. “Rodriguez! Get in here, man.”
Inside, it’s exactly what I expected. Five guys in various states of wedding prep, some still in sweatpants, some in dress pants and undershirts. Mimosas on the table. A bottle of whiskey already open even though it’s not even 10:30.
Owen’s standing by the window looking slightly panicked. “Oh thank god, another groomsman. I was outnumbered.”
“By what?”
“By these idiots trying to get me drunk before noon.”
“That’s literally the point,” one of the guys says, handing Owen a mimosa. “You’re getting married in six hours. You’re supposed to be drunk.”
“I’m supposed to be coherent.”
“You can be both.”
I grab a mimosa because it seems rude not to and pull out my phone to check the time.
Fifty-three unread messages in the Puckaneers group chat.
What the hell.
I open it and scroll to the top.
PUCKANEERS CHAOS
Dex
ALMARDON JUST TOLD US
Brody
