Page 48 of XO Karma

The guy mumbles something as he rushes us out the door to an empty ballroom. The sound of an auctioneer in the distance tells me the bidding must have started.

Aster’s hand rests firmly on my lower back, and I find myself leaning into his touch. “We need to get out of here.”

“Finally, something we can agree on.”

We rush towards the main hallway, and Aster’s eyes dart in each room as we hurry to the exit.

“What are you looking for?” I ask him.

“My friend.” He cranes his neck around another corner, expression defeated.

“I thought that was a ruse?”

“Why would I fabricate a friend?”

I shrug. “Sociopaths are known to be antisocial. Maybe this imaginary friend is your cover.”

“I can assure you, I am not a sociopath.” He glares at me. “And Diego is very much real, so if you don’t mind, I’d like to get him out of here as well.”

I gesture forward. “Then by all means.”

We make it to the art gallery, and the room is packed. Jude and Isla stand at the front, holding the interest of the crowd. A dark-haired guy on the far side notices Aster, and they seem to be doing a lot of talking with their eyes. Aster pulls out his phone, then curses under his breath.

“He said to leave without him,” Aster tells me.

“Um.” I lower my voice to a hush. “Did you happen to mention we just witnessed a murder?”

“Yeah, it was the first text I sent. Even added the little skull emoji and everything,” he deadpans, waving his phone towards me to emphasize his sarcasm. “For fuck’s sake, don’t you know screenshots live forever?”

I bite a laugh. “How very millennial.”

“I am a millennial.”

“The millennial murderer,” I say in my best Dateline voice, and he glares. “Screenshots live forever, but his victims don’t!”

“Okay, that’s enough.” He returns his hand to my waist, nudging me towards the exit.

“What about Diego?”

“He can handle himself.”

When we reach the massive front door, Aster holds it open, and I walk through it into the cool night air. He digs a ticket out of his pocket and passes it to the valet. A crisp breeze wisps by, causing goosebumps to scatter across my body, and I shiver. A moment later, a suit jacket is placed over my shoulders, and I glance to a grinning Aster. “I know how much you love wearing my clothes.”

I smack him before tightening the jacket around me. “If I weren’t freezing, I’d give it back.” A rumbling engine tugs my attention to the valet pulling up in a gorgeous silver vintage Porsche. Aster strolls to the passenger side and opens the door. “I’m not leaving with you.”

“I didn’t see you hand the valet a ticket. How did you get here?”

My jaw hardens. “Taxi.”

Aster steps towards me and lowers his mouth to my ear. “In case you forgot, we just witnessed a murder. So, unless you’d like to stay and see if they figure that out while waiting for a taxi, or walk through the thousands of acres of woods surrounding this estate in the dark alone, I suggest we leave right the hell now.”

My lips part, words impossible. Because thanks to the sex show in the hallway paired with Aster’s annoyingly charming banter, I did momentarily forget about the murder we just witnessed. Is it possible I’ve been too desensitized to death? Given the atrocities that go on in the world daily, even in just our city, what kind of person does that make me, to watch life drain from someone’s eyes and hardly blink? Is it self-preservation or am I no better than Aster?

“Lillian,” Aster says firmly, his gaze locked on mine, and I fight how him saying my full name makes me feel. “Get in the car.” I cock a brow, and his shoulders sag. “Please.”

“There.” I pat his chest. “Was that so hard?”

He groans, trailing after me as I lower myself into the Porsche. Once I’m situated in my seat, he shuts the door, rounds to the driver’s side, and starts the car.