Page 32 of Deathless & Divided

Evelina scowled. “Nothing, probably.”

“Give him a chance.”

“What am I missing?” Lily asked, sipping on her grasshopper again.

She needed one of those for each hand. They were that damn good.

“It’s nothing,” Evelina assured. “Let’s just have some fun and dance while we can.”

That sounded perfect to Lily. The music practically pumped through the floors and vibrated the borrowed heels Lily stood in.

She had come to find out Abriella Trentini’s rented apartment might as well be a second home with an entire wardrobe included. Lily chose not to ask questions when she noticed a man’s suits hanging alongside Abriella’s dresses earlier. Then again, she figured Tommas Rossi’s name had been mentioned more than enough for it to be kind of obvious.

Someone wasn’t going to like it when their secret was found out.

“Let’s dance!” Evelina shouted, giggling as she tugged on Lily’s hand.

Lily grinned. It had been too long since she was able to just have fun, especially with Eve.

“Let’s dance.”

Strobe lights flashed from all angles in rapid succession, making the crowd nothing but a blinking black and white blur to Lily. She turned with her arms thrown high, swallowed by the club goers, drunken laughter, sweaty, swaying bodies, and music.

She wasn’t the partying kind of girl. Sure, Lily had her fun every once in a while, but she never really let loose. It felt so good to dance and be just another face in the crowd—someone unrecognizable and unknown.

Not a DeLuca.

Not a girl affiliated with the mob.

Not the daughter of a turncoat or the sister of made men.

No, just Lily.

It reminded her of traveling all over again and of being free.

Lily realized she had lost her friend somewhere in the crowd. She didn’t really care. Evelina had probably gone back to the bar for another round of drinks. The buzz slipping through Lily’s veins said she probably had enough of her own for the night.

Large hands found Lily’s waist from behind before her body was drawn into the firm chest of someone. A man. He smelled like the club, liquor, and unfamiliar cologne. He wasn’t the first person to randomly grab Lily and bring her in for a dance or two, so she didn’t mind. Her hips moved in time with the man’s and the music. Lily wanted to see who it was that decided to dance with her, so she turned in his embrace to find a good-looking stranger with a wide grin.

“What is your name, pretty girl?” he asked.

She didn’t think giving her name would be an issue. It wasn’t like she planned on taking this man home.

“Lily.”

“Carter,” the man replied.

“Hello, Carter.”

“Hello, Lily. Beautiful dress.”

“Thank you.”

His grin melted into a sensual smirk. “Let’s see if I can get it off you before the night is through.”

Lily wasn’t sure how to respond to that. She liked the sound of his voice, though. “You’ll have to work awfully hard.”

And he didn’t have a chance.