Page 99 of A Vicious Love

A server appeared near the edge of the booth with a fresh bottle. He replaced the empty one. I filled my glass without measuring.

One of the Reed men started talking about river schedules.

Good.

Business. Something useful.

The club grew louder as midnight moved toward morning. Vanta’s upper floor filled with the people rich enough to be recognized and stupid enough to want recognition. Veil cameras moved through the crowd in subtle flashes. Society accounts streamed clips from the dance floor.

Arielle Voss appeared beside the booth twenty minutes later. I recognized her because half of Harlan recognized her. Singer. Always in a feed or hologram about natural beauty while, nothing about her was honest.

The kind of woman who knew exactly which camera angle had a clear view of her.

Tonight she wore red fitted enough to explain why three men near the staircase had stopped listening to each other the moment she passed them. She smiled at Reeves first.

“I need Crow for thirty seconds.”

Reeves looked at me.

I looked at her.

“What?”

She leaned closer to be heard over the music but stopped before entering the booth fully.

“There’s a drunk investor near the lower bar grabbing dancers.”

“Security exists.”

“He keeps saying he knows you.”

“Most idiots do.”

“He says you invited him.”

“I didn’t.”

Arielle’s smile sharpened slightly. “Thought so.”

I glanced toward Reeves. He touched his earpiece immediately.

“Remove him,” I said.

Arielle started to step back. Then someone hit her from behind. It happened fast. A shoulder clipped hers. Arielle lost balance in her heels.

She fell toward me.

My hand caught her waist automatically. Her palm landed against my chest.

For one suspended second, she was bent close enough that her mouth hovered near my ear, red silk caught beneath my hand, surprise widening her eyes before it turned into breathless laughter.

“Fuck,” she said.

I almost shoved her upright. Then my phone buzzed against the table. A message from Reeves’s second.

NORTH CHECKPOINT SECURED. HARRINGTON TEAM CONTAINED.

Finally. Something went right tonight.