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“Did Damian say anything else?”
Unable to meet my gaze, Kali sighed. “He said he was looking forward to it. The rest of the Knights can’t wait to get their hands on you again.”
“Kali,” I choked out. “I…”
Our eyes met, and she forced a smile. “It’s okay. I know it’s a one-time thing.”
“I’m sorry,” I muttered. “I can’t even imagine how you must feel.”
“The Knights need a new queen. That’s why Arlo is forcing Luca to get married.” She grabbed a cold fry from her plate and chewed, speaking between bites. Her focus shifted to the window where Marcello sat in his car, watching us. “They will do anything for you. Kill for you. Die for you. Anything. Once you swear the oath, you will become one of them.”
I followed her gaze, staring at Marcello. “I need to know if my brother is alive.”
“If they know something about Aiden, they will tell you when you become one of them.”
“Then, I guess I have no choice. I have to become their queen.”
Whatever it takes, Aiden.
I will find you.
Dead or alive.
Alex
After lunch, we drove toward the marina. Kali flew down the steep incline and into The Hills. I pressed my palm to the window as we drove past the house I’d shared with Aiden before he disappeared, wishing he was still here with me. Kali floored the gas pedal as we whipped around the bend, snapping me back to reality. She was driving fast and biting her bottom lip as if she were on edge.
“You okay, Kali from Cali?”
She forced laughter. “I did something last night with Bastian and Damian… I promised myself I would never do it again.”
“You were with both of them?” I guessed.
She nodded. “I could tell they needed me. It felt so good to let go. But still…”
“You could choose between them.”
“It’s not that simple. They both refuse to let me go.”
“Luca’s obsession with me spans years, so I get it.”
“Obsession and possession,” she groaned. “That’s how the Salvatore brothers roll. Once they set their sights on you, it’s deadly.”
I snorted with laughter. “I didn’t peg either of them as the boyfriend type.”
“They are the competitive type. Tit for tat.” Kali whipped around the bend, changing the subject. “Are you ready for your big debut with the Belles?”
“Please don’t remind me,” I groaned. “I’d rather gouge my eyes out with a spoon than spend the afternoon with Blair.”
She chuckled. “Girl, I feel you. I hate attending these stupid meetings. The things I do for my family…”
I glanced in the mirror at Marcello, who kept several car lengths from us. Kali drove like a lunatic, cutting off an old lady. Marcello caught the red light, and I already knew I would get a tongue lashing for that.
A few minutes later, we arrived at the marina. As we walked into the yacht club, my eyes darted to Blair Wellington in all of her grandmonster glory. She wore a white Chanel jacket paired with black tailored pants and three-inch Valentino heels. I tried to wrap my head around why she was wearing a long sleeve jacket in the middle of summer, but that was Blair, an eccentric, rich snob.
Kali grabbed my wrist. “It’s okay, girl. I got you.”
“I’m not afraid of her.”
A flock of women dressed in neutrals and pastels flocked around Blair, all of them polished to perfection. Their hair looked as if they had just left the salon.
“I thought this was a laid-back meeting.”
Kali flicked her hair over her shoulder and laughed. “Maybe somewhere other than Devil’s Creek.”
Servers floated throughout the ballroom with flutes of champagne and trays of bite-sized hors d’oeuvres. I stared around the large ballroom decorated as if we were attending a wedding.
“The Founders Ball is the highlight of the year,” she told me. “This is your official introduction to the Devil’s Creek elite.”
“Marcello mentioned this is a big deal. Honestly, I could care less. I couldn’t feel more disconnected from these people.”
She tapped me with her shoulder. “Have you ever attended a debutante ball?”
“No.”
“It’s kind of like that. You’ll see.”
Three women moved across the floor with a purpose, headed toward us. A pretty blonde shot a look in Blair’s direction, though not to seek her approval. They were the outliers of the group. The peacocks clung to my grandmother’s side, seeking her validation and love, while the three women approaching me looked thrilled to get rid of her.
My cell phone dinged with a new message.
Luca: You drive me fucking crazy, woman. When I text, you need to answer me.
I scanned the screen and noticed I had several messages from Luca.
Luca: I’m trying to protect you. Stop taking stupid risks.
I rolled my eyes, annoyed with his attitude. He hadn’t spoken to me in days. Even Marcello wouldn’t tell me where Luca had been hiding since the meeting with my grandfather. So the hell with both of them. We ditched Marcello on our drive to the marina, but it’s not like I could get away from them. My phone had a tracking app installed on it.
