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The male Maleficent had no idea what he’d just done to me by saying that name though. He kept moving through the darkness, away from me.
Worried I might lose him, I quickened my pace to catch up. Once I was a step behind, I discreetly cleared my throat. “You, uh, you know the name of the statue out here?”
“Yeah.” He glanced over his shoulder once, then turned back to pick his way between a pair of bushes, only to gentlemanly hold the leaves aside for me to pass through as well. “A chatty janitor that works here told me all about it.”
A grin spread across my face. “Bruno?”
Bruno had worked for JFI since before I was born. I grew up calling him Uncle Bru. He was the only person still working here from my father’s era that Lana had never fired. Aside from Brick, he was also the only other person who had ever visited me in my basement workroom just to talk.
The man in front of me paused before facing me. He sounded surprised when he said, “You know Bruno?”
“Of course!” I smiled brightly, not that he could see it through my mask and in the dark. “He’s the sweetest old coot you could ever meet. And the best janitor a company could have.”
“You work here, then.” It sounded more like a leading statement than a question, which made me hesitate.
I suddenly realized I had no idea who this guy was. And I’d just walked out into the dark alone with him. I hadn’t once felt threatened in his company, but a shiver raced up my spine, regardless. I was so stupid and naïve and gullible. What was I thinking, just dashing out into the night without a thought for my own safety because someone had said help? What sane woman with a working brain did that?
He could be—well, he could be anyone. He might even be one of Lana’s spies. Shyla had warned me my stepmother had a few moles within the company. They collected information through gossip and whispered everything back to her so she could use it to her advantage and everyone else’s detriment.
I didn’t want her finding out I was here at the Halloween party, or even in the courtyard right now. If Hayden had actually taken something from her office, and Lana noticed it missing, one of her spies—like maybe this guy—could tell her I’d been out here by myself, carrying around her teacup—if he’d even seen me with it—which meant I’d been to my workroom, close to her office.
And who do you think would get blamed for stealing her things? Yep. Me. Totally me.
Oh God. I didn’t want to be accused of any wrongdoing. I’d be fired again before I could even re-start.
Sweat misted on my brow, and worry gnawed at my stomach. Thinking quick, I said, “I, uh, I’ve heard all about Bruno.”
The man’s silhouette continued to watch me. He was thinking so hard I could practically hear his brain spinning, trying to figure out what I meant by my statement, because I’d clearly refused to answer his question of whether I worked here or not.
Then he asked, “From Broderick Carmichael?”
“I, uh… What?” Blinking, I shook my head. But seriously, out of all the names in the world, why the heck had he mentioned Brick’s?
“You two are here together, aren’t you?” he pressed. “I saw you enter into the ballroom with him earlier.”
“I…” Completely stumped by that, I blinked before slowly saying, “That’s right. I came to the party with—Wait. You saw me? In the ballroom? I didn’t see you there at all.”
And a man dressed the way he was would’ve stood out to me.
Wouldn’t he?
I guess I had been a bit preoccupied with staring at Christopher Elton and his date, and then smacking Brick in the arm for misleading me into thinking I had a chance with Christopher, and then giving cookies to Hayden. But still, a big, man-shaped guy like this in a dress? I think I would’ve noticed.
Maleficent chuckled. “Wow, you’re hell on a man’s ego.”
“I…” Oh, crap. I’d hurt his feelings. “No. No, I just meant, I’m surprised I didn’t see you because…” A slight waft of his cologne drifted to me. And wow, he smelled good. Like, really good. It smelled kind of familiar, though. Why did he smell familiar? I shook my head, pushing past that. “Because, I mean, a dude in a dress stands out around here, even at a costume party. You know?”
“I lost a bet.”
“I’m sorry, what?” I blinked, trying not to lean in so I could get a better whiff of him.
“My costume,” he explained. “My sister and I had a bet going. I lost.”
I lifted my eyebrows. “And you wagered over what you’d wear to the Halloween party? Really?”
“Mmm.”
Mmm? What did that mean? Maybe it was his way of saying he’d messed up without actually admitting it. And he had totally messed up with whatever bet he’d made. Because, wow, that was some costume. It would’ve been one thing if he’d wanted to wear it, but since he seemed distressed by it… Yeah. Wow.
