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“Madds has a point. We’ll attract attention if we start running around town now.” I stop him, watching the wheels spinning in his head as his gaze goes from confusion to understanding.
“It should be you.” Madds nods toward me. “If Boseman thinks you’re with her, it won’t look unnatural. Go, bring her here. Take an unusual route, and make sure you’re not followed.”
“Okay.” I turn on my heels and rush back into the direction of the office, but her voice suddenly makes me halt.
“Who’s Ekaterina…?” The bar goes silent, still. I look over my shoulder, catching the forest green that looks back at me, strands of red caught on her freckled cheek. “And… Boseman?”
I inhale one deep breath, then continue on my way. I grab my car keys from the office and run to the back entrance.
“Maddox, stay with her!” I yell from the end of the corridor, then push through the door.
The sunset burns in shades of lavender, the humidity high in the air, and I inhale the warmth that lingers.
She came to warn us… even when she didn’t know what against.
* * *
MORRIGAN
If I wasn’t already cluedin that they own this place, by the rumors and the fact that they’re in here while it’s closed, the scents of bergamot and cedar, lavender and… something else, something decadent, would definitely clue me in. This whole place smells likehim.
It maintains an intimacy fitting for a living room. Everything in here is made out of stained wood and vintage leather, from the mismatched chairs, sofas and armchairs, to the coffee and dining tables. Even the low ceilings are split by rough wood beams. But the vintage style bar with the overly thick marble top and brass pump handles ties everything together, wrapping it in an old-world decadence.
The one I know as Carter leans in, placing a glass of something in front of me on the coffee table, only my stern gaze is fixed on him. I may be coming from a point of assertion of my strength, but I’m also enthralled by the man. Everything about the way he looks and moves belongs perfectly in this space. Almost as if it’s his world, and his world alone.
“Espresso Martini, with a kick. It will calm your nerves.” He speaks in a monotone, gravelly voice.
“My nerves are fine, thank you.” I hold his strange gaze, a deeply saturated blue seeping into hazel, shadowed by thick long lashes, and he holds mine. It’s a fight for power here, only I can’t read the man. He’s still, in an eerie kind of way. Different from The Serpent. Almost as if emotions are useless in his world…Almost.
“If you say so.” Just like this bar, the man has an old-world look about him, with his square, chiseled features, wearing suit trousers, a white textured shirt, and waistcoat. He nods, a slight quirk in his full lips, and I follow it up over the defined hollows of his cheeks, and strong, high cheekbones, to his effortlessly neat undercut, the longer hair on the top of his head slicked back. It’s those hollowed, high cheekbones that give me a dejá vu feeling, though.
Carter takes a seat on the sofa, next to a gorgeous specimen of a man—Finn Hennessey. Every girl I knew in school had a crush on him. Hell, every teacher too. He probably fucked half of them as well.
“You came to tell us… I’m surprised,” he states, one eyebrow cocked above his beautiful blue eyes, his lips straight.
“Was I supposed to keep the information to myself?” I take a sip of the dark drink, humming in approval as sweet and bitter mix in a delicious way on my tongue. “Damn…”
“You’re welcome.” Carter watches me, a smirk shining only in his eyes.
“You owe us nothing.” Finn ignores him. He’s blunt, giving me the impression that he wears his heart on his sleeve. I certainly don’t think he bothers hiding what he thinks or feels. I doubt there’s any filter between emotions and speech. Nothing like the other three.
“Jesus…” I can’t help but sigh and roll my eyes. “You’ve been cooked up in this world of secrets, sins, and chaos, for long enough that you don’t seem to recognize human decency anymore, do you? I’m sure The Serpent told you by now about our little deal. You think I can sit around and watch your world burn to the ground?”
Silence falls upon the room, the only sound is that of drinks being sipped.
“I recognize it just fine, but human decency does not exist in our world.” He pauses, letting out a deep sigh. “Thank you.”
Well, fuck.
“Who is she?” I ask once more, and I get the same response where all they do is exchange looks. “Okay, who is Boseman?” Once again… nothing. “Oh, for fuck’s sake, come on!” I rasp as I rise and look between the three men. “She’s one ofthe girls, isn’t she?”
There’s yet another round of exchanged looks, and considering their expressions, I wonder if The Serpent told them I know of the escort service.
“You think you’re the only ones holding your secrets in your world, but…” Suddenly it hits me like a ton of bricks, and I fall back into the armchair, eyes wide, mouth open, the previous thought gone.
“Morrigan?” Maddox’s heavy footsteps move toward me. “What is it?”
“I was wrong…”
