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9
Mercy
Axel’slast words had barely faded from the air when Wylder strode back into the kitchen. He glanced from me to Axel and frowned. “Having a little chat?”
“She’s smarter than she looks,” Axel said, nodding at me. I groaned internally. Obviously he was happy that I seemed to agree with his theories about Wylder and Kaige, but why the hell did he have to say that?
Now that he’d dropped that little bomb, Axel ambled out. I hoped at the next party he stepped in vomitandsat on someone’s chair turd.
“I see you’ve made friends,” Wylder said dryly.
I folded my arms in front of my chest. “So, what, I can’t talk to people?”
“Talk to my men as much as you like. Axel is an idiot. But I’m guessing you could tell that. What were you hoping to get out of him, Kitty Cat?”
I swallowed hard. Wylder definitely wasn’t an idiot, no matter how big a prick he was. Or how big his prick probably was.
Focus, Mercy.
I couldn’t tell him that I was asking questions about Kaige and how he was involved in this Titus guy’s death. That was obviously a sore spot for him. I groped for the most obvious answer. “I was just asking him about your father. I haven’t gotten to meet the old man yet, after all.”
“He’s out of town on business,” Wylder said coolly. At the mention of his father, his eyes turned frosty. Okay, another sore spot. Clearly we had plenty of awful parents to go around between the two of us. No big surprise. If there was a Venn diagram of qualities that made for great gang leaders and fantastic fathers, the circles would barely overlap.
“Where did he go?” I asked.
“What’s it to you?”
“I don’t know. I figure if I’m asking for the Nobles’ help, I should probably loop in the man in charge at some point.”
Wylder snorted. “Trust me, you don’t want to be anywhere near Ezra Noble.IfI decide your cause is worthy, I’ll handle that side of things. Forget about that for now. I have something for you.”
I studied him suspiciously. “Does this have something to do with whatever new job you dreamed up for me?”
“So quick to catch on.” Wylder stalked up to me like a tiger on the prowl, stopping just a little too close for my nerves—or my hormones—to stay quiet. “You’re tired of cleaning duty, aren’t you? Ready for some real action? Well, you’re getting your wish. There’s an important meeting in a couple of hours. I’ll have a dress sent to your room. Wear it and be ready.”
I scowled. Was he about to dress me up and parade me in front of people? “I’m not going to a party as your escort.”
A laugh spilled out of him. “Trust me, Princess, that’s not what I had in mind.” With that he whirled around and left, leaving me seething. What was he up to this time?
I went back to the guest room and paced the length of it. Before long, somebody was knocking at my door. I threw it open to reveal the same woman who’d brought me the tee and sweats the first night. Today she had a sequined dress in her hands. Even without seeing it unfolded, I could tell it was absolutely hideous.
“Mr. Noble says to wear this,” she said and thrust it and a cosmetics bag at me. Before I could ask any questions, she scurried away.
When I opened the bag, lipsticks, glitter, and mascara fell out of it. Despite Wylder’s sarcastic assurance, this stuff definitely had an escort vibe. Holding up the dress to my frame, I shuddered. The thin strips of fabric would cover my nipples and crotch and not a whole lot else.
But he wanted me to say no. This was yet another test. I wasn’t here to cater to my dignity, but to avenge all those bodies bleeding out on the restaurant floor.
I discarded my casual clothes, slipping my childhood bracelet and the flyer with Rowan’s sketch out of the pants pocket. After a moment’s hesitation, I tucked them both into the make-up bag, which was the closest thing I had to a purse. I didn’t want to leave the bracelet out of my reach again, and the doodle, well… Call it silly, but there was something vaguely comforting about the idea that I hadn’t beentotallywrong about the guy I’d thought I’d been so close to.
Standing in front of the full-length mirror, I shimmied into the dress. When the silver of it caught the light, it gave a glow to my otherwise pale skin. Unfortunately, way too much of that skin for my liking was on display.
Might as well make the best of it. Aunt Renee had given me lessons in make-up until I’d been able to pull off the kind of look that could stop a man in his tracks, if that was what I was going for. These might not have been the exact cosmetic items I’d have picked, but I could work with them.
When I was done, I stepped back to inspect myself in the mirror again. With the deep red lipstick and my hair falling in loose waves across my shoulders, I could have given a lesser goddess a run for her money, if I did say so myself. Even the bandage around my upper arm looked almost like part of the costume. It was a fierce, avenging warrior goddess they’d get.
I smirked to myself. Wylder’s intention of humiliating me was going to backfire on him big time.
Just then, the door burst open and Kaige strode in.
