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I’m standing in the corner when I see Joel push aside the woman he was grinding against and move into the entryway. I take my drink and follow after him.
I don’t see him immediately when I walk into the entrance hall, but then I hear a muffled voice coming from a closet to my left. I press my ear against the door.
“And that number is firm?” Joel asks, humming to himself. “Good. I can work for that. They are paying up-front, right? Even better. Yeah, I’m at the auction now. I have my eye on a damn fine prize, and she might cost me a pretty penny.”
It sounds like he is on the phone, but cell phones are supposed to be off-limits inside. Clearly, like so many other things, Joel found his way around the rules.
He wraps up the call quickly, and when he opens the door, I’m standing just outside with my arms crossed over my chest.
His eyes go wide, and then he visibly relaxes, his shoulders easing back. “I guess I’ve been caught,” he says wryly.
“You are breaking the rules,” I say. “I could have you thrown out for that.”
His lips twist to one side. “Are you going to?”
I shrug. “That depends.”
He sighs. “I suppose you want Number Seven all to yourself?”
My instinct tells me to say yes. Ensuring Eve is mine no matter what would save me so much heartache, but if things go well with this conversation, I can both ensure that and save Milaya.
“I do, but that isn’t what I’m asking for,” I say honestly. “I need a favor.”
Joel shifts his weight to his good leg and tilts his head to the side, studying me. “Why would I do a favor for you?”
I take a deep breath and then reach up and pull down my mask. Not all the way off. I twist it to the side so he can see my face while still blocking myself from view of everyone else in the lounge behind us.
Joel’s eyes widen in surprise and he takes a step back before recognition flickers in his eyes. “Luka Volkov.”
I slip the mask back on and nod towards the door. “Care to have a smoke outside?”
Whether Joel will help me or not, I don’t know. But he is interested enough to follow me outside.
* * *
“Do you know who I am?” Joel asks after he lights a cigarette.
I blow smoke and nod. “I do.”
“What gave it away?”
I gesture to the snakeskin suit he is wearing today. “Your clothes certainly helped.”
He curses under his breath. “I had them sent ahead so the Cartel could make sure I wasn’t hiding anything. I don’t wear another man’s suits.”
“Plus, your limp and your obvious wealth.” I shrug. “It wasn’t hard to follow the clues.”
He nods. “I suppose I should have hidden my tracks better. After all, that is what I do for a living. We all leave trails here and there, don’t we? Little things we think don’t matter—a harmless picture, a childhood pet’s name in a tweet. It’s all there, if you know how to look.”
I shake my head. “And you’re the man to find it, it seems.”
“Indeed. Anyway,” he sucks on the cigarette and blows out a thin stream of smoke. “What is this about? What do you need from me?”
I hate laying myself out on the line like this. I hate that I have to make myself and Eve vulnerable to this man when I don’t know if I can trust him yet, but there is no other option.
Not when Rian is inside, and I have no clue when she’ll leave and see us out here talking.
Not when Milaya is out in the world, alone and without her parents.
