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“Are you ready?” He muttered under his breath.
“I’m ready.” I whispered back.
Valentino turned around. “Let them in.”
With a quick bow, the man sped away signaling for the doors to be open. Each side door opened, and armed guards took their place at the exits that led into the hotel. They would only be opened in the event of an emergency.
Taking my hand in his, he brought it to his lips again. “Tonight, you are Isla.”
Isla. I repeated it in my head. “I like it.”
As the several hundred guests poured in, Tanya and William found their way over to us. Tanya threw her arms around my neck. William leaned in for a quick side hug as he was already in a conversation with Valentino.
“Too bad you can’t drink tonight.” She giggled.
“I don’t mind.” I shrugged. “Besides, I think this is an occasion I want to make sure I stay sober for.”
Noah popped up behind us, poking his head between us. “Excuse me ladies.”
“Yes?” I grinned.
“Can I speak to you alone for a moment?”
“Sure.” I glanced at Tanya. “I’ll be right back.”
She smiled in return and put herself next to William, wrapping her arm around his waist. I gave Valentino a quick glimpse as I followed Noah to the other side of the room to a dark corner. He leaned on the wall, crossing his arms over his chest.
“Everything okay?”
“Yes, I just needed to borrow you to pretend to be talking to someone.”
“Who are you spying on?”
He eyes tracked someone off in the distance behind me as they moved across the room. “I’m watching signals from the other guys. They’re blending in checking on everyone now that the room is full.”
“Okay because I want to make sure we’re safe tonight.”
He snorted. “I assure you, no one can get past any of us. We’re running like a well-oiled machine.”
“Thank you for everything.”
“It’s my job, but you’re also my fam so you know I got you.”
“How’s things with Laura?”
“Great.” He furrowed his brow. “But I hate to cut you off. I’m needed somewhere.”
I giggled. “Alright, have a good time.”
“You too.” He called back over his shoulder as he sped toward Joseph.
I sashayed back to Valentino’s side. A few of his friends had joined him and William. I was not introduced to anyone new as it was supposed to be a mostly private event. If I did not meet the men or women, it meant they did not want to chance their identities being leaked, even if only a mask covered most of their faces from the nose up. Those who wanted to remain extra private, wore full extravagant face coverings. They were usually the ones who cheated on their spouses or were royalty.
Either way, it was never my place to judge what others did. Valentino made it clear he did not want to know what people did in their personal lives. It was between their significant other and them. He was not checking marriage licenses at the door so whatever they did or did not do was not blood on his hands.
He only mingled with his closest friends, never drifting far from them. Not even to dance with me at the moment. Dancers were hired to perform but others joined in on the dance floor, twirling around in their own worlds. Wait staff waltzed around in masquerade attire serving drinks and appetizers. A gentleman stopped by, bowing his head extra dramatically with a smile as he presented me a gold tray. He wore a black and white jester style mask with a black, eery smile.
Politely, I took one of the crackers topped with, what appeared to be, cream cheese, cucumber and a small prawn perched on top. Normally, I would not have eaten, but I was suddenly starving, and I was not going to argue with the baby tonight.
