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“Zero. Tyson hated that I went into business with him, and almost walked over it.”
I frown. “Then why is he trying so hard to open a restaurant in Las Vegas?”
“Seems he’s rather fond of you and your little club. He gets bored easily, and he’s finished with London. Kind of like I am.”
Bellamy sits up. “What do you mean you’re finished with London?”
He winces, and I know this conversation is wearing him out.
“It means I want to make Las Vegas our main home. We can’t avoid London and the family entirely, but my gut says when we’re done untangling this, our parents are going to be right in the middle of it, and they won’t have any more leverage over us.”
Her eyes are wide, and she’s clearly on the verge of tears.
“You mean it? We can live here?”
He lifts a hand and cups her cheek. “Yes, vixen. You’re happiest here, and much like Owen, I live for making you happy. I love you so much, Bellamy. We’re going to figure everything out.”
The jealous twinge I expect at hearing Tobias confess his love for Bellamy isn’t there. Instead, I’m overcome with a sense of contentment.
As Bellamy snuggles closer to Tobias, my phone rings and it’s Tyson.
“Hey, mate. We need to talk about Phineas Draven.”
Chapter thirty-seven
Chapter 36
Bellamy
SandwichedbetweenTobiasandOwen in the back of a limo, I smooth my hands down my floor-length cream-colored evening gown, trying to calm my nerves. My mind is racing as I process the whirlwind of events over the last twenty-four hours that led us here.
I sneak a glance at Tobias to the right of me, looking for signs that he might be in pain. Even though his face is etched with tension, he looks good enough to eat, and I am calmed by his presence.
My gaze turns to Owen, and I can’t help but smile. Having him next to me has always been reassuring, and tonight is no different. And, of course, he looks like pure sin in his tuxedo. I can’t wait to take it off of him later. For the first time, the three of us feel like an unstoppable team. We are attending a fundraiser the mayor is hosting, so we can put Phineas Draven on edge and let him know we aren’t going anywhere.
The dinner Tyson cooked last night was a pre-fundraiser meal for the mayor and her family. Tonight, he’s catering a gala. When we talked to him last night, he helpfully offered us tickets.
I begged Tobias to stay at the club. I was even going to stay with him. But when he put his foot down and refused to stay in bed, I insisted on tagging along. To my surprise, Owen didn’t object.
I have to admit, it’s fun to be all dressed up with the two of them. They even picked out my dress and seemed rather pleased with their choice when I came out of the bedroom.
There is no real plan for the night, other than to let Phineas Draven see us, and gauge his reaction. If it seems worthwhile, we may confront him. We’ve learned a lot in the last day that is going to be crucial in taking him down.
After Tobias’s pain medication was delivered, I fell asleep next to him, while Matteo and Owen questioned Bryce wherever they’ve been holding him. He admitted to working with Phineas for the last five years, but he wasn’t willing to tell them what Phineas is up to. Probably trying to give them a reason to keep him alive. Despite the missing pieces, the information Bryce shared led us to some very interesting revelations about Phineas and his operation.
We pull in outside the lavish hotel event center, conveniently located in one of the hotels Owen oversees security for, and with Tobias’s arm wrapped securely around my waist, we make our way inside, my heels clicking sharply across the marble lobby floor.
My pulse spikes with adrenaline as we approach the grand ballroom where the fundraiser gala is already underway. Tobias gives my hand a gentle, reassuring squeeze.
We enter the ballroom through an arched doorway, and step into a scene I’ve lived so many times. Crystal chandeliers, ornate table decorations, servers expertly winding through the room with trays of champagne and elegant hors d’oeuvres, and a crowd of people eager to be seen spending their money. I grew up on fundraisers like these, and I must say I haven’t missed them. A live string quartet is playing, but they can barely be heard over the dull roar of laughter and conversation happening around us.
It all appears so polished and perfect on the surface. But we know there is evil here tonight, and an undercurrent of tension courses through me as Owen’s sharp gaze sweeps the room. He scans the room several times before finally landing on our target in the sea of guests. Just the sight of Phineas Draven makes my stomach twist into knots.
Owen leans in front of me to whisper something to Tobias, who gives the faintest of nods in reply. Together, they steer me away in the opposite direction, cutting a path through the crowd towards the far side of the ballroom. I resist the urge to glance back over my shoulder, though I can almost feel Phineas watching us from a distance.
When we reach the bar, we each take a glass of champagne and find a high-top table to lean against as we casually observe Draven from across the room. He seems to be charming potential donors, flashing a grin that gives me the creeps every time he approaches someone new. No amount of money in the world would make me comfortable with him. But that’s the thing about power and money. It often makes people willing to associate with the scum of the earth just to maintain it.
After a few minutes, Owen catches Draven’s eye and tilts his head toward a side door. Draven’s smile falters for a split second before he returns his attention to the group he’s speaking with. After a minute, the conversation breaks up, and Draven disappears.
