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“Not the most charming, is she,” Joel mutters, his face pinched with distaste.
“What do you mean? She’s a fucking delight,” whispers Preston—too loudly—and then kisses my cheek, hooks his arm around Kendra’s shoulders, and they leave.
Margo offers me her signature two-cheek kiss. “We will look for you,” she whispers and then pulls away to kiss Henry’s cheek. “Walk with me a moment.”
Henry obliges, and Joel trails them out.
Merrick is the last to leave. He towers over me. “You still mad at me?”
“I haven’t decided yet.” But I struggle to hide my smile. It was a good joke on their part.
“Henry made me do it.”
“And do you always do what Henry tells you to do?”
He shrugs. “He can be hard to say no to, as I’m sure you’ve learned.”
I narrow my eyes, searching for meaning hidden within his words.
He laughs at me, and then, with an affectionate squeeze of my biceps, says, “I think you’ll forgive me when you see what I’ve chosen for you.”
I watch his back as he ambles toward the foyer, fist-bumping a returning Henry on the way.
“Okay, Raj will see the caterers out and Victor will be downstairs in fifteen minutes to drive us. Let’s get upstairs and—”
“Did you and Merrick ever hook up?” I interrupt.
He gives the bartender a salute as he leads me toward the stairs. “No.”
“Henry …”
“Why would I lie? You know I’m not ashamed of anything I’ve done.” His lips twist. “But thereisa story.”
I knew it. “What happened—”
“Not now, Abbi. We have the event of the year to get to.” His tone brokers no argument.
CHAPTER11
The long row of high-end SUVs and cars crawls forward, each taking their turn at the curb, releasing their patrons before quickly pulling away. The cloaked figures cut through the shadows and vanish through a long, narrow path draped in the typical red and gold fabric of a circus tent.
Never would I suspect this nondescript warehouse of hosting a super elite, invite-only party, but I guess that’s the whole point of the clandestine operation. “How many people come to one of these events?”
Henry leans back in the seat, relaxed, his thighs spread, as if he’s done this countless times before. “I have no idea. It’s hard to say, based on the layout. Hundreds, certainly.”
“And they’realldressed in costume?”
“They won’t be allowed in otherwise.” He scowls at a gold button on his jacket that he’s concerned isn’t stiff enough.
“It’s fine.”
“It’s floppy.”
“You lookamazing.” When Henry stepped out donning the gold and red jacket, my jaw dropped. It looks custom-tailored to his body and sewn with high-end fabrics.
“Yeah?” He smirks. “You have a thing for ringmasters?”
I lean in and whisper into his ear so Victor doesn’t hear me, “You still owe me for that tease before dinner.”
