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I glare at him. “Youreyes. I’m not going to interrupt the bachelorette party. I’m there strictly for business.”
Yasha shrugs. “Business, pleasure—who can really tell the difference these days?”
I pass by him on my way to the door and shove him in the shoulder. “I can.”
I have to.
63
CORA
“These are ‘your closest friends and family’?” I have to yell to be heard over the blaring music and the massive crowd stuffed into the club.
From the outside, The Coop looked like any other club. A neon marquee, blacked-out windows. There wasn’t a line at the door, which made sense considering the place was supposed to be closed for a private event.Myprivate event.
Now, I see that there wasn’t a line because anyone who would possibly want to be here is already inside. It looks like Anya invited half the city.
She leans in and screams, the words still getting lost in the noise, “Only the people I trust are here. You’re safe. I promise.”
I’m less concerned about being murdered and more concerned about long-term hearing loss.
Music booms through speakers affixed to every corner of the room. I can feel the vibration in my feet. It rattles my bones.
When Anya mentioned the bachelorette party, I imagined sitting around a table with fancy drinks and shiny dresses and conversation. I wanted to catch up with Francia and Jorden in person, maybe get to know Anya a bit better.
But it might be hard to find a table here—considering women are dancing on most of them.
The table closest to us is holding two women in sky-high stilettos and barely-there dresses. They both blow a kiss in Anya’s direction and continue dancing, a gaggle of interested men thronging at their feet. One of the men notices Anya, too. He must not be a friend of Lev’s, because he’s staring at Anya like he wants to eat her.
Jorden shoves through the crowd. The colored lights flash on her pale skin and her teeth turn a vibrant shade of blue when she smiles. “I never would have guessed you’d have a club bachelorette party, Cora. This is amazing!”
“It is?”
She nods enthusiastically. “I’ve been cooped up for way too long. I need to let loose!”
“I’ve been cooped up, too,” Francia shouts. Her lip curls in disgust as she surveys the scene around us. “So coming to ‘The Coop’ is not how I pictured my first outing in a week.”
Francia and Jorden joined us for a pre-party dinner at Anya’s house. It was obvious by the look on both of their faces that they were shocked by the personal chef and the driver Anya sent to pick them both up. Apparently, their temporary lodgings aren’t quite as extravagant as mine.
“I forgot this whole arrangement meant you were living in a mansion.” Jorden elbowed me in the ribs after she arrived. “That’swhy we haven’t heard from you. You’re too busy living the high life.”
“I’ve just been normal busy,” I mumbled.
Busy being fucked up, down, and sideways by my fake husband.But they didn’t need to know that. No matter how well it would sell our little game.
Francia stayed quiet. She stayed quiet most of the night.
Until now.
I reach for her arm, grounding myself in the crush of people. “I’m sorry. This is not what I had in mind. I thought it was going to be…intimate.”
Suddenly, an arm is around my shoulders. I turn around to find Yasha surveying the crowd. His hair looks white in the neon lights. “Get as drunk as you want, Cora. I’m the designated driver tonight.”
“No, you’re not,” Jorden says. “That old guy with the mustache is our driver.”
“Fine. I’m your designated…something that starts with a ‘D.’” He waves it away. “Doesn’t matter. Have fun.”
Jorden’s mouth curls into a flirty smile. “I won’t be able to focus now. I’ll spend all night wondering what the second D could stand for.”
