Page 115 of Underground Prince

“Move.” Georgie said, shoving me forward.

I tripped, glared at her, then shuffled my ass into the side room like she wanted.

Theo was here. I’d hoped he’d be, but pretended I wasn’t hoping, unsure of our stance. There was a small fear last night that I’d gone too far, but I’d screwed up more times than I should’ve been allowed to and yet he kept me employed. Because of his feelings for me?

I wished.

I’d noticed Theo didn’t hire many new girls, and preferred to rotate the ones he trusted.

The glasses hit the counter louder than they should have as I whipped them out of the shelf above.

“Problem?” Georgie asked as she filled her own orders.

“Like you care.” I poured the liquor.

“Sax does that, you know,” she said, languidly reaching for the whiskey. “Changes the air. Sends women—even the illustrious Rada Khalaji—into the type of girl she hates. Moon-eyed and gushy.” She said closer to my ear, “You should see what he does to ladies once he’s had them in bed. I’m not ashamed to say I go moon-eyed, too. Especially when he finds me with his tongue.”

I knocked a glass to the floor, shards scattering across our shoes, and Georgie danced away, all too smug that she’d caused a mental slip. But I wasn’t paying attention as I crouched down and cleaned up the mess with a cloth.

Khalaji.

I was back in the dark alley behind the Drop Down, Trace moving in and out of the paltry light, barking orders, saying, Khalaji will kill you for losing that and my father will feast on your soul, tin canisters spilling, rolling toward my feet.

Damn that Theo. He was making a point, putting me in this house.

I shoved the dishcloth filled with broken glass in the trash and washed my hands, ready to face Theo and uncaring that I might have to disrupt the game to do it.

“Where do you think you’re going?” Georgie asked, standing beside the drinks I’d left on the counter.

I rounded the counter, violently splashed a new double rum and coke, and pushed through the door carrying three drinks, Georgie muttering, “Take a pill,” behind me.

I found Theo, no longer with Rada but with hands on either shoulder of two men he was talking to while they sat, over at Georgie’s table. I dropped off the drinks and wasted no time closing in on him, but was halted by a warm touch to my arm.

“Georgie, for the—” I started to say, but paused mid-extraction, my arm hovering somewhere between my side and Rada’s fingers. “Oh.”

Rada smiled. “I was wondering if you had a moment.”

I glanced between her and Theo. “Well, actually…”

“It won’t be long, I promise. Come this way.” With a gentle sway of her hand, Rada led me to the double doors, passing Theo. “Georgina will do fine without you for a few moments.”

I followed, unable to remove myself from the situation without being rude, and I didn’t want to screw myself out of tips from the House, and this was clearly Rada’s home. We went up a spiral staircase outfitted with ruby carpeting, past a balcony overlooking the foyer below, and by then I understood that this was not a mere brownstone. At least two had been combined to make one significant mansion, the type of home with a particular affection for wall sconces.

A presence came up beside me, and I glanced up, then glanced again. “Theo?”

His gaze was on Rada leading the way, but his hand settled between my shoulder blades.

“What’s going on?” I asked.

“You’re accompanying me to a meeting,” he said. A glass of golden brown liquid was in his other hand. His profile was in stark contrast to the pretty, painted things around us, his bruise looking more mottled and fresh now that it was up close.

“Where did you get that?” I asked.

He didn’t reply but kept up our pace, his one step taking two of mine.

“When am I going to stop being a friendly ghost and become a real person beside you?” I said.

His cheek creased with a frown, but that must’ve pained him, because he winced.

---