Page 30 of Contention

“Bull.”

“I’m serious!”

“Sure, you are. Have you thought about how we are getting in? It’s not open to the general public.”

Bianca gets a gleam in her eyes. “Who did you say the owner was?”

Kara pales. “No. No way, B.”

They enter the shiny building, their heels clicking on the marble floors. Suddenly, Kara is glad that they aren’t in trashy clubby clothes. Instantly, she knows they would have likely been denied access. The elevators all require access from the security guards, hovering at the front desk.

The guards stare patiently at Kara and Bianca, gesturing for them to come forward. Tempering their anxieties, they both approach, Kara feeling the shakes coming on. They are going to get in trouble for this.

“What floor?” The burly guard says it, leaning forward slightly to try and look down Kara’s unbuttoned blouse.

Bianca leans on the counter, using her arms to push up her cleavage in her silk button-down. As if telling a secret, she whispers, “Floor forty.”

His eyes go hard, serious. “Do you have the passcode? Membership ID?”

Here, Bianca flounders, sensing the man isn’t interested in allowing her up in exchange for flirting. “Ah…well, you see, the thing is…” she turns her head to look at Kara, looking for help.

Ha. Poor Bianca. Discovering flirtation isn’t actually the answer for everything.

Thinking through what she knows about the club from court notes, Kara says, “This is our first time. A trial. On…recommendation! We’re…friends…of Paxton Brooker. Call on up. He’ll tell you.”

Even though he most definitely is not here.

With a stern look, the burly guard dials up, waiting and waiting for someone to pick up. “Yes. Hello Sir. I have two young women down here at the front desk, looking to come up to forty. Uhuh. Yes. Young.” He looks at their breasts again. “Very nice-”

Bianca gives Kara a sideways look in disbelief, hiding the look behind her hand. Is he discussing their attractiveness?!

“They say they are friends of Mr. Brooker. I guess he selected them for a trial run. On recommendation. Yep. Yep.”

He pauses and just as it looks like he’s about to give them a pass up, he looks up from their chests and asks, “Who recommended you to Mr. Brooker?”

“Pardon me?” Kara mentally cringes; not a phrase she would ever normally say. Sparring with that uppity ponce Calais is rubbing off on her.

“The member who recommended you. Who was it?” The guard looks unamused, the phone at his ear, waiting. Suspicious. Seeing through their ruse.

This would make or break them. Bianca sighs, because she certainly has no clue. Defeat almost crosses Bianca’s face, yet Kara feels like laughing.

Oh. It’s a risky guess. But Kara remembers it clear as day; Judge Canry saying that Paxton Brooker, owner ofDark Mirage, is close friends with-

“Calais.” Kara says it like she’s won a prize. “Nicholas Havenwood-Calais recommended us.”

The guard repeats the name to the person on the phone and after a moment, nods. He sets down the phone. Bianca is looking at Kara with questions in her eyes.

The guard hands them two black masks, meant to go over their eyes and leave their lips on display. A moderate, tasteful disguise. He gestures to the elevators, the turnstiles unlocking for them.

“Go on up, ladies. Good luck on your trial.”

Suddenly, it sounds far more ominous and Kara deeply regrets using her knowledge to gain access to this nefarious club.

With quick steps, they go to the elevator hall past the turnstiles. Bianca looks down at the mask and stares at Kara in shock. They enter the elevator, the number forty already selected for them. The doors ding and close.

“How did you know that name would work?”

Kara smiles and shrugs bitterly. “Just a guess.”

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