Page 38 of Victorious Vice

Elmo chuckles darkly. “She probably didn’t even entertain the idea that you might turn her down. I mean, look at her.”

“She’s not eighteen yet, Elmo. She’s a child.”

“Oh? I would have put her at twenty-one or twenty-two. Either way, age of consent here is only fourteen.”

Christ, does everyone check the rules to see if they can fuck a teenager before heading to a foreign country? My opinion of Elmo slides down another few notches.

“My information said she was eleven. Can you believe that?”

“Hmm,” he says, “I see what you mean. Something else is going on.”

“Yes. She spoke freely about offering herself to me. I’m pretty sure the whole place is bugged.”

“It is.” Elmo says. “I’ve been subtly casing things. Every room is bugged with video and audio.”

I nod. “That’s no less than I expected.”

I look around, and a moment later, Daniela is outside, joining us. She’s still beautiful, but she looks a little deflated compared to before. There’s an uneasiness in her eyes, and I catch the slightest trembling in her lower lip.

“Great,” I mutter to Elmo. “Here she comes.”

My bodyguard looks at her. “Sheisa beauty.”

“Unfortunately, I’m only interested in one beauty. And it’s not her.”

Elmo subtly nods. Then he turns to her. “Is there something you need, Señorita Agudelo?”

“Yes,” she says. “I need to speak to Señor Gallo. In private.”

13

RAVEN

Idon’t reply to my brother. What is there to say?

He’s most likely right.

“Everything that you need is here,” Falcon continues. “Plenty of food. Like I told you, I brought in a couple weeks’ worth of fresh food. If you’re here for longer than that, you can get into the nonperishable items.”

I let out a huff of air. “And like I toldyou, I’m not going to be gone any longer than that. Iwillbe at that gala.”

He doesn’t reply.

“That’s nonnegotiable,” I say. “Jared can be there. Plus you and Leif.… Figure it all out. Figure out how to get me safely to that gala, because I will be going. If you’re not here to take me, someone else will be.”

Falcon lifts his eyebrows at me.

“What about our father? How do you thinkhe’llfeel that you’ve got his daughter imprisoned here?”

“He’s all for it, of course,” Falcon says. “Nothing is more important to Dad than your safety. All of his children’s safety.”

“Does he know I’m here?”

“If he asks, which he probably won’t, I will tell him that you’re safe.”

I bite my lip. “Oh my God. Dad doesn’t know about this place?”

“Only Hawk and I know about this place. And Leif. And of course Savannah and Vinnie. And now you and Jared.”

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