Page 38 of Ruthless Bonds

We were laughing so loud, the guys at the next table were smiling at us. I sat sandwiched between Dove and Mira in the booth, with Solene and Margot on the other side trying to snap a picture of us.

It was Mira’s birthday, and we were out celebrating at brunch. I’d just given her the gift we’d picked out from the Shiver Box. Actually, the second gift. After those men had kidnapped me and had their dirty hands all over the first toy, I didn’t feel right giving it to her. But after pawning my camera, I had some leftover money and got her something even better.

“The Octopussy,” Mira said with wide eyes. “Jesus, guys, this looks insane.” It was a silicone sex toy in the shape of an octopus. The tentacles had ridges on them that were supposed to be mind-blowing. Or so the clerk had said.

I hadn’t heard from Dylan in almost two weeks. If I didn’t know any better, I would say that Kreos might have done something to him. But Kreos had promised me he wouldn’t harm him, and for some reason, I believed him. As of yesterday, I was still eight hundred dollars short for rent, so I had no choice. Even with the figure modeling I was scheduled to do tonight, it still wouldn’t have been enough.

But that was OK. I would get my camera backwithin a week or two, and everything would be fine.

It had to be.

Solene raised her glass, and we all did the same. “To Mira. The best sister and friend we could ever ask for. Just don’t ever let her cut your hair.”

“Hey, it wasn’t that bad.” Mira chuckled and clinked her drink against ours. Dove typed furiously on her phone and held it up.

“You gave me a damn mullet. I’m still traumatized.”

The table roared with laughter, except Dove, who glared at her with a fake scowl before grinning.

“Who wants another round?” Solene looked over her shoulder at the server.

“No, no. None for me. I have a figure modeling job in an hour, and I can’t show up bloated and drunk or they won’t pay me.” I reached for more chips, then dropped my hand.

“I don’t know how you can sit still for that long.” Margot sipped her drink before digging into the nachos.

“It’s usually just twenty-minute poses, then I take a quick break. Really, the time goes by super-fast.”

And four hundred bucks for three hours? I definitely couldn’t afford to pass that up.

I stayed as long as I could, enjoying the warmth I felt being surrounded by my best friends. This was my crew. My ride-or-die gang. We all had each other’s back. I had no doubt in my mind that if I told them about Kreos, they would help me and Dove get away. Even if it put their lives in danger.

Which was exactly why I hadn’t told them and never would.

“To us.” I held up my glass.

“To the baddest bitches I know.” Solene and Mira howled, while Dove drummed her hands against the table and Margot took another slew of photographs.

Ten minutes later, I was walking down to the art studio. We’d taken the train earlier in the day, since we’d known we’d be drinking. Margot was going back to our apartment with Dove later, so I didn’t have to worry about her being out alone.

After two glasses of wine and three shots too many of whiskey, I just hoped I’d be able to hold all my poses today without falling asleep.

I was in a fairly good mood by the time I got to the art center. It didn’t register that the parking lot was mostly empty until I stepped inside and was met with silence. The familiar scent of turpentine and canvas greeted me, but the usual crowd of students roaming the center did not.

It was eerily silent, and I called out for the art director. “Miss Bradshaw?” My voice echoed down the empty hall, making the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. There was a light coming from the painting room I normally posed in, so I made my way down there.

Had it been cancelled, and she hadn’t told me?

I pushed the door open and stopped at the figure standing in the center of the room.

Kreos.

The sight of him sent a jolt through me. I still didn’t understand his weird outburst the other night. He’d been so angry over what I was wearing. It wasn’t like I would ever believe he was jealous. That would be absurd.

I took a step forward, and he turned to face me.God, why did he have to look so damn beautiful? The way the sun hit his chiseled jaw made him look like a Greek god, like he should be the one being painted, not me.

His suit clung to him, emphasizing his powerful physique. I didn’t miss the Audemars Piguet watch he had on either. He must be insane to walk around New York City with that on; that was easily worth a hundred grand.

A fantasy ran through my mind of me seducing him, then drugging him, stealing his watch and moving with Dove to the Caribbean, but I quickly dismissed the idea. “What are you doing here?”

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