Page 97 of Gathered Sparkle

“Impressive,” Annabelle murmurs, her eyes darting between Sylus and the control panel.

Sylus smirks, leaning back against the wall. “Stick around, Blondie. You might learn a thing or two.”

I roll my eyes, but a small smile tugs at my lips as I glance at Ace. He’s still holding my hand, his grip steady, and I see the faintest trace of a smile on his lips too.

The elevator dings, and the doors slide open to reveal the rooftop bar. The view is breathtaking—glittering skyscrapers, the endless sprawl of the city, and the faint haze of the desert in the distance. But I barely notice it, my focus on Ace as he steps out beside me, his hand still in mine, though his posture is tense again as soon as the chatter and music from the bar hits us.

There are white lounge chairs and tables scattered across the terrace. A glass cage sits prominently at the far end of the rooftop, housing the Lamborghini Huracán that Belmont owns purely to show off. My stomach tightens as I glance at it,imagining Koen driving it off this very roof. The thought alone is enough to make my pulse skip.

Sylus steps ahead of us, his eyes scanning the place. “There’s only one camera up here,” he says, pointing toward the exit of the elevator. “Angled at the door, so if we drape something over it, they won’t track. This is a sunroof bar, open during the day for the view, but at night, it’s closed.”

“Okay, all this talk is getting suspicious,” Annabelle mutters. “I’m going to pretend I didn’t hear all the crimes you’re describing.”

I snort and study the setup. “And how does Ace get up here when the bar’s closed?”

“The plan was to hack in, but thanks to you snagging Belmont’s hotel card, we can do that a lot easier,” Sylus replies with a grin. “It’s universal access. I made a few copies before Ezra had one of his cops return it to Belmont. We made sure it looked untouched. No recorded access, no changes. So, yeah, I’m sure Belmont hasn’t updated the system. Would be a nightmare for him if he did.”

“A lot of guesses you’re making,” I remark, raising an eyebrow. “And what about the employees in the lobby and everywhere? What if they notice that somebody goes up here when it should be closed?”

“They will all be way too distracted by what’s going on outside. Another perk to doing it out in the open on the street.”

“I hope you’re fucking right.”

Sylus chuckles as we make our way to a table at the far end of the bar, close to the Lamborghini. The car gleams inside its glass cage, reflecting the sunlight like a jewel.

We settle at the table, and a server approaches almost immediately. Annabelle orders something sweet, and I follow suit, asking for a caramel macchiato. Ace and Sylus glanceat each other before mirroring our choices, though their amusement is clear.

I laugh softly. “Good thing Nicholas isn’t here. He’d probably scoff at all the sugar.”

Sylus snorts. “It’s always good when the dickhead isn’t around.”

Ace chuckles, and some of the tension melts away. But Annabelle turns to me with a curious look. “Who the fuck is Nicholas? Nova, girl, I have no idea what kind of people you’re hanging out with lately.”

I hesitate for a moment, but there’s no hiding it now. Since I want her to help us out, she has a right to know. “Nicholas Harrington.”

“I’m sorry, what?” Annabelle’s eyes widen. “Harrington as inHarrington Heights?VeronicaHarrington?”

“Yep,” I say, popping theP.“The son.”

She lets out a low whistle, leaning back in her chair. “Wow. And what about the Lane brothers? Last time I saw you, you were with Koen.”

“Your bestie is with all of us,” Sylus announces casually, a mischievous grin tugging at his lips. “She’s with me, Alaric, Koen, and… yeah,Harringtonhangs around too.”

Annabelle freezes, her wide eyes darting to me. I brace myself, ready for the judgment, the questioning, the awkwardness. Instead, she squeals, drawing a few glances from nearby tables before I hush her with a panicked look.

“Geez, girl,” I whisper. “People are staring.”

She clamps a hand over her mouth, but her excitement is undeterred. “Like, for real? Like,with them,with them? Together? With all of them? Or are you… you know, fucking them?” Her gaze flicks to Sylus and Alaric, then she throws me a teasing smirk and adds, “Not that I could blame you.”

My cheeks burn as I glance at the guys, but Sylus laughs, clearly unbothered. Ace’s lips twitch, almost forming a smile.

“It’s complicated,” I mumble, trying to downplay it.

“Girl, don’t even try toit’s complicatedme. You’re living the dream. Thefantasy. Told you manifesting works. What do we say?We don’t chase, we attract.”

“Oh, I chased the fuck out of her,” Sylus interjects, leaning back in his chair with a smirk. “She punched a guy in the face, took me home, kicked me out, then vanished into thin air, and I spentdaystrying to track her down.”

That little gossip.

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