Page 77 of The Devil's Hunt

"Well, he is a career politician," Kai sneered. "And a lowlife piece of shit."

"He'll get his," Theo added.

"All in due time," I finished, making eye contact with Winston Grey. I raised my glass to him, faking a smile.

He didn't try to hide his disdain for me with Mila not around to catch him. She would see right through him soon enough, in her own time.

And I couldn't wait to kill that bastard when she did.

30

THIRTY

MILA

Navigating through the swarm of partygoers proved to be a Herculean task, their drunken limbs and slurred words threatening to topple my already unsteady balance. The champagne had gone straight to my head, mixing with the lingering high from the multiple orgasms Archer had given me. At this point, I didn't fucking care. I was consumed by anger at my father for his lies. I was so angry, I could scream. Even if I confronted him right now, he was not a man to take accountability forhisindiscretions. Oh no, he would deny and deflect just like he always did. He couldn't fit the bill of a politician more if he tried.

My bladder felt like it was about to burst as I finally made it into a stall, dodging girls taking selfies, and others violently vomiting into porcelain bowls. The stench of alcohol and vomit filled the air, but I didn't have time to be repulsed. I struggled to hold my dress up while tugging down my underwear while simultaneously trying not to drop the vibrator into the toilet. After what seemed like an eternity, my bladder was empty, the vibrator had resumed its place on myverysensitive and swollen clit, and I was at the sink washing my hands. I glanced at my reflection in the mirror, smoothing out my makeup and reapplying my lipstick.

I looked good as new.

The power of my anger seemed to have vanished, replaced by a strange sense of calm. The partygoers’ voices and laughter echoed in my ears, but I felt detached from it all. There was a sudden clarity in my mind—I knew what I needed to do. Leaving the bathroom, I returned to the whirlwind of noise and people. I made a quick pit stop at the bar to quench my thirst, giving myself a chance to settle my nerves.

The bartender was a petite brunette with glitter eyeliner that shimmered and danced with every blink. Her hair was styled in pigtails. The ends were curled into tight ringlets that bounced as she moved. She wore a tiny leopard print leotard that left little to the imagination, complete with cat ears and a painted-on nose.

"What'll it be?" she asked, eyeing me curiously from behind the bar.

"A whiskey sour, please. Extra whiskey," I responded.

She nodded and began mixing my drink, her movements smooth and practiced. The clinking of ice cubes against the glass had me mesmerized in my intoxicated state.

A sudden voice at my side startled me. "Fancy seeing you here, Mila."

I turned to see a face I recognized. One that I hoped I wouldn't see again.

Blue eyes.

Dark hair.

Fucking Alexander Benson.

"Pretty brave of you to be here," I scoffed, tapping my fingers against the bar impatiently and turning my head toward the bartender, hoping to deter him from speaking to me.

"I was invited."

"Yeah, somehow I doubt this is really your crowd."

"Don't believe me? Why not ask Daddy?"

"Oh, is that so?" I challenged, trying to maintain my confident demeanor despite the unease that bubbled in my stomach.

I searched his face for any sign that he was lying to me. Hisexpression remained calm and unreadable, but there was a hint of satisfaction in his smirk, like he knew something I didn't. And one thing I've learned in my life is when someone is holding all the cards, the best you can do is call their bluff and redirect their attention to something else.

"I would suggest you go and scurry back onto the coattails you're riding before Archer catches you speaking to me."

"Your boyfriend won't do shit here."

"Interesting that you assume he won't. Didn't you make that mistake before?" I leaned closer to him, feeling a burst of reckless courage surge through me. With a deft movement, I plucked the cherry from his drink and popped it into my mouth, flicking the stem back toward him with a devilish grin. "What was it you said to me? Something about taking me from Archer? Tell me, Alexander, how is that working out for you?"

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