Page 126 of Inside the Wicked

“I promise.”

He gives a labored breath of relief.

“You have until the end of the night,” Alistair says, and he turns to leave as the line between Liam and me is cut off.

The phone lowers in my hand, but I don’t feel tethered to gravity anymore. “What do we do?” I say vacantly, staring after the ghost of the most wicked man to exist.

“We’re going to go to that fucking party,” Rhett says.

“Killing Jacob was only an option because we had Silas to take his reins before his network came for blood for the death of their leader,” I argue.

“I don’t care anymore. This ends tonight if we have to burn the city to take those bastards down and get to Allie.”

“And Liam,” I say.

Rhett gives a tight nod.

“What are we doing, boss?” Rix asks.

He’s more lethal and focused than I’ve ever seen him before. The rest of the members of Xoid look to him with fear and determination to do whatever he asks.

Rhett checks his all-black watch. “We have an opening to get to.” He turns to me with a storm of conflict. “I want you to go back to the Den until all this is over so badly, but I need you. Jacob is expecting you for this ruse, but you have to promise me you’ll do as I say when I say it.”

I know I can’t promise that. I think he knows it too, as his eyes close for a pause, containing his will to shout at me, fight me, perhaps try to push me into the hands of one of his guys to keep me from going with him.

I grip the edges of his tux, tugging him. “It’s you and me. Don’t go back on that when things get frightening. We’re all fragile under the right impact—you told me that. The right impact is you leaving me behind.”

Rhett wants to disagree. He wants to push me away. But in the end, I’m glad he defies the terror that he’ll lose me just like he did Sarah. When he kisses me fiercely, I believe we can take on the world together.

“You and me, baby.”

CHAPTER 44

Anastasia

We walk hand in hand over the red carpet toward Jacob’s venue. Rix and Adam follow behind us. I spent the journey reeling in my composure, and Rhett barely lets go of my hand, knowing I’m itching with anxiety and what that does to me.

I have to keep it together. My senses have sharpened, and I’m ready, confident even, to see this through to the other side.

“There’s my darling,” Jacob gushes upon seeing me. He hardly pays Rhett any attention, and when he reaches for me I reluctantly let Rhett go. His hands take mine as he looks me over. “Absolutely exquisite.”

I allow him to hook my hand through his arm and lead me inside. Everything in me wants to look back, but if there’s one thing I can contribute more than anyone, it’s putting on a show to blend in with this hall of rich, pretentious assholes.

From the bridal-white he dressed me in to the claim he made of me without acknowledging Rhett, compliance to Jacob tonight only consists of allowing him to bask is his subtle, delusional methods of possession.

“How is my ruby diamond?” he purrs in my ear as we walk.

“Bored already. I do hope you have more to show me here than another fancy room containing too much arrogance to breathe.”

Jacob shifts a cocky smile down to me. “I understand you’re no stranger to a grand party. Trust I plan to make it worth your while.”

I accept a champagne flute, sipping lightly while I scan the room he leads me inside. Dark cigar smoke mingles with lighter cigarette clouds in the low light. It’s more like a reception space, with many deep burgundy Chesterfield sofas, long and singular, creating social groups. I try to find any women, but to my growing unease, I don’t find any. All the men are in tuxes, drinking and smoking. Some cast me looks of intrigue, but their stares hardly linger. It’s like they know a gaze over my body could spell their end.

“A nice venue,” I comment.

“Not very complimentary to the place I designed wholly with you as my muse.”

I start to take in more detail to figure out what he means by that. Perhaps it was the red carpet outside that matches the drapes over a low stage. Focusing on that color, I start to see it more. The napkins at the bar, the straws, the ties the bartenders wear, the rugs, the red-and-gold filigree detailing that climbs the pillars in the room. Then I see the violinists in the corner setting up to start.

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