Page 8 of Empire of Ache & Ruin

“Yes, but you have to promise you will do as I say. No going rogue. We stick to the plan.” I consider my words for a moment. “As soon as we come up with one.”

“Oh, this is so much better, and way more fun, than working at some office job in London. Ew.” She shivers as she pulls her computer onto her lap to get to work on the schematics. “Wait. I’m going to need a kick-ass dress.”

“Get whatever you need.” I smile at her.

“Hell yes.” She jumps to her feet, closes the space between us, and plants a kiss on my cheek.

“And Gardenia.” I stand.

“Yeah?” She looks up at me and her smile fades because she knows what I’m going to ask next. “Find the woman from the bar. I need to know who she is, where she lives, does she have friends, family?” Heat rises into my chest as I picture the faceless man who was in my room earlier tonight.

Who was he to her? A friend? A lover? Her fucking pimp? My blood boils at the thought of the two of them back at her place fucking all night. Her scent rises from my dress shirt and paints a vivid picture of her in mind. I feel her hands on me again, clawing at me, begging me to possess her. And that kiss, the hunger in her eyes, she knew what she was doing. My jaw clenches as I consider all the different ways I’m going to show her what happens when someone steals from me.

I paid for her. That makes her mine.

I glance over to the bedroom at the far end of the suite and the bed she didn’t get to see. A different image of her forms quickly in my head, her golden eyes and shapely breasts. She’s naked just for me. Coming only for me. I won’t stop looking for her until she’s in my bed, like she promised.

“I already tried, remember? I couldn’t find her. Without a face or a name….” She shrugs, looking over to Fisher for support. “It’ll be impossible. I mean, she could be anywhere by now.”

“Just fucking find her.”

CHAPTER3

SHE'S THE KEY

Tristan

“I’ve never been to a party like this.” Gardenia presses her hand to the limousine window to peek at the Senator’s mansion. “Hmm. I thought his place would look bigger. Fifteen bedrooms, eighteen bathrooms, a ballroom, library. Kitchen is downstairs. Two floors down,” she recites from memory.

The top priority tonight is to meet the Senator, get on his list, and steal the pink diamond. Mom would love to see her engagement ring again, the one Dad commissioned just for her back when his diamond business was thriving.

“How do I look?” Gardenia smooths out her red and black brocade dress.

“Beautiful.” I pat her hand.

“I was going for hot.” She rolls her eyes, pointing at her chest where she’s about to pop out of her bustier.

“You look hot,” Jacob chimes in from the driver’s seat and winks at her in the rearview mirror. “Okay, here we go. This is where you make your entrance.” He pulls up to the red carpet. “I’ll stay in the limo. Let me know if you need anything.”

“Get as close as you can to the kitchen. It’s around the back of the parking lot. Then run the program I gave you. And—” Gardenia stops talking when the valet reaches the limo.

“I got it. Don’t worry.” Jacob nods to me.

“Thank you, brother.” I return the gesture and wait for the valet to open our door.

I climb out behind Gardenia’s massive dress. She looks like a real live Cinderella as she steps onto the red carpet. “Omigod,” she mouths to me as we are welcomed by fire-breathing jesters.

Even though my mansion is bigger than this place, the Senator has gone all out with the theme for tonight, a Venetian masquerade ball. Luckily, while the women are dressed in elaborate gowns, the men are only required to wear a tuxedo and a mask.

“Good evening.” A man dressed in a black and gold brocade jester suit and a mask with a long beak smiles politely as he taps on his iPad. “Invitations, please.”

“Of course.” I glance down at Gardenia and reach into the inside pocket of my tuxedo jacket. “Archer and guest,” I say, handing him the two five by seven stock cards.

“Mr. Archer. Welcome.” The valet meets my gaze, then Gardenia’s, and then types on his iPad. “The silent auction starts in five minutes. The displays are in the main gallery as well as the hall upstairs. There’s no access to the downstairs or beyond the upstairs hallway. Enjoy.”

“Thank you.” I place my arm around Gardenia’s waist and usher her through the double doors and past the foyer. “Stop looking so impressed,” I whisper in her ear.

“Are you jealous?” she laughs. “You have to admit. The senator knows how to party.”

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