Page 209 of Enemies

“Fortunately, I’ll never have to.”

Annie lifts a brow. “Anyway, Harrison’s back and you guys have made up.”

“Not quite.”

“I thought he kissed you,” Beck interjects. “Then things escalated from PG and you faded to black for our benefit.”

“Please don’t fade to black,” Annie begs.

I roll my eyes. “There might’ve been some mature situations. In the bathroom,” I go on when Annie makes a “give me more” motion with her hands. “Except things are complicated.”

Annie’s smile broadens. “Tyler and I did complicated. Your damage can’t be any worse.”

“He’s trying to bring down Mischa Ivanov, this business rival of his. The one who burned down his building. The problem is, I’m also trying to play Ivanov’s prize club.”

Beck whistles, and Annie’s jaw drops. “Rae, I agree with Harrison on this one.”

“But La Mer is everything I’ve dreamed of playing.”

“You could have fun playing other gigs, couldn’t you?” Annie asks.

“I don’t know. It hasn’t been fun lately,” I hear myself say without thinking. “The last six months, it’s felt more like phoning it in. Which is a fucking awful thing to say, but I wonder if I’ve done everything there is to do. Except La Mer.”

“So, once you play it, you can check it off your bucket list and take cover?”

Except when Annie says it, it doesn’t feel right.

I shake my head. “I don’t believe in revenge, but I agree this guy needs to be off the streets. Ibiza would be better off, his patrons would be better off, the music industry too. I’m playing other clubs. I get up in other peoples’ businesses in a way Harrison can’t.”

“Because you’re still hoping you two can ride off into the sunset on a yacht together?”

“He doesn’t like boats.”

“When he got you the yacht last year…”

“He thought I wanted it.”

Annie sighs, and even Beck’s brows pull together.

“What are you thinking?” I ask. I don’t usually solicit input, but next to my cousin, these two are my closest, most trusted friends. And unlike Callie, they understand the complications of living life in the spotlight.

“Queen’s gotta help her King,” Beck says wryly.

“It’s not about Harrison,” I insist. “It’s a public service. Anything I find, I’ll pass on to the police.”

“But if it gets you hurt,” Annie adds, “I will kill him.”

Your first night playing a club is partly a crapshoot—the crowd, the weather, all of it can conspire to make your set a party to remember or one to forget. The second night is when you find out if you’ve got it.

Tonight for Bliss, I choose a white dress that resembles leather but isn’t. It’s fitted, but the fabric has a little give so I can move, and it’s not as hot in the booth. White sandals top off the look.

“You’re coming with me?” I ask Ash as I put the finishing touches on my makeup.

“Think I’ll lay low for the evening.” He frowns. “All the talk about drugs… I’d rather keep my distance.”

Realization hits me. “Understood.” I check the edges of my wig to ensure none of my hair shows beneath. “I get that you didn’t want to tell Harrison you were buying, but why didn’t you tell him what you saw?”

“I’d rather not say. But it would hurt him if he knew.”

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