Page 43 of Cruelly Fated
Lights flickered on, soft and easy on the eyes. I stepped inside, doing slow turns and double-takes of an open space with high ceilings. I brushed my fingertips over the cool, dark marble in the high-end kitchen straight out of a luxury magazine. Then strode over to a sleek sitting area that unfolded before towering floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the city of Avari.
The penthouse sat higher than anything else around it. I drifted toward the glass, momentarily awestruck by the kaleidoscope of color glittering across the Plaza below.
I swiveled and passed the kitchen to a set of modern double barn doors and slid one side apart. A pristine white room opened before me, completely empty though. The same floor-to-ceiling windows wrapped around two adjacent walls, offering a fresh perspective of the city.
Avari’s famed Skyturn Wheel slowly rotated, haloed in thousands of pulsing lights. Just beyond, the Avari River shimmered beneath the glow, its surface broken by anchored yachtsbobbing quietly at their docks. I took a mental picture of both objects, planning to paint them when I got a chance. A take from these windows would be one of a kind and could sell well, especially with the tourists.
The bedrooms had to be on the opposite side of the penthouse. I traipsed back along the panoramic view, then slid the door closed behind me.
I took in the living space again—clean, modern, edged with masculine elegance. It had the kind of quiet confidence you didn’t question. I could easily picture a gentleman lighting a cigar while lounging on the black leather couch, discussing mergers or bloodlines or gods knew what. The walls were bare though. Perhaps Kyon didn’t live here full-time. Maybe only his associates or business partners used this property. Honestly, if someone brought me here to negotiate, that view alone would close the deal.
I crossed the space to the second set of double doors and pushed them open. This room mirrored the other one in layout but with more walls. A massive bed dominated the center directly across from the entrance. The black velvet sheets felt cool to the touch. At least the stained wood headboard added a natural element, mixing up the modern metallic style.
Along the left wall stretched walk-in closets. A handful of tailored suits hung in one corner, suggesting someone had stayed here recently, though not often.
I stepped through an open archway to the right. The bathroom was every bit as indulgent as the rest of the place. Marblefrom floor to ceiling. Double sinks. Wall-lined storage cabinets. And a sprawling glass shower with a dozen jets that looked more suited for hydrotherapy than casual hygiene.
Past another privacy wall, a claw-foot tub the size of a small hot spring faced a wall of windows, this time overlooking the far edge of Avari. Altogether, the penthouse offered a sweeping, two-hundred-seventy-degree panorama of the city.
A yawn snuck up on me, and I muffled it behind my hand. Thank the fae gods the club was closed tomorrow, and I could finally figure things out. Right now I craved some shut-eye.
I changed into my long pajama pants and cami set, then crawled beneath the cool sheets. A shiver skittered across my skin. It felt odd, maybe even reckless, to lie in the same bed Kyon might’ve slept in. And a little thrilling.
I scrunched my eyes shut and gave myself a mental slap. Now wasn’t the time to fantasize. Kyon was older, more experienced. Once he got out and saw me face-to-face, whatever spark we thought we had would eventually fizzle. He was used to elegant, polished women. Women who fit into his world without effort. I sighed. Better not to get tangled up in something I couldn’t define or fully understand.
I grabbed the other pillow and hugged it close. Later that night, I woke up drenched in sweat and panting. In the dream, my lover’s eyes shone iridescent green.
Eighteen
KYON
Iperched on the edge of the bleachers, the metal frame groaning beneath my weight as I leisurely scanned the yard. Afternoon shadows stretched across the courts, the sun slipping behind the walls like it had watched enough endless basketball matches and inmates lounging about around the clock.
Still no sign of Valor. No call from my lawyer.
Yesterday, my legal team had dumped everything they had in front of the judge, complete with new evidence andnew statements, enough to blow the case wide open. Valor had visited me right after, hopeful as hell that we’d hear the ruling today. But now it was pushing late, and I had no word.
That was unusual. Valor didn’t make promises he didn’t keep. And I paid my lawyer too damn much for him to go MIA when everything was on the line.
The yard lights flickered on then dimmed. Earlier, the prison suffered an electrical short circuit that took out all lights. Ever since they operated on backup generators that tended to push a surplus of voltage at times. All fences had been buzzing for the past two hours.
Perhaps the electrical issue spread city-wide. Even a temporary blackout could snarl Avari’s traffic and disrupt cell towers. That would explain Valors delay in getting back with me.
Across the yard, gargoyle gang members sprawled, glaring boldly in my direction and waiting for an excuse to pounce. What set them on edge today? The aggression wafted from them in waves and my jaw ticked in response. I resisted the itch to get up and tear someone’s face off, though. Now wasn’t the time.
If that judge reversed my conviction, I’d be out of here. Free. And I wasn’t about to blow it by starting a fight in the eleventh hour.
A metallic clang cut through the yard, announcing dinner. I stayed put until the crowd cleared, then rose and made my way to the mess hall. Letting anyone get behind me today was likeinvitingthem to slit my throat.
Inside, the gang watched me like vultures. Every one of them sat rigid and silent, eyes locked on their target. I inspected their table, no food trays in sight. Gargoyle scum. Were they planning to make a move here? In broad view of the guards?
Even twenty-to-one, they’d barely scratch me before I wiped the floor with their scrawny bones. And the guards would be on them in seconds. Perhaps my father had caught wind that the judge might rule in my favor, and this was his counterplay.
I accepted the metal tray with my meal. Something brown and runny sloshed on top, the usual mystery stew that smelled like despair. I wasn’t going to eat it, but I took it anyway, gave the server a nod, and headed for my spot beside Pete.
My old table by the wall offered a better vantage point, but I made an effort to sit next to Allie’s grandfather whenever I could. It reinforced my message: Touch him and die.
Overhead, the lights winked out. Once. Twice. A low hum followed.
