Page 40 of Cannon
“Wish we could tell you, but the consequence of doing so would be ugly. We may not like these bastards, but they’re technically our equals.Technically.”Archer shrugs with a wink, holding up his hands.
“Crap.” She wrinkles her nose, and before she can say more, the door swings inward.
A masked kid—probably a freshman—greets us. “Welcome. The main event is in the ballroom at the back of the house.” He gestures down the hallway.
I give him a firm nod. “Thank you.”
Elliot doesn’t look too hard at her surroundings, though I know this is one of those places that inspires people to walk around with their mouths hanging wide open. But to be fair, she comes from wealth herself, so there’s no reason to think this is strange to her.
“Nice, huh?”
“Mm-hmm,” she replies, keeping her voice low. “It’s beautiful. It’s notourplace, which I love, but it’s nice if you like super fancy and ostentatious.” Her lips twitch.
“Bingo. Peaches hits the nail on the head.” Archer shakes his head, grinning. “I can’t imagine living here. But I do like their catering company.” He winks at Elliot, and Cannon nods his agreement, giving his stomach a pat.
I think they’re trying to make her more comfortable, but they really don’t need to. She seems fine to me. And truthfully, not suffering any ill-effects from the concussion either. I tuck my head close to hers again as we reach the double-door entrance to the ballroom and murmur, “Just follow our lead, and you’ll do fine.”
As we enter the fray, several people nod, or lift a hand in greeting. Everyone seems to have followed instructions, everyone wears a mask, even the waiters, adding to the mystery. To my surprise, there’s a small number of women also in attendance.
Archer shrugs his shoulders. I know he’s thinking the same thing. There are never women here unless they are somehow part of the entertainment.Oh, shit.My brain whirs as I consider what they could possibly have in store for us this evening. Everything is so… calm. I turn slightly, not wanting to appear concerned in the slightest, and glance over Elliot’s head to Cannon. Apparently, he’s of the same opinion—they’ve got something big planned, and they’re keeping the secret until the last possible second.
Last year, it’d been obvious what we were about to witness. Upon our arrival, the women were in bikinis, the mud pit obvious to all in the middle of the ballroom. Ridiculous, if you ask me. This year, though… I simply have no idea.
Scanning the area, I notice the rest of our brotherhood is dotted around the vast room. They’ve busied themselves mingling, getting drinks, and sampling appetizers. There are several other brotherhoods in attendance, and quite a few of the guys from Bainbridge already roam the room. So far, nothing looks amiss. But that’s exactly when these bastards are bound to spring something on us.
Elliot tugs on my sleeve, looking up at me, her lips twisting. “I thought you said this wasn’t a party.”
“Seems like it is, huh?” Archer slowly turns, taking in a full 360-degree view.
There’s a stage on the far side of the room, which is about the only other clue we have as to what will transpire this evening. It doesn’t give us a whole lot to go on.
I glance at Cannon, and he shrugs back as if to say,Your guess is as good as mine.
Archer places his hand on my shoulder, coming in close. “What are they up to?” He slowly turns his head in the direction he wants me to look. Sure enough, the fourth-year members of the Bainbridge Hall brotherhood are huddled in the corner, scoping out the room—Duke, Mason, and Bear.
Cannon points at the bar, then at Elliot.
“Yeah. Get her a drink.”
“I’ll go with you.” Archer bobs his head in the direction of the bar, and the two of them take off together.
Elliot angles her face up toward mine. “So, what’s going on?”
“Yeah, that’s what I’d like to know. This isn’t quite the usual in-your-face wickedness we are accustomed to. Makes me a little nervous.” I rub my hand over my jaw, wondering for about the tenth time since we walked in the door exactly what we’re in for.
Just then, the seniors of Bainbridge Hall mount the steps to the stage and amble off to the side where there’s a microphone. Duke picks it up and taps it with the pad of his finger, resulting in a satisfyingthud, thud, thudthat echoes about the room. Eyeing the smug look on his face, I press my lips together, in an effort not to express this to Elliot. She should form her own opinions—and I’m sure she will. He’s a cocky bastard. Has always been, since the first year we crossed paths. The other two aren’t much better.
I wrap my arm around Elliot’s waist, pulling her close to me so I can whisper, “That’s Duke. The one with his hair in his face is Mason. And the big guy is Bear.”
“Welcome. I bet you’ve all got questions as to what we’re doing tonight. So far, it’s an elegant party, wouldn’t you say? Everyone enjoying the food and drink?” His brows raise as he waits for our response.
And to his delight, the crowd applauds, though there’s also plenty of quiet talk to be heard. We definitely aren’t the only ones with questions.
“But before we let you in on the details”—he smirks, throwing a glance around the room—“a few housekeeping tips for the night.”
Mason steps forward. “Eat, drink, and be merry. But not too merry, we’ll save that for those who intend to participate in ourauctionthis evening.” A sly grin crosses his face as he crosses his arms over his chest. The three on stage briefly pause while the rumbling of those present grows louder.
Elliot glances at me from the corner of her eye and mouths, “Auction?”
