Page 95 of High Class

“Tell me what I’m doing here.”

“You’re here for a date with a client of course.”

I frown at him. “You?”

He chuckles. “Don’t be ridiculous. You’ll find out soon enough. He’ll be here to pick you up shortly. Would you like some more water?”

I take the bottle he hands me and sip it this time. My mouth is almost back to normal since the hair and makeup team brought me a toothbrush. The drugs are still affecting me though and water will help.

As I twist the cap back onto the bottle, the door opens, and what little I ate earlier nearly comes up.

Chapter 30

Zara

“Hello,Zara.”

Chuck Pratchett strolls into the room, and I do my best to swallow down the bile in my throat.

“You look stunning. Just the accessory I need on my arm at tonight’s ball.”

“My rates have gone up since our last encounter, Senator.”

He laughs, and the sound sends chills down my spine.

“You’ll be taking me on for free since you’ll be dead before you can spend the money anyway.”

“If you’re going to kill me, why should I cooperate with you?”

His face clouds with fury, and he stalks toward me. “Because if you don’t, Luke Bowden winds up in a ditch with a bullet in his head before the sun comes up tomorrow.”

My stomach lurches, but I soothe myself with the knowledge that Luke isn’t behind my current predicament. Now my only job is to keep my cool until I find a way out of this.

Forcing a smile, I smooth my hands down the front of my dress. “What kind of ball are we going to?”

“Just a little gathering put on by the governor.”

The governor’s ball. Why does that feel familiar? I hate how the drugs they put in my system have slowed my brain down.

Luke talked about trying to figure out what Pratchett was up to by sending Matteo and Owen to the ball. Does he know Pratchett has me?

“Aren’t you concerned about what your constituents will say if they find out you’ve brought an escort as your date. Seems to me like they might view it as an insult to your late wife’s memory.”

His hand closes around my throat, and I’m afraid I’ve pushed him too far.

“Keep my wife’s name out of your fucking mouth. This event isn’t open to the public, and the governor doesn’t give a shit who I bring. Your job is to smile and act like you want to be there. Do I make myself clear?”

When I nod, he lets go and backs away. “We leave in five minutes. I’m just waiting for word from my security that it’s OK to head down.”

The ball is here if my fuzzy brain is remembering correctly. Will Matteo or Owen see me and know I need help? I spend the next couple of minutes trying to come up with a way to get them a message, but so far, I’m coming up blank.

He threatened Luke with a bullet to the head. Does that mean they have him somewhere too? I can’t imagine anyone actually being able to get to him. He thinks I didn’t see the security constantly lurking around us, but I did.

The senator’s watch buzzes, and he glances at it. “All clear. Let’s go Ms. Blaire. Or should I say Ms. Chamberlain?”

I try not to visibly shudder when he offers me his arm with a chilling smile.

“Keep your mouth shut unless I ask you to join a conversation, and then I expect you to put on that intelligent act you do so well. Otherwise, just smile and nod.”

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