Page 38 of The Night Runs Red

I remained seated, instead looking at Rion. “What about you?”

His jaw ticked. “I must stay here and take care of some business, Calia. You should go with your aunt and cousin.” His tone was brusque, a startling change from how he’d been all evening. But it was a reminder that no matter how much he said he would try to quell my fears, his image, it seemed, still came first. Rion stood, buttoning his tuxedo jacket and holding out his hand. I stared at it momentarily, contemplating telling him that I didn’t want to go anywhere in this penthouse without him.

“Come now, Calia. I do not have all night,” Rion chided. Renwick and Von laughed from behind him, not attempting to hide their amusement at Rion’s callous remark. I shook my head in disgust as I took his hand and stood. He tried to pull me close, but his eyes narrowed as I held firm where I was. After three tense breaths, he relented and dropped my arm. “Do not go anywhere alone. I will be back shortly.”

I met his dark gaze and nodded once before pulling my lips up in a polite smile and looking around him to the mayor. “Goodnight, Von. Thank you for having us, in case I don’t get a chance to see you again before we leave.”

“You are always welcome here, darling. Preferably without your husband.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

I stared at the woman before me, who’d been prattling on for fifteen minutes about the horrors of wearing her emeralds and not her diamonds for tonight’s event. My aunt sat beside me, reaching for a bottle of wine and filling our glasses to the brim. She gave me a look that said we’d need it.

It’d been nearly an hour since I’d seen Rion or my uncle, which was beginning to bother me. When I’d asked my aunt about it, she said she hadn’t the faintest idea where they had gone to. They’d never stayed long enough at these parties for my uncle to merit such an invitation.

Though the penthouse was spacious, it shouldn’t be challenging to find upwards of thirty men sitting around a room, doing whatever they did when their wives weren’t around. And I’d had enough of waiting for something to happen.

“I’m going to use the bathroom,” I told my aunt, standing from the loveseat we’d commandeered.

She looked up. “Do you want me to come with you?”

I remembered Rion’s warning to stay with either her or Brielle, but I didn’t think my aunt would take kindly to my snooping. It would be easier if it was just me, anyway. “No, that’s okay. I won’t be long.”

I started up the stairs, looking up at the skylight installed above. The night was dull, the light of the stars stolen by those of the city. I decided that was my favorite part of living across the Odesza on Rion’s viridian isle. It was far enough from the man-made splendor that the gods’ work could shine.

As I reached the second floor, I heard the unmistakable sound of a woman moaning coming from above. The third floor acted as an open space balcony. From there, you could see directly down and into most of the living area.

It was decorated differently than the rest of the penthouse. It was dark and sultry; the walls were a deep red with black velvet drapes over the windows. Leather chairs were scattered throughout, with half-smoked cigars still burning in the ashtrays. On the back wall was a single door. Gold filigree was inlaid in the black wood, surrounding the heavy knocker in the middle.

Three men sat around a woman, watching intently as she pleasured herself for their enjoyment. She worked her hips in time with her hand, and even I was entranced by her performance. My eyes scanned her body, meeting her heated gaze. She shook her head subtly, the men too locked in on the spot where her fingers were disappearing to notice.

Still, I approached the door with caution, reaching for the handle. To my surprise, it wasn’t locked. Thick smoke filled the air, casting the room in a hazy fog. The lights above were low, barely bright enough to guide my way without running into objects.

The space opened, and I was greeted with a similar setup as outside. Except here, naked women were dancing on small, elevated stages while others were draped along the men’s laps. Knowing most of these patrons, if not all, had wives downstairs made me sick.

Had Rion known it would be like this? Is that why he hadn’t wanted me to come?

I tried to turn around and leave when someone caught my arm. I was jerked into a rigid body, the smell of rancid breath crowding the space between our bodies. Von stared down at me with a wicked smile. “Well, well, well… What do we have here?” He leaned in, running his nose along the shell of my ear. “You couldn’t stay away, could you?”

“Oops,” I said, feigning ignorance. “You know, I was looking for the bathroom. This is so embarrassing. I should be going now.”

I pulled at my arm, but Von tightened his grip. “You aren’t going anywhere, darling.”

Again, I attempted to pull free. “Let. Me. Go.”

“Perhaps you should have listened to your husband’s advice and not gone anywhere alone.” This man was a predator. He liked the thrill of the chase, and bedding the wife of a man like Rion would be the ultimate thrill. “But you’re a bad girl, aren’t you, darling? You like messing around so you can be punished.”

I felt like vomiting, which wouldn’t have been the worst. Especially if I ended up losing my dinner all over his expensive tuxedo.

He jerked me through a throng of people as I attempted to peel his fingers off my forearm. I scanned the room, trying to find Rion among the group, but I couldn’t see him.

Von pushed me to the center of the room. “We’ve been given a gift, men,” he said, eyes glittering. His words were met with excited mumbles by the men, their gazes ferociously hungry.

“You don’t want to do this,” I warned. “Your life will be forfeit the moment you touch me. I’ll see to it myself.”

Most of them laughed, while a few seemed to think better of participating in whatever Von had planned, and walked away. Still, there was no sign of Rion, and I was utterly alone in a room full of men who looked as though they would gladly kill me for their enjoyment.

Von stepped forward and ran a sweaty finger down my cheek. “Rion D’Arcy can’t do shit to me. No one can. This is my house, and these are my rules. I’m afraid you’ve wandered into territory you can’t talk your way out of.”

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