Chapter 33
FRANK N. STEIN
“This is so exciting,” Bernadette says.
Her entire body is practically bursting with excitement as we make our way to the gala, meanwhile I’m likening it to a trip to the gallows, if it were possible for me to perish.
The limousine pulls to a stop, and I want to growl at how before we even get out of the car, I can see the flashes blinding and glinting outside the dark-tinted windows.
I turn to her and take in her pretty red dress, the soft straps that accentuate her breasts, the fabric nipping in at her waist. Her eyes glow a brighter green somehow without her blue glasses framing them.
She looks beautiful, and it makes me glower that much fiercer.
My hands curl into fists. I don’t want her here, and it takes everything in me to not turn her around and force her back into the mansion where I can keep her safe. My stomach rolls with tension and the reminder of how much my life has now changed, at how much she’s changed me in such a short time.
“It’s going to be fine,” she says, her tone soothing as she takes my hand in hers.
I frown as she smiles at me and stretches out my fist to fit her hand to mine before lacing our fingers together.
“You’re not to leave my side until we’re inside the building,” I remind her.
“I know what I’m supposed to do. Do you think you could maybe stop your face from doing whatever that is before we get out of the car?” she asks, waving a hand over me, and I scowl harder.
I sigh, opening the car door and stepping out onto the red carpet and immediately regret the action as the shouts pick up and the cameras explode.
“Ha ha ha,” she laughs, a smile spreading across her brilliantly red lips as I hold out a hand to help her from the vehicle.
One sharp red heel steps out, and then the other, and the faint hint of a smile does pull at my mouth. I did manage to get her in a pair of heels after all, and she looks good in them.
If the cameras were a lot before, they’re practically blinding now as she panders to them. She’s magnificent, and it's clear in her bearing she knows exactly what she’s doing and where to turn for the most effect, as if born to it.
“Just smile and wave, boys. Smile and wave,” she mutters under her breath before a full grin crests over her lips.
She smiles and waves, and of course the cameras adore her as cries go out asking when the wedding is, and to look here and there. I hate these things.
“Alright everyone. It’s almost showtime,” Mikael says, his voice coming through the earpiece in my ear, drowning out the sounds of paparazzi calling Bernadette’s name.
It’ll be a miracle if I get out of here tonight without murdering anyone.
BERNADETTE CRENSHAW
“If you don’t smile, I’m keeping all of my surprise mouth hugs to myself from now on,” I hiss through the tight grin pasted on my face. Not even an hour after leaving the limo, and I already want to kill him.
We stand in a corner of the Pierre; the ballroom packed with the upper echelons of New York high society as Frank broods, not allowing anyone to get close.
The room is covered in different shades of silk hanging to look like waves across the ceiling and along the walls.
Ornate pillars and columns are dotted around the room, the caterers dressed in thematic, plain white togas, and the many tables shimmer with crystal decanters and red wine.
Set up to be a Roman-themed gala, it's every bit as beautiful tonight as I knew it would be.
“That male is known for being handsy,” Frank says, gesturing toward one of the old guys standing in a circle near the edge of the room we just left.
Frank yanked me away just as the guy asked me when the wedding was, not giving me a chance to even say sorry. I get the funny feeling that if anyone did try to touch me right now, Frank would go ballistic, which is as hot as it is problematic.
“I’m not telling these people anything,” he bites out.
I glance up at the flat line of his lips, and my gaze rolls to the heavens at how hard he’s scowling.
“They want to know when the wedding is because that’s why we’re here. It’s supposed to be an engagement party, remember?”
“So, tell them when the wedding is then,” he replies and follows his ridiculous statement by raising my hand for him to kiss, sending cameras flashing around the room.
My gaze narrows as I glare up at him. “Was that a proposal?”
His gray gaze flashes with orange as he meets mine. “Do you want it to be?”
I scoff. “You’re going to have to do way better than that,” I mutter, letting my gaze bounce across the room.
He smirks at me, but then the amusement falls from his face as he goes back to looking like a pissed off bodyguard.
“Dude, I think I’ve seen like four celebrities already and we’re just standing here. We should go mingle,” I say.
“I don’t mingle,” he says.
I growl under my breath. “I heard the mayor earlier, and he said you have a speech,” I say, changing the subject.
“Fuck the mayor. He’s lucky I don’t turn you around right now to leave,” he grumbles, loudly.
I dig my fingers into his wrists, my nostrils starting to flare as I begin to lose my temper. “You aren’t taking this from me. This whole thing feels like something out of an action flick. You’ve got bad guys, a surveillance team, and your very own femme fatale.”
“So, you’ve reminded me several times now,” he intones.
“Show time people,” Mikael’s voice interrupts through the earpiece.
I resist the urge to adjust the spaghetti strap of my dress as nerves begin to eat at me even though we’ve been over the plan more than a dozen times.
After getting the names off the list on Charles Jackman’s phone, we’re to head back to the mansion and pick up Edgar before Frank whisks me away to some fancy restaurant he picked out in the city. I can’t wait.
“Everything’s in place, Frank. We’ll be out of here in no time. Bernadette, stop touching your ear,” Mikael says.
“Sorry,” I whisper under my breath, bringing my hand back down to my side.
“How are we supposed to find the guy without mingling? Do we even know if he’s here?” I ask.
“Frank Stein, is that you?” I hear a woman’s voice call out.
I turn to see a woman walking across the room toward us, dressed in a low-cut sapphire blue dress that swoops across her neckline, showing off her slim figure. A tall man is at her side.
This must be Rebecca, the ghoul meant to keep Mr. Jackman busy. They told me she was pretty when giving me a rundown of what was going to happen today, but Mikael didn't tell me she was this pretty. I fight to keep the blush off my face and focus on Mr. Jackman instead.
He smiles, but the curve of his lips doesn’t reach his eyes as he stares at Frank.
“Charles Jackman, pleased to meet you,” he announces, thrusting his hand out for Frank to shake.
I glance down at the man’s black suit and tie, before looking up at his face, noticing it looks sunken and sallow. I stare so long it takes me a moment to realize Frank hasn’t moved to grab the man’s hand.
“Bernadette Crenshaw,” I say, smiling for all I’m worth as I take his hand in mine and shake it myself so he doesn’t run away. He looks like any regular old guy you’d see on a golfing range, not an evil mastermind.
Pasting a smile on my face, I drop my grip and gesture to Frank.
“Oh, meet my fiancée,” I gush.
Frank, meanwhile, could do a splendid job of doubling as a statue.
Thankfully, Rebecca helps pick up the conversation as I maneuver around him and simultaneously push a reluctant Frank his way to hide me pulling my phone from my pocket.
After quickly accessing the app on my phone and ensuring it’s going to work, I put it back down in my bag, counting the seconds down as my heart beat pounds in my throat.
It should only take a few moments to gain entry to everything on his mobile.
I paste a smile on my mouth as Rebecca hangs on Mr. Jackman’s arm and laugh along as my skin turns clammy with nervousness.
“Rebecca has him, Bernadette. Go now,” Mikael says over the receiver.
Instantly a shot of relief goes off inside me. I did it.
“So nice to meet you,” I say loudly before turning to Frank, “I need to go powder my nose, I’ll be right back,” I tell him, but his grip tightens on my hand as if to keep me by his side.
He sighs wearily, and I bite my lip to keep from smiling at him like a fool.
“I won’t be but a minute,” I promise. His hand goes to my waist as he bends down, taking my mouth in a swift kiss. The cameras go wild and my lips curve against his mouth.
Happiness and a touch of longing floods through my veins.
Frank Stein is about to be off the market for real if I have anything to say about it.
“Be right back,” I toss over my shoulder, my cheeks pinking a bit at the wink Rebecca gives me.
I make my way across the room, smiling at anyone who meets my gaze as I curse the heels on my feet. I can’t wait to take these stupid things off.
“First door on the right, Bernadette. It’s about halfway down the long hallway there,” Mikael says in my ear.
My palms begin to sweat the further I get from Frank. I stop in front of a throng of people talking in the middle of the hallway.
“Excuse me,” I say, smiling to the older woman in front of me, admiring the sparkling tiara she wears on her head.
“Oh, it’s you. When’s the wedding?” she asks, grabbing my arm with her gloved hands.
I shake my head and tug free of her silky grasp, backing away. “We haven’t picked a date yet,” I tell her, the smile falling from my face as whispers pick up in the group, making me feel like an animal on display at the zoo. It’s no wonder Frank never goes to these kinds of things.
I pull away from the crowd, careful to not let anyone grab me again as I make my way down the hallway where I see Bruno standing watch.
I’m glad they picked Bruno instead of Nero for the job, realizing I feel better seeing a familiar friendly face right now.
I can do this. I nod to Bruno as I reach the room, and he lets me inside.
It's small and sparse with nothing in it but a table and my favorite device.
I grin the moment my gaze lands on my laptop as I rush to get my hands on it. “Oh, baby it’s been too long,” I say, squealing a bit as I open it.
“I’m going to assume you’re talking to your laptop,” Mikael mutters as if he’s over my shit already.
“Whatever, Mikael, you know you like me,” I answer back as the sounds of the mayor’s voice echoes from the distant room.
“I’m so glad you could all be here tonight,” the mayor says, the sound so loud, it probably echoes through the whole floor.
I log into my entry application, thanking everything that I don’t have an update waiting for me as I enter the coding necessary to remote key into Mr. Jackman’s cell phone.
“Come on, come on,” I say to the laptop, willing the tiny download bar to go faster as the mayor drones on about Frank’s many achievements.
I snort a bit, knowing Frank is probably ready to dig his eyes out with a spoon by now.
“I’m in,” I say, my stomach flip flopping like mad as I give Mikael access to Mr. Jackman’s device and a small point of access to the guy’s company.
“I know. I can see it. Good job, Bernadette, now go save Frank from himself,” Mikael says.
My heart beating like it’s trying to force itself out of my chest, I close the laptop, knowing one of the team will stop by and grab it before we leave and step toward the door.
“Go now, Bruno. All teams have the list,” Mikael says, and the line goes silent.
I step outside into the hallway and find it empty, unsurprised when I don’t see Bruno loitering by the door with the authority Mikael had in his voice.
My heartbeat slows a bit, and I take a deep breath, thankful no one is around as I take a minute to compose myself as my hands tremble.
“Frank Stein has done us a great honor,” I hear the mayor say, his voice way louder now.
I smooth my hands down my dress, noticing the fabric bunched awkwardly at my thighs and gasp when hard hands grab me around my wrist, yanking me hard and tugging me into the room I just left.
“Ouch, let me go,” I snap, and rip my arm away from the man who forced me in here, not recognizing him and not liking the dark circles around his gaze.
He’s not very tall, only a few inches shorter than me, his dark hair greasy and clothes unkempt like he’s slept in them at least once, along with heavy hints of desperation about him.
“Bernadette Crenshaw, I’m with the Daily Dish and wanted to ask you a few questions,” he says.
I glare at him, getting more nervous and madder when he shuffles closer.
“Stay away from me,” I hiss and move toward the door, and he steps in front of me to block the way.
“Frank?” I call out, wondering if Mikael can still hear me.
“Bruno is on his way to you,” I hear Mikael say across the earpiece, making me feel somewhat better. Someone is coming if I can’t get myself out of this. My palms go clammy as I start wishing I’d hurried to the ballroom sooner.
“Yes, your engagement to Frank Stein. When is the wedding?” he says, holding his hands out nonthreateningly, one thumb curled around a small recording device.
Is this what Frank has to deal with? Less than sane people cornering him every chance they get because of who he is? I suddenly feel so much for celebrities and anyone who can’t walk through a building without being harassed because of the relationships they have.
“Get out of my way,” I snap, squaring my shoulders off against him as my nostrils flare.