Chapter 22
TWENTY-TWO
As soon as we step into the Lane Building, the pulse of energy is a physical vibration in the room.
It’s the kind that comes from fancy décor, powerful people mingling, and more champagne than a New Year’s Eve party.
The opulence of the place is unmistakable, especially with the backdrop of priceless artifacts housed within the museum section of the building.
And, of course, Levi is extra enough to have a full brass band playing somewhere off to the side, softly performing “Moonlight Serenade” by Glenn Miller as we enter.
He’s already in full social butterfly mode, greeting people left and right.
The moment he spots me, his eyes go wide, and a grin spreads across his face.
“There she is,” he exclaims as he rushes over, abandoning the people he was standing with.
“Look at you! Absolutely stunning. Like, I knew you’d look good, but damn, you’re blowing everyone out of the water tonight. ”
He’s dressed just as glittery as me, his white suit sparkling all over, not to mention the high heels he’s wearing that make him taller than Koen.
Still, the way he and Koen look when standing together, two sides of the same coin, reminds me of what I’m missing, and grief slices my heart, but I only let it nick me.
Not tonight.
I need to focus.
“Right back at you, Levi.” I give him a half-smile. “Happy birthday, by the way.” Then, I catch sight of the gigantic cake next to him. “Oh my God.”
There, written in perfect pink frosting, it reads, Happy Birthday, Levi and Ken.
I glance at Koen, and he meets my gaze, a resigned kind of amusement in his eyes. “Ken, huh?” I tease, crossing my arms, feeling a genuine smile form. “Fits you. You’ve definitely got the hair for it.”
Koen shakes his head, but I catch the hint of a smile. It makes me think back to him picking me up and the ride here. My fingers drift to the beautiful bracelet he gave me, and I tug at it gently.
Surprisingly, he’s a nice guy in a hot package.
Dangerous.
And I should probably stay as far as possible from him.
Hopefully, after tonight, when I don’t mess this up, I’ll be on my way to Italy, and none of this will matter anymore.
“So, who’s the mark?” I ask, glancing between the twins. They exchange a look, a grin spreading across Levi’s face.
“Well, the main target is Nicholas Harrington, you—” Levi starts, but Koen cuts him off.
“I already told her about him. He’s here, arrived with us. He saw her with me.”
“Ah, fuck.” Levi groans.
“What? Why shouldn’t he know we know each other?” I ask, confused.
“It’s not… ideal,” Koen says, a frown tugging at his lips.
“Why?” I press.
“He hates us as much as we hate him,” Levi explains, rolling his eyes.
“I can work with that.” I glance between them again. “Anything else I should know?”
“He’s a narcissistic prick. You have to fawn over him a little, tell him how amazing he is, and he will fall at your feet when he sees how beautiful you are. He likes to have trophy girlfriends, and you’re the most beautiful of them all.”
“I’m not a fucking trophy girlfriend,” I snap.
“That’s not what he said,” Koen appeases gently. “And you’re right. You’re not.”
“You really aren’t, I’m sorry.” Levi looks at me with puppy dog eyes, and I start to feel bad for snapping at him.
“Don’t worry, she’s not mad at you. She lashes out when she’s nervous or doesn’t feel safe, and she’s more than on edge right now,” Koen explains, and I glare at him for reading me.
“What? Tell me I’m wrong.” I can’t, not without him seeing the lie anyway, so I stay silent, and he grins. “Thought so.”
“Okay,” I start, getting back on topic. “And who’s the guy I’m going to have to steal the card from?”
“Richard Belmont,” Koen replies.
I laugh. Richard Belmont. The submissive hotel mogul I Dommed into giving me his number three days ago.
Of course.
“Do you know if he’s here alone or with his wife?” I ask.
Koen shakes his head. “I saw him wandering around alone. Guess he left his wife at home. At least he didn’t bring his kids like last time. He almost forgot them when he left.”
Levi snorts. “Yeah, he’s only a father because pulling out is hard when you already came putting it in.”
“Oh my God.” I snort. “That’s an image I didn’t need, thank you very much.” Chuckling, I pull out my phone and quickly type a message to Captain Bossy while Levi and Koen continue making fun of Belmont.
You could have told me you needed the card from Richard Belmont. I could have already gotten it for you last time.
The reply comes almost immediately.
Captain Bossy
That would have been too early.
You’ve got a purse with you?
I roll my eyes and snap a quick picture of it, sending it his way.
Are you my stylist now?
No, but that dress didn’t look like you could hide a card for an evening.
You looked very closely at that picture, it seems.
Someone is full of themselves.
Well, if nobody else fills me tonight…
There’s a pause, and then the reply makes me snort.
I don’t even know how to answer that.
Speechless?
It happens.
Any nerves?
I hesitate, my fingers hovering over the screen.
Fuck it.
Yes.
That was honest.
I’ll be honest now too.
I saw what you can do.
You’ve got this.
Warmth spreads through my chest, and I can’t help but smile. Someone joins our little group, but I barely look up, too absorbed in my conversation.
Thank you. I’ll report when it’s done.
Don’t fuck this up.
“God, they really did you dirty with that, Ken.” A very familiar voice chuckles.
My head snaps up, and my heart skips a beat. Hottie is standing right there, laughing at the cake as if it’s the funniest thing he’s ever seen.
The fuck?
I haven’t heard from him since we got tested, but now he’s… here?
“Sylus, let me introduce you to—” Levi starts, but Hottie turns, his eyes meeting mine, and his expression shifts from amusement to shock.
Beautiful fucking name for a beautiful fucking asshole.
“Sparkle?” he asks as he pushes some of the dark strands from his forehead, highlighting his gray eyes, wide with disbelief. He’s dressed in his usual dark jeans and a black cropped shirt.
Koen frowns, his gaze bouncing between the two of us. “You guys know each other?”
“Oh, we do.” Hottie’s shock morphs into a grin, his eyes still on me. “She’s my—”
I cut him off, stopping him from saying anything more. “It was a long time ago.”
Hottie smirks. “A long time ago?” He leans in and cups my cheek, his voice low and teasing. “Baby, my cock still smells like you.”
Levi chokes on a laugh, but it’s Koen I look at, and yeah. He’s a little pissed.
Glancing back at Hottie, I give him a flat look. “You should probably wash yourself then.” I turn on my heel and start walking away, then toss back over my shoulder, “I’m off to do what you brought me here to do.”
I don’t get more than a few steps in before Hottie’s hand wraps around my arm, pulling me to a stop, and I turn to glare up at him.
The party continues around us. Laughter, the clinking of glasses, the low thrum of the music, but at this moment, it’s only the two of us in a strange little bubble.
“Don’t be mad at me, baby,” he pleads. “I didn’t know.”
“Really?” I ask skeptically. “You expect me to believe that?”
“Really.” His eyes soften as he steps closer, his thumb brushing lightly against my skin. “I had no idea the girl they were talking about was you. You look stunning tonight, by the way.”
“Thanks,” I mutter, trying to ignore how my chest warms at his words. “I have a job to do.”
“Wait…” he tugs a little more firmly, not enough to hurt, just enough to keep me there, tethered to him for a moment longer, “… please.”
I sigh, tilting my head, trying my best to stay unaffected. “What do you want, Sylus?”
He pauses, his gaze dipping to my lips before meeting my eyes again. “God, my name never sounded better than from your lips.” His voice cracks slightly, betraying his usual swagger. His smirk is still there, but there’s a softness now, almost nervousness as if he’s worried about what I’ll do next.
“Why are you here?”
“It’s my brothers’ birthday.” He shrugs, letting go of me reluctantly, his fingers brushing my arm one last time. The loss of his touch leaves a void I refuse to acknowledge.
“They’re your brothers?”
“Two of them, yes.”
“The Lane brothers don’t have any more brothers,” I argue with a shake of my head.
I know that. The media knows that.
He shrugs. “Blood doesn’t make a family.”
Thick, uncomfortable silence and stillness blooms between us then.
Just as I try to shake it off, the music swells around us, a saxophone solo cutting through the air, and it only seems to amplify my emotions, all the loneliness I’ve felt over the last few days bubbling up inside me, spilling over before I can stop it.
“You didn’t text me,” I blurt out, the accusation sharp, my hurt unmistakable.
“Missed me?” His nerves recede, and he grins, but I only glare at him, my lips pressing into a thin line.
That makes his grin fade, and he tilts his head, his eyes searching mine.
“You said you wanted time for yourself. And I tried to respect that. Fuck, Sparkle, it killed me. I missed you like crazy too.”
Damn him.
Damn him for being so annoyingly sweet.
“I didn’t miss you. I don’t care. It’s fine,” I lie, ready to move on from this. “I have things to do.”
“Baby,” he whispers, stepping closer. “I’m sorry.”
I hate that he can make me soften so easily, and I especially hate that he’s looking at me as if he sees everything I want to hide.
Ugh.
“You don’t have to be sorry. This is casual, remember?”
“Yeah, casual for you.” He reaches out and strokes the back of my hand.
“Casual for me didn’t work.” His smile turns softer.
“I’m obsessed with you. How could I not be?
Look at you. You’re stunning and funny and apparently fucking capable too.
You’re Koen’s thief?” He laughs, but it turns into a kind of groan as he says, “That’s so damn hot. ”