Chapter 24
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
Novalee
My cheek throbs in disappointment, each heartbeat sending pulses of pain across my face as if my body itself is punishing me for getting into this mess.
After what feels like forever, I finally open my eyes to see the gun still pointed at me. My breath hitches, but I force myself to exhale slowly, then shift my gaze to Hill.
The fury that just burned in his eyes is gone, replaced with something colder. Detached. Calculating.
When he finally lowers the gun, sliding it back into his holster, the tension in the room doesn’t ease, it sharpens, pressing down on me in new ways. My shoulders ache with the effort to stay still, not to react, but my mind races, trying to read him. What’s his next move?
I keep my gaze locked on his, refusing to flinch, trying to project a calm I haven’t felt since I opened my eyes. I was ready to go but fuck if I’m ready to stay here in this room with this asshole. My pulse pounds in my ears, drowning out everything but the heavy silence between us.
He doesn’t speak right away, instead staring at me, his expression giving nothing away .
“This doesn’t mean I trust you,” he finally says, his voice gravelly. “It simply means I trust you… enough .”
The fuck is he even talking about?
Before I even have time to process his words, his hand snaps out, gripping my upper arm tightly as he pulls me forward. I stumble at first, the sudden motion throwing me off balance, but I quickly steady myself, matching his pace as we move out of the security room and down the hallway. My cheek still throbs, a reminder of the bruising anger simmering below the surface.
A reminder that I’m still here.
The hallway is dim, quiet, the kind of silence that suffocates. When we take a turn, Levi, Koen, and Sylus are standing there, waiting. Hill pulls me to a stop in front of them.
“You’re right. She won’t talk.” He releases my arm, and I straighten myself, rolling my shoulder as I pull away from him, gathering my dignity.
“See?” Levi says, his gaze is fixed on Hill. “Told you we can trust her.”
Trust me?
Trust me?
The pieces slot into place.
Without thinking, I step right into Levi’s space. Sylus and Koen stand behind him, but I ignore them as I lock eyes with him and let my anger bubble over.
“Trust, huh? That’s rich.” I take a step closer, coming toe-to-toe with him. “ Real fucking rich coming from a liar.”
There’s a pregnant silence before Sylus’s voice cuts through it. “You fucking hit her, Ez?”
Sylus’s gaze is heavy on me as he inspects me, darkening when he takes in the handcuffs, his lips pulling into a hard line when he zeroes in on my reddened cheeks.
He takes a step toward Hill. “Answer me, Ez. ”
Hill is his brother?
Ezra?
Ezra doesn’t react to the accusation besides a slight tightening in his jaw. “You think Veronica Harrington’s people would be gentle with her if they caught her?”
Sylus takes another step toward him, his entire body vibrating with fury. Koen is quicker, pressing a hand against Sylus’s chest, holding him back. “Not you,” Koen murmurs, his eyes never leaving Ezra. Then, louder, he repeats the question, “You fucking hit her?”
I look between them all, feeling beyond over this night. “Yeah, twice . Thanks for the brilliant teamwork, dickhe—”
Koen’s fist connects with Ezra’s jaw, the sound cracking through the hallway, cutting off my insult. Ezra stumbles back and grabs his face as Koen winces, shaking out his knuckles. “Fuck,” he mutters, pain creasing his brow.
What the hell?
A laugh bubbles up from my chest, raw and full of disbelief. “Your form is shit, Koen.”
Sylus’s chuckle is dark and humorless. “So much for trained in hand-to-hand combat.” Then he grabs Ezra by the collar and shoves him hard against the wall. “Give me the damn keys to the cuffs.” Ezra’s hand drops to his pocket briefly before he slaps them into Sylus’s waiting palm. “Thanks. And fuck you, brother.”
Sylus turns back to me, his expression softening as he reaches for my wrists, unlocking the cuffs with a gentleness that surprises me. The cuffs click open and fall to the floor, and I flex my sore wrists, the sting ebbing as Sylus’s hand moves to my face. His fingers brush lightly over the bruise on my cheek, and I flinch at the contact, a hiss slipping past my lips.
“Ouch.”
Sylus’s eyes search mine, concern and anger mingling there as he murmurs, “I’m so sorry, baby.” He leans in, pressing a gentle kiss to the spot that hurts the most. “I shouldn’t have agreed to this.”
I allow myself to savor it for a moment, closing my eyes to better soak in the comfort he offers before I push him away and face what they did. “What even was that? Another test?” I glance from one to the other, but none of them open their mouths. “Is Nicholas in on this too?”
“He’s not.” Koen steps forward, his expression somber. “I’m sorry—”
“Yeah, you’re sorry. I get it.” I cut him off with a scoff, followed by a hard glare. “ Fuck you , anyway.”
“You’re right,” Levi speaks up. “We’re assholes. But we needed to know if we could trust you.”
“Let’s go somewhere we can talk.” Koen reaches out to touch my elbow, but I pull away.
“Stop fucking lying to me.” I snap. “Then maybe we can talk.”
There’s a pause, and Koen deflates. “Fine. Yes, planting the card on Ezra and him questioning you was a test. We needed to know if you’d stay loyal under pressure. Belmont and Nicholas aren’t in on it. We do need you for this, Little Thief. What we want to do is dangerous for all of us, and if you knew everything, you’d understand why we had to make sure.”
“She won’t rat us out,” Ezra speaks up, and all of them turn to glare at him, me included. “I still don’t trust her, but… she won’t betray us.”
“Gee, thanks , ” I mutter under my breath. My cheek throbs harder now that the ache is settling in.
This is all too fucking much.
I spin on my heel and storm down the hallway, my legs carrying me away from them before I lose my mind, but this fucking building is a maze. A door on my left stands slightly ajar, the dull glow of fluorescent light seeping out from under it. I push it open and step into a bathroom, shutting the door behind me with a snap. The lock clicks into place, the sharp sound echoing in the quiet.
My hands grip the sink as I lean over it, my breaths coming fast and shallow. The mirror reflects a face that looks like it belongs to someone else, eyes too wide, cheeks flushed with anger and hurt, red already blooming along my cheekbone. My pulse thrums behind my eyes.
Fuck them.
I grit my teeth, gripping the edges of the porcelain until my knuckles go white.
I’m so fucking tired of the shit show called my life.
Tears prick at the corners of my eyes, but I force them back. I can’t fall apart. Not here. Not now.
But also… fuck going back to my apartment. The thought of that cold, empty place, the silence stretching around me, makes my situation seem even worse.
I close my eyes and try to conjure Tuscany. The warm sun, the scent of lavender. For a heartbeat, it’s there, a fragile, beautiful dream, but the ache in my chest snuffs it out before it can even begin to soothe me.
If I walk away from this, from them, that dream dies with it.
I’d be stuck in that spiral forever, drowning, with nothing left to reach for.
Koen’s words echo in my mind as I debate what to do next, to the promise he dangled in front of me.
“I need you sober for this mission. I’m sorry, but you can have champagne with Levi when it’s all over.”
My lips curl into a bitter smile. He wanted Glitter for this. Fine, they can have her. I straighten, inhaling a slow, shaky breath. My shoulders roll back, my spine straightens, and I tilt up my chin. The ache in my face becomes part of the illusion, the glimmer of tears hardening into a sharp sparkle in my eyes.
Glitter is here now, and she’s fucking untouchable.
I swipe at the smudged makeup under my eyes, fixing what I can. My lips pull into a tight smile, glossy and false. It’s enough. It has to be.
With a deep breath, I unlock the door and step back into the hallway. Sylus and Levi are already there, leaning against the wall, their faces tight with worry and guilt. They both straighten when they see me, mouths opening to speak.
I lift my hand, cutting them off and stopping them.
“Levi,” I say, my voice smooth and edged with steel. “That birthday party officially blows. Fix it.”
Sylus exhales slowly, his gaze searching mine. He wants to say something, probably sorry or are you okay , but I don’t want apologies. I want action. I need to numb these fucking feelings.
Levi pushes off the wall and approaches as he says, “You’re right, Little Bird. We owe you big time for all that.” He comes to my side and hooks his arm in mine. “Let’s go celebrate for real.”
I give him a questioning look. “Aren’t we going back to your party?”
“No, you’re right. That shit wasn’t a party,” Levi scoffs. “We’re taking you somewhere we can dance, have some drinks, and live a little.”
“Celeste?” Sylus chimes in, glancing at Levi with an arched brow as we walk out of the building, Koen and Ezra having joined again from somewhere, fuck if I know.
Levi’s grin deepens. “You know it.”
Celeste. My pulse quickens at the name. I’ve never been there, but it’s famous even by Vegas standards, a place with a reputation where one drink can cost more than my month’s rent and where you only get in if you know the right people. I’m still pissed at them, but the thrill of finally seeing it in person outweighs any hesitation.
Levi releases my arm as we reach the parking area, and Koen immediately steps up, his hand on my elbow, while Sylus grabs my other hand. There’s an obvious standoff between the two, with Koen tugging me toward his car and Sylus guiding me to his bike.
“She’s riding with me.” Sylus’s smirk says he thinks he’s already won.
Koen narrows his eyes. “She can’t sit on the back of a bike in that dress.”
Honestly, I’d take flashing all of Vegas over stepping into a car again tonight. One panic attack is more than enough, thank you very much.
So, I hand my purse to Koen, then take my time, hiking said dress up and gathering the fabric in my hands until it’s wrapped snugly around my waist, giving everyone a prime view of my legs, ass, and black G-string.
“Is that how a lady acts?” Levi teases.
I shrug. “Wouldn’t know.”
Before anyone can protest further, I turn to Sylus, who holds out a hand, steadying me as I swing a leg over and mount his bike. He chuckles as I clamber onto the seat. Then he reaches for his helmet and places it on my head, buckling the strap with a level of care that almost feels like he’s tucking me in. “Ready?”
I nod, and he gets into position in front of me and starts the engine with a rumble. Wrapping my arms around his waist, I glance over in time to see Koen and Levi get into the Bronco while Ezra mounts his bike, a red version of Sylus’s matte black Yamaha.
Sylus hasn’t got a helmet on, so I’m thankful when he takes the drive slowly, leaving the others to trail behind us. After several relatively quiet minutes on the road, Ezra rides up beside us and his voice cuts in through the helmet’s comms.
“I’m sorry.” I look over at him, but his gaze remains forward. In other circumstances, I’d find it almost charming that they have their helmets synced. “They’re my family.” He continues, “And I’ll do whatever it takes to keep them safe. It’s nothing personal. I wouldn’t have hurt you under any other circumstances. As Koen said… this is serious. And if protecting them means I have to cross a line?” His voice trails off as we reach an all-way stop, then he finally looks in my direction. “I’ll cross it. Every time .”
His words settle heavily on me, and I think of Rosalee and Ace, my family. I’d have done anything for them, sacrificed anything to keep them safe too.
I know what that loyalty costs.
“I get it,” I murmur as we continue down the road. “I still owe you one punch to the face, though.”
He doesn’t answer, but I hear a soft exhale through the line, almost a laugh, and then he revs his engine and takes the lead the rest of the way.
When the neon lights of Celeste come into view, they seem to cut through the night, and glow across the line of people queued up outside. As we pull up, Sylus smoothly guides the bike past the line and to the back, where he parks.
Sliding off the bike, I pull off the helmet, smoothing my hair and letting the dress fall back into place as Koen steps out of his car nearby. I turn to him and ask, “Why’d we park back here?”
He offers me my purse, and I take it. Before he can answer my question, Levi grabs my hand, guiding me toward the back entrance with a grin. “You only go in through the front if you want to be seen.”
At the door, the bouncer nods in recognition as he steps aside to let us in. We slip through and enter a dim hallway. The throb of music grows louder with each step until it finally explodes around us as we enter the main part of the club. My eyes go wide, taking in the luxe setup, the flashing lights, the crowd swaying to the beat.
I look up at Levi, who’s still holding my hand and pulling me through the throngs of people. “You go into the crowd like this?”
“Chill.” He chuckles, glancing down at me. “It’s only until we’re up in the VIP booth.”
The crowd presses in, the scent of perfume, cologne, and liquor filling the air. Ezra is at our back, with Koen and Sylus trailing behind him. As we push deeper, people begin to recognize Levi, murmurs and glances following us. I watch a woman turn, reaching out toward him with that starstruck glint in her eye.
Before she can make contact, I intercept her hand with mine, pushing her away. “Look, don’t touch!” I snap, standing in front of Levi, then pulling him forward. He laughs, clearly amused, and I glance back, making sure everyone’s still with us. Ezra’s gaze meets mine, his brow raised in a silent question. “What?” I yell over the music, but he simply shakes his head with a hint of a smile.
Finally, we reach another bouncer who opens a private stairway leading to the second floor. As we head up, the pulse of music vibrates beneath my feet, sending a hum of excitement through me. The space is open, overlooking the dance floor below, but secluded enough to offer some privacy.
This is fucking amazing.
Levi takes my hand and twirls me, and that’s all it takes to break the ice, Sylus joining in to dance off the stress of the evening. The waiters drift in and out of our booth, balancing trays of champagne glasses and bottles nestled in ice trays. Levi and I fill glass after glass, toasting to nothing and everything as the night presses on, and I spend much of it dancing between Levi and Sylus, lost in the rhythm of it all as time slips away into the steady pulse of the bass.
At some point, a remix of “Alors on Dance” by Stromae starts up, and Sylus grins down at me, his fingers grazing my hip as he pulls me in. By now, everything is warm and loose but also electric like the night itself is alive, and I find myself forgetting the tension from earlier, abandoning myself to the moment.
This is what I needed.
I catch sight of Koen where he lounges on the couch, watching us with a small smile, his gaze tracking my every move. Ezra is standing behind Levi, close enough to step in if need be but far enough to give us our space.
As I laugh at Sylus wiggling his eyebrows at me, my purse vibrates. Pulling out my phone, tipsy as hell, I try to focus on the screen. Captain Bossy. The name makes me grin, and I open the message.
You okay?
Sylus looms over my shoulder as he asks curiously, “Who’s texting you?”
I roll my eyes with a laugh. “Captain Bossy.”
He squints in confusion. “Captain who?”
“Alaric, I think.” That’s his name, right? “He’s probably worried he hasn’t heard back from me.”
Sylus rolls his eyes. “He’s a little scaredy-cat.”
I type out a quick reply, filing Sylus’s comment about the good captain for when I can think about it more clearly.
I’m fine. But I have to kick your ass soon.
Would be deserved.
I grin, biting my lip as I type again.
Would be easier if you were here.
I don’t know if I should make my ass-kicking easier for you.
Sylus called you a little pussy. You should definitely come to whoop his ass.
I won’t be baited by a guy who wears T-shirts meant for five-year-olds.
A laugh bursts from me, a deep, full sound that draws Sylus’s attention. He grins as he plucks my phone from my hands and reads the thread.
“Okay, you laughed way too hard at this.” He presses the screen, holding the phone up as he records a voice message. “Ric, my man, fuck off.” He grins and ends the message, tossing my phone back into my purse. “Let’s put that thing away,” he says, pulling me back into his orbit, his hands guiding my hips as we move to the beat.
Warmth radiates from his possessive grip, his palms traveling over the curve of my waist, his fingers tracing a line up my spine as he pulls me in closer. The playful gleam in his eye shifts to something deeper, something smoldering as our gazes lock and we move effortlessly together.
He ducks down so his lips hover below my ear, his words slipping past the music and wrapping around me. “I can’t wait for later… when it’s just us, and you’re all soft and quiet for me.”
Sylus’s fingers slide up the slit of my dress, his touch grazing my thigh, while his lips find the spot where my neck meets my shoulder. My head tilts back, letting the rhythm and his touch consume me .
Then, Levi swoops in, grabbing my hand and pulling me away. “Birthday boy perks,” he yells, tossing Sylus a teasing grin. I laugh at Sylus’s unamused expression as Levi hands me another glass of champagne, and I take it for what it is—an opportunity to catch my breath.
Levi and I toast, clinking our glasses, the bubbles tickling my nose as I take a long sip. His eyes shine as he watches me, but after a few seconds, his gaze drifts to Ezra, as I’ve noticed it has all night. The lights shift, lighting up the secluded section we’re in long enough for me to see Ezra is watching Levi too. I thought it was his protectiveness, but there’s definitely something else lingering in his gaze.
Ohhh…
My grin grows wider as I start to sway again, silently wondering if Levi has any clue about Ezra’s little crush on him. With my glass raised above my head, I spin, and then Sylus steps up behind me, finding my waist again. We pick back up where we left off, him pressing close, but Levi waves him off with the flick of a hand. “Shoo. It’s still birthday boy’s turn.”
Right, birthday boy.
There are two of them.
I drain the rest of my champagne and glance over at Koen, who’s still seated on the plush couch, watching the scene unfold with his usual calm intensity. Grinning, I sway over, stopping in front of him. “Is this seat taken?”
Koen’s smirk deepens as he gestures with an open hand next to him. “Not at all.”
Without hesitation, I slide onto his lap, my legs straddling him as I settle in. His gaze locks onto mine, and for a split second, a flicker of surprise crosses his eyes, and then it vanishes, replaced by that smug, unreadable expression.
Let’s see if we can crack that exterior tonight.
He doesn’t stop me, contrary to the last time I tried this, so I start to move, rolling my hips slowly against him, letting myself sink into the beat. My fingers trace light patterns along his shoulders as I lean in close. The dress has ridden up, leaving my thin G-string and his suit pants as the only barriers between us.
Koen’s gaze doesn’t wander. It doesn’t drop to my body like every other guy’s does when I do this. He’s not looking at my legs, hips, or chest. His eyes stay locked on mine as if he’s stripping me bare without even touching me.
Under normal circumstances, that would have been a giant red flag. But it’s Koen, and his control flusters me the longer he maintains it, bringing a warmth creeping into my cheeks. My breath catches, and my vulnerability rises to the surface under his unrelenting gaze. I consider looking away to see if that would break the connection, but Koen catches my chin with his fingers before the thought is fully formed, his thumb tracing a line along my jaw. “Eyes on me.”
I obey but stop my dance, my chest rising and falling with shallow breaths as his fingers push lightly into my skin while his thumb strokes a slow, lazy path along my chin. My whole body responds to him, heat pooling low in my stomach, and I start to move again, but this time, it’s not a dance. It’s a squirm.
Koen’s self-assured grin only deepens. His hand is steady as he keeps my chin tilted toward him and he leans in, the warmth of his breath brushing my lips as he says, “Good girl.”
Shivers run all over me, my body responding helplessly, my breaths coming faster under his gaze, wanting nothing more than to close the small space between us.
Koen’s expression says he knows exactly the effect he’s having on me, and that only makes it worse. The need to break free overtakes me. I push off his lap, standing abruptly, feeling the rush of cool air as I put distance between us. “Champagne!” I abruptly yell, cutting through the music.
I grab another glass without looking to see anyone’s reaction to my outburst, and as I take another swig of the cool liquid, I catch Levi’s amused grin from across the booth, his focus flicking from me to Koen, whose gaze I can still feel lingering on me.
I turn away and let the coolness of the champagne glass ground me as I take another long sip, hoping it’s enough to calm the wildfire Koen has set inside me.