Chapter 1
Even going in the back entrance of the Hush Hush Club didn’t save me from the relentless pursuit of the paparazzi. As I approached the entrance, the familiar sounds of cameras mixed with shouts of my name that I’d learned to completely ignore.
I hustled through the door past security, flashing them a smile of gratitude when the beefy security guard quickly closed the door behind me.
“Thanks,” I said. “They’re relentless tonight.”
“Of course, Miss Everleigh,” he replied. “West is at the bar.”
I pushed through the pulsing crowd, the night already in full swing. Flashing lights bathed the skin of Hollywood’s beautiful people tonight, just like it did every night here at the club. The line that stretched around the block and led outside the door that I’d bypassed was full of hopeful hipsters eager to do almost anything to get into the club my brother and his friends had created. Frequented by A-list celebrities, the club had become the most likely place to rub elbows with anyone important in this town.
But I wasn’t here to do that.
I was much more interested in some place else.
My brother greeted me with his usual resigned ambivalence.
“Hey,” I said. He grunted in greeting and I hugged his new love, Kaylee. I grabbed a drink from the bartender and stood at West’s side as he looked out over the crowd.
“Everything okay?” I asked.
“Yep, just watching,” he said. My brother, West, was obsessed with the club and his career. Until Kaylee had come along, I was sure he’d die a bitter, lonely workaholic. Now, at least he wouldn’t be lonely. I was hoping Kaylee could keep him from burning out and so far, he seemed much better.
I scanned the crowd, unable to quiet the burning question in my head.
“Where’s Theo?” I asked, trying my best to sound casual.
“I don’t know,” he shrugged.
“When’s he going to be in?” I asked. West’s immediate irritation told me I’d failed at sounding casual.
“Don’t worry about it,” he said, his lips twisting with displeasure. “It’s none of your business.”
“I was just making conversation, jeez,” I replied.
“Leave Theo alone, Everleigh,” he said. “He’s super busy these days and has enough problems to deal with. The last thing he needs is you hovering around and bothering him.”
“You make me sound like an annoying gnat,” I snapped.
“Hey, you said it, not me,” he shrugged. A wave of frustration washed over me as he turned back to Kaylee and slung his arm over her shoulders, effectively dismissing me.
I downed my drink and put the glass back on the bar before heading out to the dance floor. I knew West was watching me, but I didn’t care. I was tired of him treating me like a child – an annoying, unwanted little sister specifically. It might take a little time, a little clever maneuvering on my part, but I knew eventually I’d get what I wanted.
In the meantime, I needed to let off a little steam and the dance floor seemed to be the right place to do it. I stopped in the middle of the dancefloor and began slowly moving my hips to the beat, flashing welcoming, friendly smiles at anyone who caught my eye. Within just a few seconds, I was joined by a gorgeous guy with wavy dark hair and a body that looked like it was sculpted from marble.
We didn’t speak, we just smiled a silent agreement and lost ourselves in the music together. His hands rested on my hip. His thighs sandwiched mine, and we moved our hips together rhythmically, sensually. He stared deeply into my eyes, his smile wide and happy.
We danced together for a few songs until we were both covered in a thin sheen of sweat, our breathless smiles stretched across our faces.
“I’m going to get a drink,” I said, attempting to bow out of the next song. It felt good to be there, dancing in a public space without the prying eyes of a camera lens being shoved in my face. For the first time in a long time, I felt like a normal person.
“Thanks for the dance,” I shouted in his ear. “I really needed that.”
I started to walk away and felt his fingers snake around my bicep and pull me back.
“Wait!” he growled, reaching his pocket. “Let me get a selfie? Nobody will ever believe this happened to me.”
My heart dropped. So much for feeling normal.
I reached down and pried his fingers off my arm, flashing him a polite, tight smile.
“No, thank you,” I said, shaking my head and walking away. The look on his face annoyed me. It was half entitled outrage and half puppy dog. Like I’d just kicked him or something. Like I owed him something.
Story of my life.
I longed to have just one normal experience, just one situation in my life that wasn’t laced with the travails that came with fame. There were days where the trade off wasn’t worth it. That didn’t mean I was ungrateful, but there was a price I paid for this life.
I found Kaylee at the bar without West and sat down next to her. I motioned to the bartender for another glass of wine and turned to her.
“Looks like you were having fun,” Kaylee said.
I groaned and shook my head. “Yeah, until he asked for a picture.”
“Ah, yes, the price of fame. I’ve had to get used to that with West. No matter where we go, people want to get close to him.”
“Right,” I said, nodding in agreement. “Neither of us seem to like that part so much.”
We sat sipping our drinks before I decided to confide in my brother’s fiancée. I liked Kaylee and she’d been good for West.
“I’m glad to have a few minutes alone with you,” I said.
“Me, too,” she said, smiling warmly at me.
“I was hoping maybe you could help me with something,” I admitted.
“Of course, anything,” she said.
“I was hoping you’d say that. The thing is, I know about the temple downstairs.”
“Oh?” Kaylee asked, lifting a brow. I couldn’t tell if she was trying to play innocent, but she wasn’t denying it.
“Yes,” I said, nodding firmly. “And I want to go down there and experience it for myself”
“Oh.”
“Right,” I said. “I know I’m going to get a lot of pushback from West. Which is why I wanted to talk to you about it.”
“Well, I don’t have any say in it, Everleigh.”
”I know, it’s all West and Theo and Rian,” I admitted. “But West respects you, Kaylee. If you put in a good word for me, maybe he’d change his mind. I mean, you two haven’t even been hanging out there that much lately, right?”
“How did you know that?” she asked.
“I didn’t, not for sure,” I shrugged. “I just guessed, considering you two barely leave your house these days.”
She giggled adorably, and bit her lip.
“Look, I know for a fact West would not approve.”
“And I bet you think that’s not fair, don’t you? I’m an adult. I should be allowed to go wherever I want.”
She looked over at me skeptically while she drank her wine. Finally, she leaned over and whispered in my ear.
“You didn’t hear this from me, but there’s a masquerade party tonight after hours for potential new members of the temple.”
My eyes widened at her words.
“We’ve been inviting random people for a week or so. Everyone is supposed to show up scantily dressed and masked here at the club. If you showed up in disguise, nobody would know it was you. If you’re chosen, you’d get to spend a night downstairs.”
“That’s perfect!” I said. “But there’s just one problem. West.”
“West and I have a date at home tonight. So, don’t worry, I’ll be keeping him busy.”
“Oh, my god, Kaylee, you’re the best!” I flung my arms around her and hugged her tight.
“Hey, I get it,” she said, hugging me back.
I pulled away and sat back on my seat, my heart racing with anticipation.
“I know just what I’ll wear,” I said.
“Just make sure nobody recognizes you, or I’ll never hear the end of it from West,” she said.
“The end of what?” I said, batting my eyelashes innocently. “You didn’t say a thing.”
We laughed and I downed the rest of my wine.
“I need to go to the ladies room,” I said.
“I’ll come with you,” Kaylee said. We walked to the bathroom, weaving in and out of the crowd.
I could hardly contain my excitement. The party tonight was just the in that I needed. With just a little luck, I’d be finally experiencing the temple. I’d been intrigued since I’d overheard Theo and Rian talking about it one night. They had no idea I was listening, and I’d not said a word to either of them since, but I’d been silently watching them from afar.
Once, I’d snuck into Theo’s office when he wasn’t there and saw the video feed of the empty temple. I’d put two and two together and figured out just what was going on down there.
I’d been praying to get into the place since then.
And now, it looks like my prayers had been answered.
I was so lost in my thoughts that I wasn’t watching where I was going, and as I turned the corner that led to the back exit of the club, I ran smack into Theo’s wide barrel chest.
“Umpfgh,” I groaned into his shirt. I took a step back and stared up at him, my heart skipping a beat, just as it always did when I saw him. His chiseled face never failed to have that effect on me. He nodded a greeting at Kaylee and turned to me with a scowl.
“Where are you going in such a hurry?” He growled.
“I’m going home in a minute,” I lied. “I uh, I’m not feeling well.”
“Where’s your security guy?”
“Waiting for me outside,” I said. Lie number two. In my haste, I’d forgotten to call him to pull around and I’d be bombarded by paparazzi during my wait.
“I didn’t see him, and I just came in,” Theo argued.
“I’ve got it handled,” I said.
Theo growled his displeasure, squinted his stormy eyes, and turned away with a head shake that was half disappointment and half exasperation.
I had no idea why he treated me this way.
I’d been obsessed with him forever, much to my dismay. There were times when he acted like we hadn’t gone through one of the most traumatic experiences ever together. Like our dark secret didn’t even exist. You’d have thought that might warrant a little warmth now and then, but Theo apparently did not think so.
The truth was, I had no idea what Theo was thinking.
He was impossible to get close to, forever holding me at arm’s length.
Like if we got too close, we’d both go up in flames.
But sometimes, late at night, when I was all alone, I was sure that if I didn’t get close to Theo, my repressed desire for him would explode.
Going to the temple, and finding someone else, was my only hope at dousing those flames.
“Will Theo be there tonight?” I asked Kaylee as we entered the ladies room.
“He’d better be. He’s leading the initiation.”
My heart pounded with excitement that didn’t fade the rest of the night.