Chapter 23
ALEX
Luca studied me from across the ballroom. He sat beside Marcello on a throne-like chair, whispering to his brother without looking away. Whenever we were in the same room, I felt his presence.
Sonny looped his arm through mine and spun me in the opposite direction, and as we walked toward the bar, Kali Marx approached us.
She waved. “Hey, I’m Kali. You must be Alexandrea. I’ve heard so much about you.”
“Call me Alex.”
Kali curled her hand around Sonny’s bicep, flashing a grin. “I’m sure this one has told you a few things.”
“Are you calling me the town gossip?” Sonny held his hand over his heart and feigned a sad expression. “You wound me, Kali from Cali.”
Kali rolled her eyes. “I’ve lived in Connecticut long enough that you can drop from Cali .”
Sonny slid his arm behind Kali’s back, pulling her close. “You’ll always be an outsider. But that’s okay. We still love you.”
“Founders are such snobs,” she cooed.
He pointed a finger at his chest. “Not this one.”
“That’s debatable,” I interjected. “You asked me to take a ride on your yacht.”
“Maybe I wasn’t talking about my boat,” he quipped.
The three of us burst into a fit of laughter. I was having fun for the first time since I’d moved to Devil’s Creek. Around Sonny, I could be myself while discovering the truth about my family and this town.
Of course, the Salvatores shot daggers at us from across the room.
To hell with them.
“Do you have plans this week?” Kali asked me. “We should grab lunch at Blue Moon Cafe.”
“Sure. That sounds good.”
“I love the chili fries at Blue Moon.” Sonny licked his lips. “I’m coming with you, pretty ladies.”
“No, you’re not.” Kali objected. “This is a girl’s lunch.”
“Fine.” He stuck out his tongue, and she laughed. “But next time, we’re getting takeout and eating it at the marina. On my yacht.”
“Deal.” She smiled at Sonny, then turned to me. “How does Wednesday sound?”
I glanced across the room to find Luca laser-focused on me. No shocker there.
Stalker .
I nudged Sonny with my elbow. “Can you ask my keepers if I have plans for Wednesday?”
He nodded and slipped through the crowd, headed toward the Salvatores’ table.
“How’s it going?” Kali leaned into me, keeping her voice low. “Are they treating you okay?”
“Yes,” I lied. “The Salvatores have been very welcoming .”
She gave me a look that said she knew I was lying. “They’re controlling, huh?”
Before I could answer her question, Sonny appeared at my side. “Noon on Wednesday.”
“Great.” Kali grinned. “I have to mingle, or my dad will give me shit. Come find me later.”
Then she walked away.
“You look like you could use another drink,” Sonny said as he swiped two champagne glasses from a server’s tray, handing one to me.
“Do you read minds?”
“I read faces,” he countered. “Don’t worry. This will all be over soon. Just smile and look interested. Everyone is watching you.”
He was right.
Most of the guests took a second to appraise me. Being the only granddaughter of Carl Wellington III drew a lot of attention my way. And with Aiden’s sudden disappearance raising questions, I’d become even more interesting to these people.
I ignored all of them.
Their whispers.
The gossip.
As my gaze swept around the room, I found Luca once more. He sat beside his father. Marcello was on his father’s left side, while Bastian and Damian were next to Luca. The chairs had high backs with intricate symbols carved into the wood. An S with a snake wrapped around it—like The Serpents.
Luca rested his elbow on the arm, leaning over to speak to his father, who gave him a curt nod. His terrifying gaze swept over the room and landed on me.
Were they talking about me?
Pops crossed the room and tapped Sonny on the shoulder. “Mind if I borrow my granddaughter for a moment?”
“Go ahead, Mr. Wellington. She’s all yours.”
Pops extended his hand. “Can I have this dance?”
The band played a slow tune, all instrumental to a soothing beat. I took his hand, placing the other on his shoulder. We swayed back and forth, gliding across the dance floor, pretending everyone’s eyes were not on us.
He tipped his head as we passed an older couple who smiled at us. “You’re getting along well, I see.”
“As expected.”
Pops spun me around, so I faced the Salvatores. Luca burned a hole through me like he had X-ray vision. His intense gaze made me feel naked, bared to him in front of everyone. It was frustrating, intoxicating, and confusing.
“Far right corner,” Pops whispered into my ear. “Four men, all in black tuxedos and carnival masks. Do you see them?”
He spun me again, and four tall, stunning men stared at us.
“Who are they?”
It was hard to tell with everyone wearing masks.
“The people your brother chased after.”
A rush of excitement shot through my veins. “The Serpents?”
“Yes.”
Last year, The Serpents invited my brother to join them. Not long after, he vanished faster than a cloud of smoke.
“The only way out is through,” Pops told me. “One of The Serpents will ask you to dance. Say yes. Let him lead.”
As he turned me, I scanned the crowd. Everyone looked happy, entranced by the music, alcohol, and gourmet food. They were blind or oblivious, not the least bit affected by the overwhelming power of the Salvatores.
“I need to get out of this house,” I muttered. “Marcello hasn’t let me out of his sight. I have no freedom. It’s like living in a cage.”
“Your belongings are on the way to Devil’s Creek. Everything will return to normal this week,” he assured me, though I did not find his words comforting.
I sighed. “How do you figure?”
“I rented a space in town for Wellington Architecture and Design. Your parents have a handful of clients waiting for them to open their doors. I know it’s not the work you were doing for Madeline Laveau, but it will keep you busy.”
I stared at him in disbelief. “How did my parents manage that? They don’t know anyone in Devil’s Creek.”
Pops twirled me one last time, giving me the perfect view of the Salvatore table. “When you have enough money, you can make anything happen.”
“Anything except make the Salvatores go away.”
He followed my gaze. “Arlo doesn’t want money.”
“No, he wants revenge.”