Chapter 35 Lark
LARK
Iwas nervous.
Ugh, I swear I’d had nerves of steel before. Before Bastian.
Focusing on the mirror, I finished my makeup. I didn’t love doing makeup, but for my work, I’d had to learn to be a master. I could make myself look young or old, masculine or feminine. Tonight, I was aiming for hot.
My hair was loose and I’d given it a little wave. I was finishing my makeup. I’d gone for dark and sexy. I wanted to look like I belonged on Bastian’s arm.
Skitters moved through my belly. I pressed a hand to it and met my own gaze in the mirror.
He was under my skin. I blew out a breath. He mattered. So much. Too much.
“Focus on Dean, Lark,” I murmured.
Tonight, all I had to do was kill Dean. Then Bastian would be safe. I’d avenge my parents. I set my mascara wand down. I’d also put my complicated feelings for Ed to rest. I’d get some sort of closure.
All I was wearing was a set of black underwear. Now, I needed a dress. My bra was strapless, and my underwear were a pair of sexy, boy-short panties edged in lace. I needed panties tonight since I was wearing a dress and might need to kick someone. I didn’t want to flash my bare ass.
Bastian had said he was having a dress delivered. He’d left a little while ago to deal with things. He said he’d change in his office and meet me in the ballroom for the opening party.
“Hello?” Georgie’s voice echoed from the living room. “Lark, I have your dress.”
I grabbed a robe and slipped it on, then headed into the bedroom.
Georgie appeared in the doorway, Nash one step behind her.
He was in a tuxedo, but still managed to look a little rough and dangerous.
Georgie was in a gorgeous pink dress that looked fabulous on her.
It was a rich pink with a strapless bodice and fitted skirt. Her blonde hair was up in a twist.
Nash took a look at me in my robe and swiveled. “I’ll wait in the living room.” He disappeared.
“He’s our escort to the party,” Georgie told me.
“You look gorgeous.”
Her smile widened. “Thanks. And your makeup is so on point.” She held up the garment bag. “I have your dress.” She unzipped it.
It was red. Blood red.
I sucked in a breath. It would match my lipstick. Georgie draped the silky, flowing fabric on the bed.
“You’re going to look amazing. This color will be great with your hair.”
I swallowed. “It’s so beautiful.”
“Bastian knew exactly what would suit you.”
I shucked the robe and slipped the dress on.
It only had one shoulder and hugged my torso.
The skirt was long, with a split up to the top of my thigh on one side.
The fabric flowed like water. I swished it around.
It would give me lots of movement if I had to fight.
And of course, it was perfectly the right length for me.
I set my foot on the bed, then grabbed my custom knife sheath, and strapped it to my thigh. I slid my knives into it.
Georgie watched without making a sound. Next, I slipped into my black heels. Not too high so I could run, but high enough that I could use the heel as a weapon.
“You fasten your knives as easily as you do your shoes.”
I straightened. “I’m an assassin.”
“I noticed you’re missing one knife from your set.”
I smiled. “The one I threw at Bastian. He refuses to give it back.”
Her lips twitched. “Something tells me you won’t be getting it back.”
Funny how that didn’t bother me at all.
“Be careful tonight,” Georgie said.
“I promise we won’t ruin your opening.”
She shook her head. “It’s not that. I don’t want anyone getting hurt.”
“I won’t let Bastian get hurt.”
She touched my arm. “Not just Bastian. You be careful.” There was genuine warmth in her smile. “Like it or not, you’re a part of our misfit assassin family now.”
“Oh.” I felt flustered. “I’m not staying, Georgie. I…have work.”
She cocked her head. “Really? Do you think Bastian’s going to let you go?”
“He has a life here. He has you guys and the casino. And plenty of women to choose from.”
“None who have ever been allowed to spend more than one night. How many nights have you been here?”
My mouth was suddenly dry.
“I watch the way he looks at you, Lark.” Then she straightened. “We’d better get going. He’ll be waiting.”
“Right.” And it was time to put our plan into action. Time to end this game and end the Red Ribbon Killer, once and for all.
We walked into the living room, and I saw Nash raise an eyebrow.
“He doesn’t stand a chance.”
“Bastian or Dean?” I asked.
His gaze met mine. “Both.”
“I’m putting Dean down. Whatever it takes. He won’t have a chance to hurt Bastian again.”
Nash eyed me for a second, then nodded. “And Lark, keep yourself safe too.”
I hadn’t expect that from Nash. “I’ll do my best.”
Nash held both his arms out to the side. Georgie slipped hers through on his left, and I did the same on the right.
It was a short elevator ride to the ballroom. When the doors opened, I heard the hubbub of the crowd. There were chattering voices, polite laughter, the clink of glasses.
The ballroom had been transformed. The walls were lined with hieroglyphs, and the front of the room had been made to look like the front of an ancient Egyptian temple, complete with columns and statues of sphinxes.
Costumed performers wandered through the crowd, clad in Egyptian-style skirts and dresses.
Some waved large, feathery fronds, belly dancers writhed, and I even spotted some snake charmers, with live snakes around their necks.
The servers working the crowd were also dressed like Egyptians. The men were either shirtless or in tight-fitting, sleeveless tops with black skirts and bronze collars, while the female servers wore liquid-bronze dresses. They all wore jackal-headed masks.
“Wow,” I murmured.
Georgie beamed. “The team worked so hard to make it great.”
“You succeeded.”
“We’ve got lots of local and visiting dignitaries attending. As well as celebrities, socialites, and even a Saudi prince.”
“I promise to try not to ruin it.”
She bumped her shoulder against mine. “Let’s get some drinks. After the party, everyone will head into the theater to watch the show.”
I scanned around for Bastian but didn’t see him. I did notice Chance Tyler working the crowd. The man had the whitest teeth I’d ever seen.
Soon, I was pretending to sip champagne. I wouldn’t risk dulling my senses.
“I need to check with the caterers.” Georgie kissed Nash’s cheek. “Look after Lark.” Then she pulled me in for a quick hug. “Good luck.”
This time, the hug felt more natural. I hugged her back, then watched her hurry away. “She looks so happy.”
Nash’s lips twitched as he watched his woman. “Yeah, but just a few weeks ago, she wasn’t. She was too thin, not sleeping, and trying to kill a dangerous man.”
“Luckily, she has another dangerous man who loves her.”
“I’ll shield her, kill for her, whatever it takes to keep her happy.”
“She’s lucky.”
“So are you.” He took a long slug of his drink. “One of the best men I know would do the same for you.”
Suddenly, I couldn’t breathe.
Nash looked amused. “So, something does scare Lark Smith.” Then he jerked his head.
I turned my head and my chest locked.
Bastian looked mind-blowing edible in his tuxedo. No man should look this sexy.
The tux was lovingly tailored to every inch of his frame. My pulse jumped and I felt a little lightheaded.
He stalked toward me, the crowd parting. I noted women watching him, but his gaze was on me.
I realized that Nash had melted away into the crowd.
“I knew that dress would suit you.” Bastian slid an arm around me and pulled me against his chest. He leaned down and nibbled my lips. “I need to kill every man who’s watching you. Waiting to see your leg in that split.”
I touched his jaw. “And I’ll need to kill all the women in here weaving fantasies of taking that sexy tux off you.”
He gave a low laugh. “There’s only one woman who gets to do that.”
“How’s your shoulder?”
“What shoulder?”
I gave him a look.
“It aches a little, but it’s fine.”
“Any sign of Dean?”
“Nothing yet.” His fingers traced my bracelet. “Here.” He reached into his pocket and opened his palm. I saw the tiny earpiece resting on it. “The security team will keep us informed if they see him.”
I discreetly slipped it into my ear.
He slid his arm through mine. “We should mingle.”
Ahead, Chance was holding court with a group of important-looking people. I noted Bastian gave them a wide berth.
“Thorne.”
We both turned at the deep voice to find a couple behind us.
I took in the man first. His broad shoulders filled out his tuxedo jacket. It wasn’t custom like Bastian’s, but he still looked good in it. He was tall, with a watchful gaze, and brown hair threaded with some gold. I pegged him as a cop.
The woman with him was tall and athletic.
Her dress was silver and short, showing off her toned arms and legs.
Her blonde hair was in a ponytail, and her features were bold and attractive.
I realized that one of her eyes was prosthetic, but it moved perfectly with her other eye.
She wasn’t a cop, but she was something. Military, maybe.
“Detective MacKade.” Bastian held out a hand and the men shook.
“I don’t believe you’ve met my wife, Blair.”
“Blair, it’s a pleasure.” Bastian shook the woman’s hand.
“Nice place.” She glanced at Chance nearby, then back at Bastian. “I like your…I mean, Tyler’s casino.”
Bastian just smiled. “I’m glad you could attend the opening of the show tonight.” He looked down at me. “This is Lark Smith. Detective MacKade is a homicide detective with the LVMPD. We’ve crossed paths a few times during his investigations.”
I nodded. “Hello.” I noticed the detective’s wife watching me with narrowed eyes.
“What do you do, Lark?” Blair asked.
I had an endless supply of background stories to choose from. For some reason, I picked an entirely new one. “I’m an artist. I like to draw.”
Blair made a polite sound that told me she wasn’t buying it for a second.
“And you?”