2. Finley
Finley
The best way to describe January in New York was gray.
The sky was cloudy and overcast. The snow had turned to a murky color, no longer fresh and clean, and the trees were barren skeletons of themselves.
With all the buildings, lights, and people rushing about, you didn’t notice this as much in the city, but out here in the country, it was less than idyllic.
Since I landed two days ago, I’d been holed up in my hotel room, researching everything I could about Delilah and her friends.
They had all grown up in the same circle, and Delilah had always been the ringleader—well, gatekeeper, more like.
If she decided you were out, then nothing could save you except fixing whatever you did to piss her off.
Maxwell Casper, the gentleman who I was “friends” with, had been a stalwart companion of Delilah’s for years.
He was a flamboyantly gay man who dabbled in his own line of men’s accessories.
For the past three months, he had been in Paris, working with a few designers, and Delilah was throwing a party out at the ranch this weekend to celebrate his return.
He was bringing me along as his plus one, a fast new friend he’d made on the trip.
It was something he apparently had a habit of doing.
Sitting in the corner of the bright pink Hummer limo, I observed the four other people we had picked up along the way.
Delilah was already at the ranch, while the rest of us had to drive three hours to join her, giving me plenty of time to study their interactions.
My natural disposition was to be more on the quiet side, but my training had taught me to blend in with any crowd.
I could be the quiet one when it suited the job, but I knew how to open up when that was the best course of action.
Right now, with everyone fighting for the spotlight, it wasn’t hard for me to fade into the background.
“Alexia, how is it that Maxwell talked you into coming all the way from France for this party?” Jemma asked, cutting off all other conversation as they looked at me.
Ah, it seemed the interrogation had begun.
“Oh, I’m actually just starting out in the fashion industry, and Maxwell totally saved my ass.
I was picking out fabric for my next line of lingerie, and the store owner was trying to swindle me on the price.
Of course, I don’t speak a word of French, so I wasn’t even sure what he was trying to tell me!
Max was there, doing his own shopping, and swooped in to save the day.
” I giggled, giving Maxwell a playful smack on the arm.
Maxwell flashed me a bright smile, shaking his head before he turned to the others.
“The poor thing looked so lost, I just couldn’t in good conscience let that man trick her like that.
We have to look out for our own in this fierce business.
Especially since Alexia isn’t as blessed as those of us with filthy rich parents.
This girl has been slaving out of a rented workspace in the warehouse district. ”
The others gasped at this information, eyes wide in horror.
“You poor thing, having to live like that. I hope Maxy paid for your flight out here since I’m sure he didn’t give you an option,” Lilly said, her plump injected lips giving me an exaggerated pout that I thought was supposed to be reassuring.
Instead it just made me want to roll my eyes at how bad her acting was knowing she was insulting me for being poor.
I turned and glared at Maxwell. “Look what you’ve done! Now they think I’m some pauper on the streets! Tell them the truth.”
Maxwell rolled his eyes and leaned in, causing the others to do the same to make sure they didn’t miss a word. “Alexia was on vacation in Paris. She’s from L.A.—her family is invested in the liquor business. She isn’t living off Daddy’s money right now, but she could if she wanted to.”
Now that they’d found out I wasn’t as interesting as they thought I might be, they all laughed and moved on to other topics.
Halfway through the trip, the drugs and liquor started to flow as they became bored.
Cocaine and champagne seemed to be the favorites, but a few blunts were passed around as well.
With practiced ease, I went through the motions, sipping my drink and distracting them from the fact that I wasn’t partaking.
Now that everyone in the car was buzzed and high, I used the time to ask about the ranch. “So, guys, Maxwell keeps telling me that there’s something special about what happens at these parties. I’m dying to know. You have to tell me!”
Brad, one of the two men in the car, gave me a wicked grin as he wiggled in to sit next to me, placing his hand on my thigh.
“Oh, it’s like nothing you’ve ever experienced before.
Your darkest desires can be fulfilled—you know the ones I’m talking about.
The secrets you keep to yourself, that make you worry about what people would think if they found out. ”
“Will you tell me yours?” I purred, leaning into him so he could easily whisper in my ear.
“I love fucking the brains out of a vamp chick and letting her drink from my neck,” Brad said, a shiver running through his body at the thought. “It’s even better when I get to beat the shit out of a shifter first; it gets the blood pumping.”
Covering my mouth in mock horror, I pulled back from him.
“That’s illegal! Vampires are never allowed to drink from the vein.
” Did this idiot even realize how lucky he was that the vampire chick didn’t just kill him?
Seemed Delilah’s hold on her supers was strong indeed if she could keep that from happening.
Brad smirked. “Trust me, babe, that is the least of it. Some of these rich fuckers get off to some sick and twisted shit, like hunting them down. Jemma over there had a lion shifter’s head mounted on her wall, tells everyone it’s from one of her dad’s Africa trips.”
Turning, I looked over at Jemma, who was chugging her champagne straight from the bottle. “She seems so sweet.”
“Oh, she’s almost as cruel as Delilah is. People only see the perfect daughter that heads up all these fundraisers, but she’s really a stone-cold killer. Wicked shot with a rifle, too,” Brad shared.
I took them all in with new eyes, my mind trying to predict what other secret deviances were lurking beneath each surface. It seemed I wasn’t the only one here who was good at hiding who they really were from the world around them. This just made my job all that much harder—no one could be trusted.
Brad let his hand shift under the hem of my tight black bodycon dress, caressing my skin. “What do you say, babe—wanna explore the dark side of human nature together?”
I gave him a sultry smile, grabbing his wrist and stopping his hand from taking its journey higher.
“Don’t take this the wrong way, but I would hate to limit my options when I haven’t gotten a chance to see what they are yet.
” I lifted his hand and sucked his pointer finger down, holding his gaze as I did it.
Pulling away, I let his finger pop out of my mouth with a smirk. “Ask me again later.”
“Damn, that’s sexy,” he moaned, leaning back and biting his lip. “God, I hope you decide to say yes because I can tell we would have a good time.”
As much as I wanted to crush all his hopes, I knew keeping my options open was going to be the smart thing. Trailing a finger down his chest, I winked. “You never know what might happen.”
“You guys, we’re HERE!” Lilly squealed.
Out of the corner of my eye I watched two guards coming to talk to the driver when we stopped at the gate.
After a few moments, we were waved through heading down the long picturesque drive.
Despite how cold it was, Lilly rolled down the window, screaming her excitement as she hung halfway out of it.
The main house was huge, built out of wood and stone with tons of windows looking out over the four hundred acres of land.
It was two stories with a patio that ran around the outside of the whole second story.
Massive wooden pillars marked the entrance to the house.
Off to the side, I could see out-buildings that would normally be used for the animals and supplies on a real working farm.
The only maintained grassy area was the first acre surrounding the house; the rest was heavily wooded.
I knew from the maps that a creek ran through the property, ending in a lake.
“Let’s get this party started, bitches!” Maxwell yelled as he tossed open the door and jumped out.
Not willing to fight my way out of the car, I waited for everyone else to get out before I did.
Seeming overly eager wasn’t going to do me any favors.
Once I was free, I discovered two guards ready to greet me with stern looks on their faces.
I raised a brow at their intimidation tactic, flashing them a carefree smile that matched the others’ drugged-up expressions.
“Ma’am, we need you to come with us,” the one on the right said before turning and heading off to a small barn just off the house.
The guard behind me put his hand on my back, giving me no option but to go with them.
I calmly went along with it; I’d prepared for this, so there was nothing to worry about.
Once inside, one took my overnight bag and searched it while the other waved a metal detector over me, both of them finding nothing of interest. I’d arranged for Maxwell to handle my weapons since he wouldn’t have to go through this search.
My knives, gun, poisons, and black bodysuit would remain tucked away under his bed until I needed them.
“We need your ID and for you to place your hand on this sensor.”
I complied, watching as my handprint popped up with my image the moment my hand was on the scanner. Maxwell had already informed us of the security steps for first-timers, so we had made sure to have my fake identity ready.
“Since this is the first time you are a guest here at the Thomas Ranch, we need you to sign an NDA. We have a lot of high-profile guests, and we ask that you refrain from taking any photos or videos during your stay. If we find that you have not followed these rules, we will press charges and confiscate your phone,” a guard informed me as he handed over the tablet for me to sign.
“Thank you, ma’am. We will escort you back to the main house now. ”
As they did just that, I looked over the property, making note of things I couldn’t see from the aerial photos I’d been working off of while planning.
There were twenty guards on the grounds at a time, according to Max, but I had a feeling there might be more since they had to watch the supers as well as the guests.
Once we reached the front door, they set down my luggage and gave me a brisk nod before heading off.
I stepped into the foyer and was immediately spotted by Maxwell and the others.
“Oh, there she is! Alexia, come over here and meet my bestest bitch in the whole wide world, Delilah!” he called, waving me over.
Aside from a new hair color, Delilah looked just like the photo I had been given.
It was now an ombré, almost black at the roots before fading down to a rose gold that set off her bronze skin.
Her hazel eyes stood out with the help of her long, thick lash extensions.
Everything about her had been primped to perfection, even if most of it was fake.
“Ah, Maxwell’s newest victim. What did he bribe you with to come all the way here for his party?” Delilah asked, giving me a welcoming smile as she laughed.
I laughed along with her before I answered. “Oh, he only raved about how the parties here were not something to be missed. That they’re a once-in-a-lifetime kind of thing.” Shrugging, I gave her a smirk. “I’m always up for a life-changing experience.”
Upon hearing my words, Delilah’s eyes lit up with excitement. “Girl, you have no idea how life-changing this weekend will be! I can’t wait to see what you’re going to be drawn to. Come on, let me give you a tour of the house and show you where you’re gonna be sleeping.”
Delilah grabbed my hand and pulled me after her.
I glanced over my shoulder at Maxwell, but he just shooed me away.
At the last second, I caught the worry in his expression before he could cover it up.
Truly, he didn’t need to be worried. I couldn’t kill her right this moment.
The United Senate needed actual proof of what she was doing so there could be no civil outrage once she was dead.
That said, Maxwell better not fuck this up for me, or I wouldn’t be the only one in trouble and fearing for my life.