REINA
As I approached the building,I slowed to a walk, looking for any security. Two guys posted on the top of the building holding what should’ve been intimidating guns. There was a guard at the main door, which meant one would be at the back door.
I had two options—I could try and walk in like I belonged there, or I had to find a way to sneak in. Instinct told me to try and sneak in. It was the better option since I didn’t fully know what I was walking into, and my ignorance could be my Achilles heel.
But if they let me into the building, I would have free reign to figure out what was going on. Going over Blondie’s words from the bar in her head, I burst into character as I got to the door.
“Invites only.” The guard held his hand in my face, which I quickly grabbed and pushed down.
“I’ve been summoned here. I wouldn’t expect a low-life like you to be privy to such things.” I arched an eyebrow at him, taking my haughtiness to a new level. The guard stared at me, lifting his eyebrow.
“Yeah? And who summoned you here?” He smirked like he thought I was full of it.
“My father, Reggie Faulkner.” I didn’t need to lie about this one, if my father was on the list, this guy would know it, and maybe, just maybe, they had plus-ones that were allowed to attend with them. If they didn’t, sneaking in looked more and more like the best option.
“Right.” He looked me over, and I immediately regretted my casual outfit. Apparently, something more fancy would’ve been better. “Yeah, okay, go ahead.” He stepped away, and I sauntered through the door with all the hoity-toity attitude I had. I guess they did give out plus-ones to their illegal casinos. Lucky me.
Following the noises through the house, I walked into a ballroom set up as an intimate casino. I had to admit, I was impressed. If it were under different circumstances, I would find it really cool my dad was invited to something like this. But since the circumstances were increasingly more dire, I was less impressed and more annoyed.
My eyes scanned the different tables spread across the floor, noting that there wasn’t an empty seat in the house. As I moved through the room, looking for my dad, someone paused to hand me a flute of champagne. I nodded, acting like I was used to this kind of service, and took a sip of the bubbly alcohol. My nose immediately stung as the bubbles tickled my airway, and I held back a cough before depositing the drink as fast as possible.
There were plenty of armed men wandering around like me, watching everything going on. A glance at the corners of the room also confirmed that cameras were recording everything. The De Lucas weren’t messing around when it came to their money, not that I expected anything less. I still didn’t understand how my dad, of all people, got an invite to a place like this and was rubbing elbows with people like the mayor, who was also seated at a table with what looked like a hooker at his side.
My eyes swept to the next table when they stopped on a familiar brunette making her way to the back of the room at the elbow of a dark-haired man.
Irina.What was she doing here? I wove through the tables, quickly making my way to her before she went through the door. I didn’t want to call out and draw any eyes to us, not when I wasn’t entirely sure if I was supposed to be here or not. If the guard had mistakenly let me in, I wasn’t chancing being thrown out by causing a scene.
With a few more hurried steps, I caught up to her and touched her elbow as she turned quickly to see me.
“Reina, what are you doing here?”
“I could say the same to you, little sister.” My eyes flicked to the man at her side, the breath in my lungs leaving in a whoosh. He looked like the man from earlier. Not quite the same, but the same darkness and angular features that were so handsome on my attacker graced his face.
“Can we have a minute?” She turned to look at him, smiling sweetly and charming him like she did everyone. She had no idea what kind of monster he might be. Hell, I didn’t even know. But like the others who adored her sweetness and that hint of purity that made most men weak at the knees, he was no exception. He inclined his head and stepped through the door, leaving us be.
“Dad called me and told me to come here. Did he call you too?”
“No. Was he supposed to?” I pulled my phone out to check it for missed calls. Maybe while I was searching for him, he was calling for me. But my phone was empty. “Nothing.”
“Weird, I wonder what this is about.” Irina frowned slightly before tilting her head at the door as she grabbed it and pulled it open. I followed her inside, glancing at the dark-haired man uncertainly. A shiver went down my spine as I recalled my stalker’s words. He’d willingly admitted to raping women. Had this one indulged in non-consensual activities too?
“Reina.” I forced my feet to move and followed my sister up the stairs. The pending sense of dread grew heavier over me as we got to the second floor. The man stepped around us and led us into one of the rooms down the hallway, where we found our father sitting there, alone.
“Irina … Reina. Oh, I wasn’t expecting you.”
“I’ve been looking for you.” I closed the door in the man’s face before turning to face my father, crossing my arms over my chest.
“I thought as much.” He hiccupped, the smell of vodka drifting off him straight toward us. “Which is why I didn’t invite you to this meeting.”
“Well, I’m here.” I tightened my arms, stepping closer to Irina, whatever he was about to say wouldn’t be good for either of us. He stared at me as if holding my gaze might wear me down and make me back out of the room, but I was going nowhere—especially if his harebrained scheme included my little sister.
“Fine, then.” He huffed like I was being petulant. But who here was the adult who made sure the bills got paid because it sure as shit wasn’t him. “I’ve had to settle some debts, and in exchange for clearing them, the De Lucas have graciously accepted my offer to give Irina to one of them to marry.”
“What?”
“What!” Irina and I spoke simultaneously as I moved toward him with a single, threatening step. “Listen here, old man,” I pointed my finger directly in his face, only for him to swat it away.
“No, you listen. It’s this or …” There was a threatening tone to his voice that made my stomach curdle as I glared at him.
“Then give them me, not Irina.”
“No one wants you, you insolent, mouthy bitch.” He rose from his seat, grabbing Irina’s arm as he steered her toward the door.
“Aren’t you fucking charming?”
“Reina, stop. I’ll do it, okay? If it helps, if this is what we need to do, I’ll do it.”
“No one is asking you to do it, Irina. I’ll do—”
“Enough, it’s done. They’re taking your sister.” He swung the door open and all but shoved Irina through the door, right into the chest of the man who led us here.