“I’ll be here when you get back, okay? The faster you go, the faster it’ll be done. And then it’ll be my turn.”
Red turned and put two fingers to his mouth in a ‘V’ before sticking out his tongue at Stella. “I can’t wait.”
I wanted to take out his knees, pound him into the ground, and then piss on his fucking corpse. Stella ignored him.
Brianne took the steps back up and made her final pass, far more quickly this time without heels. When she got back, Stella moved to embrace her but Red cut her off.
“Excellent work, whore. Maybe I’ll only beat you once tonight.” He turned to Stella. “Strip, bitch.”
I hit him. I dropped him. I didn’t even think. I just acted. Mistakes always seem to happen that way.
He rolled on the ground, hands to his face. He pushed his mask off and felt around his eye. “The fuck, Sin?”
Shit. This was not the plan. Getting angry and decking one of our number was definitely not part of a winning Acquisition.
Cal’s laughing voice boomed over the sound system. “Now that’s a show, ladies and gents!”
Chapter Thirteen
Stella
Red picked himself up. He was shorter and smaller than Vinemont, but clearly angry. “You want to go outside?”
“No. But I may go over to your mother’s place and release some aggression later.” Vinemont smirked, clearly baiting Red.
Red swung. Vinemont backed out of the way easily and rushed forward, tackling Red to the ground. They devolved into a rolling, punching mass on the floor. I looked around. The nearest guests were focused on the fight. I took a few steps backwards, then a few steps more, then I was in the thick of the masked crowd. Some of them glanced at me and went back to their work. Others couldn’t tear their attention away from the fight.
I turned and ran. I had no thought except escape. It was as if a host of klaxons were ringing in my head, my heart, alerting me to the mortal danger. I cut through the reaching hands and past the servants around the edges. I ran through the first open set of doors, my heels almost going out from under me as I turned the corner. I sped faster until a man stepped in front of me. I slammed into his chest and he wrapped his arms around me.
“Going somewhere, Stella?”
I knew that voice. “Lucius?”
He dragged me sideways into an antechamber off the main hall and kicked the door closed behind us.
“The one and only.” He held me close to him, his hands pressing into the bare skin at my back. A deep emerald mask hid his face, but I could see his eyes, light yet piercing. “Where were you going?”
“J-just away from there.”
“Wouldn’t that kill your father?” He slid a hand lower down my back.
Guilt crashed down on me. I had run from pure instinct, just as if I’d pulled my hand away from the fire. I couldn’t do things like that. I had to leave my hand in the flames until it crisped and charred. My father’s life depended on it.
“Yes.”
“I could save you, you know?” His hand went lower, and slid beneath the fabric of my dress.
“What?”
“I mean, you’ll still be an Acquisition for a year, nothing to be done about that. But you could choose me. You could tell Sin you’d rather be mine.”
“You’re even worse than he is.” I tried to back away, but he held me fast and pinned me against his chest.
“Am I? Am I the one who threatened your father? Who prosecuted him? Who forced you into the contract?”
No. Vinemont had done all those things and more.
“See, Stella. I haven’t hurt you or trapped you.” His hand smoothed along my ass as he put his other hand at my chin and pulled my face up to his. “I could make this whole thing more bearable for you.”
“I don’t trust you.” My voice was so breathy, like he’d taken the air from the room with his seductive words.
“You shouldn’t.” He leaned down, his lips so close to mine.
The door burst open as Vinemont rushed in. “Stella?”
“Another time, then?” Lucius whispered to me.
“What the fuck are you doing here?” Vinemont rushed to me, a trickle of blood flowing from his busted lip. “Get away from her.”
Lucius released me. “I was just talking to her.”
“Like hell you were.” Anger rippled off Vinemont. “She’s mine, Lucius. Leave her alone.”
Vinemont stood behind me and wrapped a possessive hand around my neck. “Mine.” It was more of a growl than a word.
Two servants rushed in behind Vinemont.
“I think you’ll find this man doesn’t have an invitation. You’ll need to escort him out. Roughly.”
“Come on, Sin.” Lucius smiled.
Lucius’s snake-like charm didn’t work on Vinemont.
“Out.”
Each servant grabbed one of Lucius’ elbows and hustled him from the room.
“Later, Stella,” he called. His voice echoed along the now-empty marble hallway.