Sweet Deceit (Privilege 4)

“I’m right behind you,” Soomie said. “I just have to check on the caterers.”

“Okay. I’ll see you up there,” Ariana replied. “Oh, hey. Do you know where Lexa is?” she asked casually. “She hasn’t left yet, has she?”

“No,” Soomie said. “She’s upstairs somewhere.”

“Cool,” Ariana said.

She made her way slowly up the slim staircase, pressing her back against the wall as a guy dressed as some Star Wars robot tromped down past her. On the second floor the music was pumping and strobe lights lit the dining room, affording flashing glimpses of goblins and ghouls and sports stars and superheroes. Kaitlynn was out there, moving to the music, but there was no sign of Lexa and Conrad. Ariana turned up the next flight of stairs and almost slammed into Marilyn Monroe making out with Shrek.

“Sorry,” she said. But they didn’t even come up for air. Both bedroom doors were closed, so Ariana quickly took the last flight of stairs and shoved open the door to the roof.

The night air was cool, but not biting. There were three long tables set up for pumpkin carving, and every seat seemed to be taken. Orange globe lights were strung from tall cornstalks all around the periphery of the roof, and overhead a huge full moon hung low over the city. Ariana walked around slowly, her heart pounding, looking out for Lexa, but also searching for her Frankenstein. As she came around to the back of the roof, behind the raised doorway, she spotted Palmer. He was standing with Rob, Christian, and Adam, cheering Landon on as he dove his face into a huge vat of apples and water. Even with a green face, a high forehead, and bolts sticking out of his neck, Palmer was the handsomest guy on the roof.

“Come on, Lan! You can do it!” Palmer shouted. “Where’re your teeth, man?”

His friends cracked up laughing. Then Landon whipped his head up, his hair flicking back, spraying all of them in the face with a million droplets of water. They all shouted and raised their arms as Landon bit through the apple in his mouth and smiled.

“Told you I could do it,” he said.

Ariana smiled. Her pulse racing, she wove slowly through the mingling crowd, waiting for Palmer to look up and spot her. She waited and waited, but he was too preoccupied with dotting the water from his face without messing up his makeup. Finally, Ariana was able to sneak up behind him and slip her hand into his.

“Hello, husband,” she whispered in his ear.

Palmer turned around, took one look at her, and grinned. “You came.”

“I did.”

Then she stood up on her toes and kissed him. She kissed him until the other guys noticed and started shouting. Until they started clapping. Until they finally got bored and walked away.

“Wow,” Palmer said, his eyelids heavy as he pulled away. “And in front of all these people. What if Lexa were here?”

Ariana smiled, looping her arm around her neck. “I’m no longer concerned about Lexa Greene,” she said, her voice husky.

“Really?” he said. “What changed?”

“I remembered who I am,” Ariana said.

Palmer’s green brow knit. “Frankenstein’s wife?”

Ariana laughed. “Exactly.”

“Well then, bride,” Palmer said. “Would you like to go downstairs and dance?”

Reluctantly, Ariana pulled away from him. “Maybe later. Right now I have something I need to take care of.”

Palmer bit his lip. “Your task?” he whispered. “I heard you hadn’t finished it yet.”

Ariana’s skin warmed. “Yeah. My task. But don’t worry. It’ll all be over by the end of the night. If I don’t see you again here, I’ll come by your room later, okay?”

“Works for me,” Palmer replied with a grin. “Happy Halloween, my wife,” he said, giving her a long, firm kiss.

Ariana couldn’t have stopped smiling if she’d tried. “Happy Halloween, my husband.”

MASTER MANIPULATOR

Ariana waited on the landing of the third floor, standing in the shadows, until she saw Palmer and his friends heading downstairs for some food. Then she quickly made her way up to the roof and toward the front of the house, where she would have a bird’s eye view of the street below. As the party swelled and ebbed around her, Ariana patiently watched until she saw a girl in a blond wig and a black coat, carrying a gold clutch, rush out the front door and into a waiting cab. Her pulse raced in excitement.

Game on.