Hideaway (Devil's Night 2)

“For the party?” she pointed out, jogging my memory. “The pajama party Will wanted to have for Devil’s Night?”

Oh, yeah. I vaguely heard about that. I didn’t realize Kai was hosting, though.

I stood up, smelling coffee and bread. I noticed a tray sitting near the door. “But Devil’s Night isn’t for a couple more days,” I told her.

“Yes, but they’re men now. No parties on work nights.”

She smiled sweetly, and I looked around for my clothes. Oh, right. I left them in the bathroom.

“I have so much to do.” I dived into the en suite, but my clothes weren’t on the counter where I folded and left them. They weren’t anywhere. Shit!

If Kai signed the contract, then maybe Damon got word and would be home anytime. I needed to talk to him. Had he told Kai the truth about Natalya?

“You have nothing to do,” she called, her voice getting closer, “nothing to worry about, and nothing to think about. Kai’s handling your boss, there’s no word about Damon’s return yet, and Kai has absolutely nothing for you to do today. So, eat.”

I walked back into the bedroom as she set the tray of food on the bed.

“I can’t eat,” I told her. “I can’t stay here. I…”

I trailed off, heading over to the chest of drawers. Yanking open a couple of them, I checked for some kind of clothes, finally locating a pair of lounge pants in the third drawer down.

“You can do anything you want,” she told me, her tone stern. “And I’d say we’re all due for some fun, don’t you?”

I half-smiled, unable to help myself. What is this thing you speak of? Fun? Never heard of it.

“If you leave,” Alex said, “Kai’s just going to follow you. And then all of us will follow him. And I think trouble knows where we are and has always known, and one night will make no difference.”

I paused. Yeah, Kai would follow me. I had no doubt that was true. If, by some miracle, I found Damon, I needed him alone.

“Now…” She smiled while walking over to the boutique bags sitting on the chair, a light in her eyes as if she’d won the argument. “Knowing your shyness, I took the liberty of picking out special PJs for you for the party tonight.”

Hours later—and a couple drinks coerced into me by Alex—I guessed I was ready to head down to the party, which was already in full swing. Kai had left the house after I ate the late lunch Alex had brought me, so I hadn’t seen him at all since last night.

I wondered if he was worried. Or in a bad mood over the fight with Michael last night. Or if he was angry with me. He might see it as my fault, feeling forced to sign that contract, and even though I knew it wasn’t, I also knew we kept digging ourselves in deeper. And that was definitely, in part, my fault.

If he knew Damon was

my brother, he might understand why my feelings were so strong for him and not expect me to make choices he knew I couldn’t make.

I should tell him. One less secret, right? But there was no guarantee he’d give up the vendetta, and what’s more, he hadn’t used me as leverage yet, but he could. I didn’t want him knowing exactly what he had in his grasp.

But I definitely needed to talk to Kai. What was he going to do about the contract? What if Vanessa showed up here?

And why had he kept this house off the radar? Why the secret entrance?

Ugh. Maybe I should wear those “pajamas” Alex got for me, after all. Perhaps his one-track mind would kick in and he might be more forthcoming?

Yeah, no. There was no way I was wearing a black halter top with panties clearly visible underneath a long sheer skirt. She even tried to get me into heels, for crying out loud.

I ripped everything off and dug in Kai’s drawers until I found a pair of boxers. I slipped them on and donned a fresh, white-collared shirt of his from the closet. I let her put a little make-up on me—some eyeliner, mascara, and lipstick—but my hair stayed messy. I told her I was going for the cute bedhead look, but really, I just wasn’t ready to go full force. Not that I might not like dressing up and having my hair done, but one thing at a time. I needed to feel some semblance of familiarity. Too much was happening too fast.

But at least I was more covered than she was in her tiny, red silk boxers with lace trim and pinstriped corset. I might try on something like that but definitely in private.

“Come on.” She pulled my hand.

Stepping into the hallway, I was taken back by how dark it was. I looked both ways, noticing how the lights from earlier were now turned down and, instead, lit candles glowed atop holders on small tables lining the hallway. Music drifted up from below, and I could hear the doorbell ringing.

Laughter and faint chatter mixed with the clacks of heels and tinkling of glasses.