Page 8 of Queen of Diamonds

In a nightmare, Ace’s hand closed around mine. Crimson glistened in the dim light of the mansion hallway, blood dripping from the dagger I held with his hand closed around mine so I couldn’t let it go.

His words tickled my neck as the tang of iron curdled with the stomach-turning scent of redwood and roses. “You thought he could help?”

“Glade?” Tallow was waving a hand in my face, a slight frown on his.

“I’m fine.” I swallowed. “I just need?—”

“Girl. I brought drinks up. That pack waiting for you is fucking hot. Look, Molly’s extra tonight…” He gave me a meaningful look. “If you did want to?—”

“How many?” I cleared my throat, fighting with everything I had to keep my voice steady.

“Huh?”

“Upstairs—the pack asking after me. How many?”

Tallow gave me a sly look. “Three.”

Three.

Could I deal with three if I was good enough? I’d be giving them what they wanted, going to them.

Brotherhood packs typically ran between three and six. If I’d identified one out there, if I could neutralise three, would that give me a shot?

But there could be more. That last time I’d had to flee, it had only been two packs. All Alphas, happy to split the obscene reward I knew Ace must have offered. Greed was the only thing on my side. The more packs, the more they’d have to split.

“Tried asking me about you six different ways,” Tallow was saying. “They’re obsessed.”

“You didn’t notice any… flower tattoos on them, did you?”

He shrugged. “They did have ink, but I didn’t notice any flowers. A dragon, skulls, stuff like that.”

“Okay…” I made the decision in a split second. “I’m going up.”

Tallow’s expression lit up. “Excellent!”

I had one choice.

Ace’s men had found me and I was stuck in the High Roller. My home, filled with the only people I could call family.

The card was a taunt, which meant they knew where I was. If I wanted to get out, it would have to be without their notice. If they cornered me, if they threatened anyone here—it was over. I would cave in a heartbeat.

The one thing I knew about Ace’s men was that they weren’t sloppy. The card meant they had been tracking me for a while, and that meant they knew my habits.

If I was right, then they would know I never saw packs.

That meant on the small off chance the pack upstairs weren’t Ace’s men, a pack could be my only way out without notice.

My decision was made.

“I need a favour,” I told Tallow. “The Rose Royale Alpha. If he asks after me, tell him I’m serving downstairs.”

“But you just?—”

“Please, please, please. No questions.”

“Fine.” Tallow grinned, zipping his mouth with a nod. I forced myself to roll my eyes as if adrenaline wasn’t scorching my veins and terror making it impossible to think.

“Thank you,” I said. I waited until he was gone, then I snatched up my purse, slinging it over my shoulder, and backed up to the back door of the breakroom. From here was a back staircase that led to the third floor. But more importantly, in the storage rooms back here was exactly what I needed.

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