Page 94 of Defiant
“Well, in my vast experience with all things Midpark,” Dante started, sarcasm dripping from his voice with each word, “I bet it’s going to be ridiculously snobby. Hopefully rich kids still spike the punch bowl.”
I managed to laugh at that. Spiked punch was the last thing I wanted. Right now, I just wanted to get there, meet with Bobbi, make sure everything was on track, and then get this night over with. I really didn’t want to linger at the dance any more than I had to; I’d be fine with leaving right after I was crowned. Right after making Brittany go crazy.
First Archer wasn’t allowed at the dance, and then she would fail to get her senior year Winter Queen crown.
But I had the feeling she wouldn’t take it laying down. I had the feeling that bitch would try something tonight, and I only hoped that having both Dante and Vaughn at my side would help to negate whatever blow she landed.
Midpark’s country club sat at least fifteen minutes from Ollie’s house, past Midpark High and the other schools. It held acres of greenery, golf courses and other things like tennis courts and pools. It also held a huge, white building with marble columns and statues and fountains—and a grand ballroom, where the dance was.
The dance was already started by the time we arrived, though judging from the line of cars moving slowly near the door, we weren’t the only ones coming late. Most everyone had limos or fancy black cars with their own drivers. No one spared any expense when it came to frivolity in Midpark.
My heart beat in my chest, threatening to burst. I took out my phone, texting Bobbi to make sure she was here. I didn’t have a pocket, and I didn’t trust anyone here enough to leave it in my jacket for the whole night at our table, so one of the guys would have to put it in their pocket. Oh, well. They’d suck it up and make do.
The limo neared the door, and right before it was our turn to get out, Bobbi finally responded, saying she was just inside the front door, waiting for me.
I shut my phone off and glanced between the guys. “Who wants to hold my phone all night?”
Dante and Vaughn exchanged looks, both of them silent, as if daring the other to say something first. I didn’t know if they were waiting to see what the other one would do or what, but eventually Vaughn let out a sigh and extended his hand toward me, saying not a word as I set my phone on his palm. He stuck it in his pocket as Dante glared at him.
“I was going to take it,” Dante muttered.
“Why didn’t you?”Vaughn shot back.
The limo pulled up the door, and their bickering ceased. Dante slid toward me, reaching across me to open the door. “Ladies first,” he spoke, grinning.
I had to roll my eyes at his antics, but…in reality, I was glad he was here. Not so glad he was a killer who could go on with his life as if he’d done nothing wrong, but who was I to judge? I was not the morality police. Killers slept as soundly as anyone else.
I got out of the limo first, straightening my back as I gazed at the country club’s doors. Giant glass things, string lights decorating the columns and stretching out over the parking lot, creating a makeshift night sky, even though the true sky above it was just as sparkly and pretty.
Dante and Vaughn were right behind me, and I glanced at them both before leading them inside. A uniformed worker held open the door for us, and we walked right in, as if we belonged here.
What a joke. Me, Dante, and Vaughn were the three people in Midpark who definitely didn’t belong at a place like this.
The inside of the country club was just as pristine and sparkly as its outside. The main hall of the club was redone, decorations everywhere to signal that, for tonight, Midpark High owned this place. More string lights, sparkling snowflakes hanging from the ceiling.
“Jaz!” Bobbi’s voice came from my left, and I pulled the guys aside, away from the carpet that, I assumed, led to the grand ballroom. Bobbi stood in a corner, wearing a long, mauve pink gown. A beautiful, strapless mermaid fit, her highlighted brown hair curled and sprayed with so much hairspray the curls would last all night. Her hazel eyes were done up in a perfectly-blended contour and cat-eye.
“Damn,” I said, grinning. “You clean up nice.”
She came to hug me, which was weird, but what could I do? “So do you. You look like you’re ready to take the corporate world by storm, not go to a high school dance.” Her eyes widened as she let me go, forcing me to spin around and show her the back of my coat. “And your jacket—yes. I love it.”
I shrugged. “I told you I’d rock it.”
“You did.” Her stare moved to Vaughn and Dante, who stood huddled behind me, looking quite out of place. “Your dates look yummy.”
“I’m sorry,” Dante interjected, smirking, “but everything about this stallion is taken by the girl in the slut jacket.” He flicked a thumb toward Vaughn, adding, “You can take him, though, if you want.”
Vaughn shot him a glower. No one would take either of them from me.
Bobbi laughed at the exchange, telling me, “You have your hands full with them, definitely.” She hooked her arm through mine, having already taken off her coat. “There’s a coat check, but I assume you’ll want to keep that baby close.” She walked me back to the red carpet, turning us and leading us to where the dance was being held.
I nodded, though my gaze did glance to the coat check as we passed the counter. I was pretty sure things like that cost money, anyway.
“I saved us a table in the back,” Bobbi said. “Not that any of us will be sitting for long. I assume your dates know how to dance?” She giggled. “I bet, the whole queen thing aside, you’ll be the talk of the school for weeks if you dance with them both.”
She was probably right there.
Bobbi brought us to the ballroom, where a dancefloor was staged. A group of students already swayed with the beat. A DJ sat on a makeshift stage, his speakers at least ten feet tall. A disco ball sat above the dance floor in the center, twirling and reflecting whatever colored light was being shown on it. Behind the DJ, a tall screen sat, where music videos constantly played.
