Page 68 of Midnight Danger

The auction started and a few times I tried to cough to relieve the pressure in my throat. Jordan summoned a passing waiter and lifted drinks for us all, downing a glass of champagne before lifting another from the tray for himself. The water trickled down my throat like acid burning a pathway.

Our auction finally came up and I seriously doubted I could speak. I lifted my hand to bid, but Cassandra caught it.

“Can I bid, sweetie? I’ve never been to an auction before.” She sounded like an airhead instead of the intelligent woman I married.

I smiled indulgently and lifted her hand to kiss the inside of her wrist.

“There goes my pension fund,” I croaked, and a ripple of laughter surrounded us.

Her shuttered expression told me she was barely holding herself together, but she bid and giggled with Megan as if they’d been let loose in a shoe store with a credit card. Jordan smiled benignly, but I knew he was watching everything intently.

“Going once, twice, last time. The winner is Mrs. Bartholomew,” the auctioneer said.

Cassandra bounced up and down and threw her arms around my neck. People clapped and laughed around us at her display of extravagance.

“Well she had me convinced,” Ash said in my ear.

The auction continued, Jordan and I pretending to bid on various lots. He even won a watch he’d probably donate to charity tomorrow, and a pair of sapphire earrings for Megan. Our presence here had to look real.

Cassandra bid on a diamond ring, claiming it would match her necklace, much to the amusement of those around us.

“Welcome to married life,” a stranger to my right commented dryly.

I raised my glass in silent salute.

When it was over, Jordan and I went to organise payment while the girls stood beside the buffet table. I was suitably scandalised when they couldn’t find my jewels, trying to sound as normal as possible.

“My wife wanted those,” I grated out through my bruised throat. “I want them found because a happy wife keeps me happy. Understand?”

Jordan intervened, demanding they go and look again while drumming his fingers on the counter to display his temper.

I lounged against the desk in the pretence of boredom while surveying everyone around us. There were people here that I knew, but others I’d never seen before in my life. I made sure to do a full sweep of the room for Ash to record them all. Whoever these people were, the Council tended to keep a database of potential enemies.

The gallery was closed down as predicted and the security staff began to pat-down everyone. As soon as the fucker who’d texted Cassandra in the past made his way toward her, I saw red and stormed in his direction.

“You put a finger on my wife, and I’ll break it.” I sneered at him.

He eyed me cautiously, his expression telling me he knew Marco intended to kill me. Fear entered his gaze since I was still alive, his eyes flicking around the room to search for the other man.

“I would advise you to walk away,” I continued. “You don’t want to become my enemy.” The demon inside me wanted him to provoke me. It didn’t sit well with me that my wife became a murderer tonight to save my sorry ass. I wanted to bring Marco back from the dead. To kill him all over again so that sin was on my soul and not polluting hers.

“People like you make me sick,” he hissed, stepping forward to face me. “She only chose you because you have money and position.”

My eyebrow arched. “She never even gave you her number, her friend did. Take the hint, she changed her SIM card to avoid you.”

His top lip lifted in an ugly sneer.

“Baby, what’s happening?” Cassandra’s arm laced through mine. “This isn’t fun anymore.”

“No,” I agreed, staring at the fucker who was fast working his way up my ‘problem’ list. “It isn’t. Let’s go home.”

I pushed past him and deliberately walked toward another security guard to let him search us so we could leave. Jordan had disappeared to the toilet, so I had no doubt that gun was currently well hidden in a cistern or roof tile. There would be no fingerprint or DNA evidence on it.

“Let me know when you find my other purchase,” I snapped on my way out to the master of ceremonies who hovered at the door to apologise for the inconvenience.

“Can you drive?” Cassandra asked in a hushed whisper as my weight slumped on her.

“Yeah, these people know I never let anyone drive my car, they’ll know something is wrong if I hand my keys over to you.”

---