Page 145 of Beast

I falter, and Mayor Boney takes my arm. “Are you okay?”

I nod. “It’s been a day. I just need to lie down.”

He smiles. “Of course, let me take you home.”

Mayor Boney livesin a sprawling estate near Sunset Cliffs. A massive white mansion with tall arched windows and immaculate green lawns.

“You have a beautiful home,” I say as we step inside the impressive mansion.

“Thank you, please consider it your home away from home while you are here.”

I draw in a rough inhale. “Home…I guess I’ll need to look for a new one of those.”

He gives me an empathetic look. Like a politician looks at one of his voters when they’re supposed to be listening to their sad stories but aren’t paying attention at all.

It’s phony.

But that’s Mayor Boney.

“Just think what ten million dollars will buy you,” he says.

I give him a non-committal smile as his maid joins us.

He says to her, “Millie, please show Belle to one of the guest rooms. The one with the eggshell blue walls.” He looks at me. “It’s the one with the nicest views.”

“Thank you. I think I’ll take a nap. I feel like I could sleep for a week.”

“Take all the time you need, Belle. We’ll talk when you feel better. Dinner is at seven. I’ll send Millie to fetch you when it’s ready.”

I follow Millie up the staircase to the second floor, and along a hallway to the guest bedroom.

She opens the door for me. “If you need anything, just pick up the phone and dial one.”

I thank her and close the door behind me.

The room is beautiful.

Then I see the view.

It is beautiful.

And in the distance, the Knights of St. Bon clubhouse.

CHAPTER 59

BELLE

While the mayorthinks I am sleeping, I slip from the bedroom to do what I came here for.

Somewhere in this over-the-top mansion is the proof the Knights need to show the townspeople what Boney is really like.

I creep through the hallway and down the stairs, keeping an eye out for Millie or any other staff, and start looking for where the greedy fucker has stashed the proof I need.

As quietly as possible, I check closed doors. And luckily for me, I find his den on the third attempt. It’s a massive room with a high ceiling and tall patio doors at the far end of the room behind the massive desk.

I slip inside and quietly close the door behind me. The room shimmers with privilege and greed.

On the right-hand side of the room is a small bar area where bottles of top-shelf liquor gleam on glass shelves. To the left is a large fireplace with a ginormous mirror sitting above the mantle.

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