Page 164 of Corrupt Me

My gut tells me that if something happens, it will happen tomorrow. The masks will help conceal Felix, but they’ll also shield my friends.

Twenty-four hours. By this time tomorrow, we’ll either win or lose.

***

The elegant green mermaid dress flows down my body, its deep plunging neckline accentuating every curve. It’s a spectacular dress, but the reminder that Eric gifted it to me to wear tonight dampens its shine. I secure the feathery, black and gold filigree mask over my face, adding a touch of mystery and sophistication.

When Eric sees me, he swallows hard. “You look beautiful.”

But it’s not his reaction I crave. It’s Hunter’s. Soon, he’ll see me, and how I wish it were him by my side.

I squirm in my seat, unable to find comfort as the limousine takes us to the venue. Sweat beads on my palms, and I rub them against the fabric covering my thighs, trying to ease my nerves. If we make one wrong move, everything we’ve worked for will be lost.

Trying to stay positive, I focus on the freedom waiting for us once tonight is over. It’s so close, I can almost reach out and grab it. Bravery steels my spine, and I drag in a lungful of air, brushing my fingers against my ear to check that the comm is in place.

After a short drive out of London, the car comes to a stop in front of a small castle surrounded by a vast garden.

Several men, boasting Felix’s tattoo of the Family crest, stand guard at the entrance. The moment we’re let inside, the opulence of this place leaves me in awe. Art decorates the walls, and golden statues stand like sentinels on each side of the curved, marbled double staircase. A long carpet slides over the steps in red decadence.

Above, high ceilings hold chandeliers dripping like a thousand crystals. French windows line the walls, blending seamlessly with the marble and cement.

But I can’t afford to be distracted. I scan the crowd in the ballroom, searching for Hunter. There’s no sign of Felix yet, which does nothing to ease my nerves. My presence should have drawn him out. He wants me here, so where is he hiding?

I barely register it when Eric plucks a champagne flute from a passing server and hands it to me. I sip from it as we venture further inside.

My eyes land on my friends, even though they’ve put a lot into their disguises. The girls have concealed their natural hair with wigs and wear contact lenses that mask their usual eye colors. We nod at each other stealthily behind our glasses.

It should have been me behind the screens tonight, but Mia oversees the operation instead. This time, she’ll be the one who guides us while the rest of us are out here.

I pick out my man with ease. Hunter looks regal in his tuxedo, wearing a black panther mask. A soft smile tugs at my lips, finding that endearing.

When our eyes lock, the world fades away; it’s only us circling each other in the orbit of our love.

Eric disrupts our moment, leading me to the dance floor. As he spins me around, my vision blurs, lightheadedness washing over me. Needing a moment, my focus dwindling, I say, “I’m going to refresh myself.”

“I’ll be waiting for you,” he says, not concealing his smirk.

When I go to the ladies’ room, I splatter my face with a bit of cold water, getting weaker by the moment.It’s the nerves, I tell myself, refusing to accept what I already know.

When the door to the right stall opens, I get the irrefutable confirmation. It’s him. Felix.

I step back, but the room spins, making me motion sick. My body doesn’t work as it should.My drink was spiked.Neither the realization nor the sheer panic is enough to pull me out of this funk.

I open my mouth to warn my friends through my comm, but no sound comes out. My legs buckle, and I lose my footing, barely grabbing the sink’s edge to keep from falling on my face.

“By the time you wake up, they will be dead anyway. But you’ll have me, daughter,” he says, cold voice laced with delight.

An unrelenting murkiness swallows thenoat the tip of my tongue.

The last thing on my mind is Hunter before everything turns black.

While we mingle among the partygoers, we have eyes everywhere. When I spot Bailey, I cease breathing. She looks spectacular in that dark green dress fitted to her lithe body, with her strawberry hair cascading down her back. She doesn’t need a crown; she’s a queen on her own. Her aquamarine eyes, a unique gem just like she is, find mine, trapping me forever in her sphere. Even if I’d lost my sight, my heart’s compass would follow the arrow pointing straight at her—my only destination and true destiny.

I ignore the bug by her side. I will squish him under my shoe tonight, anyway. He’s not even a damn footnote in our love story.

Not letting her out of my sight, I watch as Bailey walks inside the bathroom, her movements slow and uncoordinated. And that started right after she drank the champagne. Fuck.

I try to reach her, but just then, fireworks go off above the gardens. All the guests in the ballroom move outdoors, pushing me further away from Bailey.

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