Page 170 of Chandelier Sin
“Wanna tell me what’s going on?” he said.
“Nothing,” I said, glaring at him.
Greyson frowned at me. “Atticus won’t tell us what happened with the woman on the sixth floor.”
I swapped a wary glance with Jake, annoyed he’d shared that. Still, they didn’t know everything.
“You didn’t tell me you met someone,” said Jake.
I’d told him the mysterious woman was a hostess on the floor, not that we’d become romantically involved.
But Greyson knew me. Perhaps he sensed my new obsession.
He was right of course. My distraction was a big clue something was off with me, considering I was usually laser sharp and willing to share updates.
Cameron’s unwelcome analysis zeroed in on each of us, his silent scrutiny felt goddamned Freudian. You could feel him digging around in your skull.
I’d never seen Greyson so riled and so ready to punch me. He was taking chivalry to an insane level for Amelia. We’d once made a drunken pact that no woman would ever come between us, and that was fast becoming broken.
“Not here, gentlemen.” Cameron gestured for us to go indoors.
“Should we be worried?” Greyson looked at Cameron for the answer.
“She wore a mask.” I made it convincing.
Jake tapped my arm, intrigued. “Can we meet her?”
“No,” I said.
Greyson raised his hands in futility. “I’m not letting it go.”
I gave him a look that conveyednot nowandcertainly not here.
As much as Greyson and Jake were protected with a security detail, they needed to hear about the car incident. Lance’s psychopathic tendencies were another reason to keep them away from Pendulum.
Greyson stepped toward me with atalk to meglare.
I’d promised to protect Eve and that meant keeping her a secret, too. For now, anyway. Should word get out about us, the threat to her would be unprecedented. I’d already seen how Roper punished her, and that was meant to be mild considering his salacious appetites.
My friends deserved the truth.
Not telling them about the threat to my life could also be dangerous. I’d been concerned Greyson might not be able to handle the stress, so I’d carried the burden.
“I hate you sometimes,” he muttered.
Yeah, yeah, buddy.I gave him a heart-stopping smile, then turned and strolled toward the house, pausing for a beat when I saw the vixen at the kitchen door.
Jake’s ex Rylee looked like she owned the place. She was dressed to kill—probably literally—in a skimpy bodice.
Her threat of chaos lingered like a tortured soul ready to burst.
Jake saw her and from his reaction, Rylee wasn’t invited. Considering she had brought along Lance for her last visit, she was risking Jake’s wrath.
She needed to tell him what she’d shared with me at Pendulum. That she and her friends were trying to infiltrate the highest echelons. I’d tell Jake and Cameron this later. Maybe they could intercept Rylee before she ruined our plan.
Drama was piling on this week. I’d had my fill.
“I’ll meet you in your office in five,” I said.
