Page 274 of Chandelier Sin
My instinct about her had been right all along, and I hated that for my friend.
More than this, all our planning had gone fucking south.
“They were instructed to meet in the anteroom,” Eve said. “We were minutes from escorting them out.”
The music went quiet. It was sudden, like a host deciding the party was over and not caring what the guests thought.
As we walked the hallways, we watched other members heading home. The place was closing.
“What’s going on?” I asked another guest.
“We’ve been asked to leave,” he said.
“Why?” I asked.
He gave a shrug.
“Who shut this place down?” asked Eve.
“Jewel,” he said. “She told everyone that Pendulum was closing early.”
“Do you know where she is?” I asked.
“Anteroom.” He pointed that way. “She was shouting at a guest.”
“Anyone we know?” I asked.
“Greyson Grantchester.”
My flesh went cold. I started to ask him what they were discussing but the guy was already walking away.
Greyson had come to warn me to leave. Yet he’d stayed and I knew why. He’d gone to find Amelia.
I’d never known this place to be so quiet.
The eeriness caused my stomach to clench with dread.
“Find Rylee,” I told Eve. “See if she knows anything.”
“Why would Jewel be talking with Greyson?”
“Probably because of Amelia,” I reasoned.
We paused before the door.
“Shall I come in with you?” asked Eve.
“No. Go. We’ll cover more ground this way.” I motioned to her. “Find them. Get them out. I’ll distract Jewel.”
I went into the room.
My heart sank as I assessed the tension and dread in the air between the three despondent people. Jewel and Greyson and Amelia were all facing off with each other.
It wasn’t good at all.
My mouth went dry as I studied Jewel’s prideful expression and her familiar arrogant smirk.
She’d known about tonight’s plan. Had thwarted it, too.
