Page 87 of Ashes of Saints

“No.”

It takes me a full minute to realize he means much more than that. Three figures could be nearly a thousand goddamn dollars.

“The Alliance Club is highly exclusive. The public can’t just walk in off the street. It’s filled with one-percenters.”

People like him.

Billionaires.

Those with more money than the rest of us could ever conceive of having in ten lifetimes.

Parker nods to another security guy as we walk farther inside. Chloe must have overheard our conversation as she glances at me with the same surprise I must have on my face, and we share another look.

Once again, I feel like I’m a fish out of water in his life. But we’re here, and I’m glad my best friend is with me.

The light is as dim as you’d expect in a club, music moody and sexy, and the floor-to-ceiling bar is fully stocked with some fancy-looking bottles. All the furniture looks luxurious, and the staff, while minimally dressed all in black, appears professional and discrete.

Looking around at all the beautiful, mostly naked, women in the club, I have no idea why Parker has been spending time with me.

“Holy hell.” Chloe looks like she’s a kid in a candy store.

I follow her line of sight to a woman sitting on the table as another woman’s face is tight between her legs.

I gasp silently.

I feel so overdressed in my silver strapless dress which barely covers my ass. I don’t own anything smaller. My long locks are up in a ponytail and while I thought I looked sexy when I looked in the mirror, now I feel kind of frumpy.

Chloe wears a black, off-the-shoulder dress. With her long blonde hair flowing in curls down her back and naturally tanned skin, she immediately draws attention.

My red hair has always made me uncomfortable. In college, kids would make mean and crude comments. Being homeschooled, I was sheltered from bullying and not prepared for it.

Mom told me to toughen up.

Great. Nice pep talk, Mom.

Those first few days had been terrifying, honestly. I was worried I wouldn’t last, but then I met Chloe and became friends. It was like she adopted me.

I let her.

Her blunt and outspoken personality was so different from mine. She gave me the space to find my voice while sticking up for me. I don’t know if she knew she was doing it, but she did.

I think we’ll be friends for life.

“I’m going to say this only once,” Parker says to both of us. “If you want to leave, tell me. This place isn’t for the fainthearted.”

Chloe rolls her eyes. “As long as I don’t get a flash of my best friend's fanny, we will be fine.”

I burst out laughing.

“That won’t be happening,” Parker grunts, and before I can respond, he heralds us into a private room.

“Now ya talking.” Chloe claps her hands.

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

PARKER

This is hell. Pure and simple hell.

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