Page 24 of Bound By Ruin

Wanderingthe city aimlessly all day hasn’t left me in the mood to party tonight, yet the boys insist on attending the latest VIP event forMidnight.Further still, none of them aside from Ruin are wearing masks.

Myself included.

A blush is permanently tattooed across my face as I walk through the club, my heels clicking with every step I take. Thankfully, almost every woman here tonight is in heels, so hardly anyone looks my way as I pass by. It’s when they notice my lack of a mask that they understand who I’m here with—the only other maskless people in the room—and suddenly, all their smiles are kept polite and their distance substantial.

The one exception is Fox, her kitsune mask and fiery hair making her easy to spot in the crowd. We exchange friendly smiles before Rage steals me away from the dance floor.

“You could have asked if you wanted to dance,” I huff, frowning at his vice grip on my wrist. Rage isn’t listening, too intent on dragging me away from the other guests. Pain shoots up my wrist, making me yelp. “Hey, you’re hurting me!” One glance at the tension in his shoulders tells me that not only is he being bullish, but he’s not having a good time. “What’s wrong? Is your dad?—”

“No,” Rage interjects, loosening his grip as he leads me up the short flight of stairs to the most prominent stage in the room. It’s a simple black platform with red velvet curtains draped on either side, impossible to miss beneath the warm spotlight. A throne fit for a dark king sits dead center, currently unoccupied. Just beside it, a gleaming gold cage similar to the one in the apartment upstairs sits empty, save for a single pillow resting in the center.

“I’m not going in there,” I say immediately, returning his frown. I slip my wrist from his hand and lace our fingers together. “Tell me what’s wrong.”

Rage’s eyes scan the crowd, his aura moody and dark. “He’s not here,” he says flatly. “He should be here. We’re all here. Why isn’t he here?” Looking at me, he pauses in thought, takes a deep breath, and pulls me into his chest. “You look stunning.”

“You always say that.”

“It’s always true.” He traces his thumb over my knuckles. “I don’t know what’s taking him so long.”

“Well, was he a punctual man?”

“What?”

I purse my lips. “Your dad. Was he always on time, or was he always late?”

Rage chokes on a bitter laugh. “He’d never even show up.” He slips his free hand beneath my shirt to palm my bare waist. “What are you getting at,krosotka?”

I shrug one shoulder and turn my face to survey the room in the same way he just did. “All I’m saying is, we keep expecting him to show up to a party he hasn’t been invited to, when he’s never shown up for anything before in his life. Why would he be here? Just because I’m here?” Shaking my head, I spot Ruin and Thanatos speaking to each other across the room. “There are too many of you and only one of him. If he knows that all four of you are with me, he won’t jump in to grab me. It’s too risky. Every woman he’s taken, weren’t they alone? On dates?” I swallow, thinking of Sara. She was alone at my boutique when she was taken. Maybe she was getting ready for a date with her boyfriend, even, when Rage’s dad showed up and derailed her plans—possibly, her life. “It’s not fair,” I murmur, leaning into Rage’s warmth. “All they wanted was a little company, or love, or a future, you know? And now it’s been taken from them.”

All because they had the misfortune of looking like me.

A shiver runs down my spine, and I press my forehead to Rage’s chest. Breathing deep, I inhale his scent and try to let it soothe the ache in my heart.

“It’s not your fault.” Rage cradles the back of my head and runs his fingers through my long hair. “None of this is your fault.”

“It feels like it’s my fault.”

“No.” Gently tilting my head back, Rage stares into my eyes, the cut of his jawline sharp as a knife. He swallows, making his Adam’s apple bob in the neon glow of the club. “It’s my fault. I’m the one who demanded to have you, and the only reason my father is targeting any of these women is because Idohave you. Becausewedo.” Sighing, he closes his eyes. “But accepting blame doesn’t solve anything. We need to kill the bastard before he gets to anyone else.”

Sorrow surrounds my body like a cold morning fog spreading across the countryside, blanketing my limbs much the same way it might blanket a field of wheat. It’s a heavy feeling that makes me want to be anywhere but here. Because as much as Rage might blame himself for his father’s actions, I blamemyselffor everything having to do with Sara’s disappearance.

Her murder, a nasty little voice in my head taunts.You aren’t going to save her, because there will be nothing left to save.

Or what’s left may not want to keep living.

“I need a drink,” I mutter, giving Rage my best attempt at a smile. “Want anything?”

His eyes narrow as he scrutinizes my expression. “What’s wrong, Celia?”

I swallow the truth as I pull free from his arms. “I need a drink,” I repeat, hopping down the steps as quickly as I can.

A strong drink. Averystrong drink.

My journey to the bar is quickly interrupted by a familiar face. “Look at you! What a babe you’ve become.” Fox smirks as she approaches me, leading two men behind her on leashes. I try not to stare and fail miserably, so I’m grateful when she envelops me in a hug. It means I won’t have to puzzle through why the men with her are wearing only black collars, boxer-briefs, and matching wolf masks.

Then again,I’mwearing a collar, too.

The gold heart pendant feels heavy against my throat. “Your mask is gorgeous,” I tell her, marveling at the red swirls painted across its white base. She’s wearing a matching white silk kimono with a red sash tied around her waist. “Do you come to all of these events?”

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