Page 86 of Reputation
“It’s amazing,” she said, smiling.“I’ve never seen such an elaborateBlack Swancostume.”
Eavie laughed, taking a sip of her drink.She felt confident Jax was going to have to work for it tonight.
After chatting with the ladies, Molly and Mandy, or M&M as she had begun to think of them, shimmied onto the dance floor while Eavie wandered around the rooms.
She told herself she wasn’tlookingfor Jax, but she might as well see if she could catch sight of him.She also reasoned with herself that it would be too easy for him if she stayed in one place.That was how she found herself on the second floor, standing against the wrought-iron railing, chatting with Alex Nordstrom and James Devin.The pair were as different in looks as you could be.
Alex had honey-blond hair that touched his shoulders and vibrant blue eyes that reminded Eavie of a Viking.Tonight, he was dressed as a rock star, wearing black leather pants and a t-shirt with the arms ripped off.
On the other hand, James reminded her of a devilish James Bond, with his black hair, rugged face, and sharp smile.He was dressed as a 1930s gangster fromPeaky Blinders.The lines of his face, accompanied by his mischievous eyes, added to the alluring look.
Where they stood, they could carry on a conversation since the music was dulled by the distance between the front and back of the house.It was standing there that she saw the door open and two men walk through.
The first was tall and broad, with a thick chest.He wore a blue spandex costume and a red and gold S on his chest.His hair was pushed back, and a red cape flowed around him.Superman, she thought, suited Brooks.
Her gaze only lingered on him for a heartbeat as Jax emerged only a step behind him.Dressed in a dark suit and black cape, he sauntered into the room as Jack the Ripper.
Eavie’s heart began to pound in her chest as she dragged her teeth over her bottom lip.He came dressed as a hunter.She tracked his movements through the entryway, unable to take her eyes off him.He turned his head first right, then left, scanning the crowd.
For her?She wondered.
An evil smile spread across her lips when he didn’t think to look up and instead continued down the hall until he was out of sight.
Turning back to the men in front of her, she continued chatting for a few minutes before she left and glided down the curving staircase.
Let the game begin,she thought with another dark smile.
Frustrated, Jax completed his third loop of the lower floor as he searched for Eavie.Either she was really good at hiding, or he’d completely missed her.
He’d been hunting for her since he’d walked through the door, but so far, he’d come up empty.Determined, he stopped by the bar for a glass of whiskey, chatting with some teammates before weaving through the thick crowd to the staircase at the front.Wandering up, he stopped at the top and glanced at the lower floor first before scanning the clusters of people on the second-floor landing.
Nothing.
Letting out a frustrated breath, he took a healthy swallow of his drink as he slowly wandered down the landing, carefully looking at each woman he saw.Again, he came up empty as he continued through the rooms.Stopping against the railing, Jax placed his drink on a small table beside him and pulled his phone out of his pocket.
He pulled up her contact info that she’d given him this morning, which he had entered asCinderella.Typing out a message, he hoped she had her phone on her.It wasn’t admitting defeat.They hadn’t outlined any rules.
Jax:
You, my evil genius, are more clever
than I anticipated.Care to give me a hint?
Holding his phone, he reached down and sipped his whiskey as he waited for her reply.Several minutes later, his phone lit up with her response.
Putting his drink down, he swiped the message open.
Cinderella:
Perfection is not just about control.
It is also about letting go.
Surprise yourself so you can surprise the audience.
Transcendence!Very few of them have it in them.
Confused, Jax’s brows pulled low over his eyes.He figured it was a quote from something, but he had no idea what.
