Page 48 of Lords of Misrule
“Tomorrow’s New Year though, and then we’re headed back.”
“Oh yeah. Hockey to play I imagine?”
“Right. I’m out right now with a minor injury. Only reason I had a chance to come up here for the holiday in the first place.”
“Ah. Well, maybe on your way out of town tomorrow. But hey, since you’re here I’m having a huge party tonight at my place. I’ve got a loft downtown. Gonna be packed. Lots of familiar faces,” Ed offers before his eyes turn on me. “Would love to have you both.”
“Uh…” Hudson hesitates.
“We’ll be there. What time?” I answer because if we can’t get to the grandfather maybe we can at least meet someone else worthwhile. Maybe Ed can help us get in with his grandfather tomorrow. I really have no idea, but I’m desperate to not leave here without results. I don’t have time to wait on the courier or for a future chance to come up here. I need the money now, and so do the guys.
“You can head by around 10. Your number still the same, Hudson?”
Hudson nods.
“Perfect. I’ll text you the address. Can’t wait to catch up some.” Ed’s eyes flicker between us, and he takes a swig from his flask before he heads down the steps.
* * *
“I don’t think you know what you signed yourself up for.” Hudson leans against the front desk as we wait for the clerk to sign us in at the hotel.
“What do you mean?”
“All these rich assholes partying. Drunk and stupid. They get wild. You’re not going to like it.”
“I’ve survived Rowan’s parties.”
“These are worse.”
“Worse?”
“Well… I guess different and not necessarily worse. But you’re going to have to wear that dress we brought that you weren’t sure about.”
I raise a brow at him. It was a tight lavish little dress that hugged all of my curves and made me feel gorgeous and self-conscious about things all at the same time. He insisted on buying it. Told me I’d find something to wear it for even if I didn’t need it on the trip.
“Am I?”
“Yeah. And then I’m gonna brag to Rowan and Finn that I got to see you in it.”
“That’ll go over well.”
“I’ll enjoy every fucking second of it.”
A few moments later she returns with our keycards and hands them to us, giving us instructions on how to get to our room and thanking Hudson for staying with them. She assures him our luggage will be sent up shortly along with some champagne. I smirk as we ride up the elevator.
“What?”
“Nothing. Just that you’re so different here. All charm and manners. So fancy. Interesting to see a different side of you than what you’re like back home.”
“Home, eh? That mean you’re staying after this?”
“I don’t know what I’m doing. I suppose a lot of that depends on Rowan and I not killing each other first.”
“You’ve been doing better lately. I assume the détente you’ve all worked out is still going well?”
“Hudson…” I sigh. A flash of him in the room with us comes back to my mind, and I have to look down at the floor before my cheeks color. I loved that night. But we haven’t talked about it since and I don’t want to make it awkward. Especially not when we have a job to do.
“I’m just teasing. I don’t mean anything. You know that right? I’d never judge you,” he explains quickly, but before I can respond the bell dings, and the doors open to our floor, and a group is waiting their turn to get on the elevator.
