I nod to Justice and ignore his angry look. We are going to post tonight and reach far and wide. If I’m going to die, I’m going to leave him a powerful company. “Now,” I mouth.
Justice edges to my side, his phone up. “Hi, all! I’m hitting Thorn Beathach up right now. He’s here, waiting for the lovely Alana Beaumont to arrive. She’s been posting about him all week. Right?”
“She’s not doing that any longer,” I say, a growl in my voice.
Justice chuckles. “We’ll just see.” He ends the mind meld. “Good job. That should gain us a bunch of energy.”
“Get away from me before I break your jaw,” I grind out.
Justice, not being a moron, turns and heads toward the bar.
Alana and her entourage are fashionably late, which does not surprise me. However, I know from the men I have on her that she’ll be walking in the door any minute. I’m curious whether she’ll be wearing my offering.
Even though she’s clearly disobeying me, I created a gift for her before tonight, and I’d left it at her place. If I survive this, when we’re both feeling better, it’ll be the only thing she’s wearing when I teach her not to disobey me.
My entire body tightens in anticipation, even through the ice coating my veins.
Everybody who’s anybody in Silicon Valley is either scouting the auction items, hitting the bars, or eating by the buffet table. The music is playing lightly in the background, but thus far the dance floor is vacant.
The Sokolovs are not present, no doubt because of Cal’s death. I did make him eat his fingers.
The Rendales apparently decide they’ve waited long enough and make their move to approach me.
“Thorn, don’t you look nice in a tux,” Sylveria says. Both of her daughters nod. She is dressed in a champagne-colored gown that sweeps the floor and has more diamonds on her than is present in most mines. Corinda is in a black sequin number and Stacia a blue, both decked out with diamonds everywhere. It’s a cold stone and it fits them.
“Do we have an announcement to make tonight?” Sylveria asks smoothly.
“I hardly think this is the place for announcements,” Justice says, coming up by my side. His mask is slightly askew and he fixes it. The masks are stupid, but I do like camouflaging myself behind one. The last thing I need is a bunch of pictures, especially if I’m about to pass out and die. Most people don’t know what I look like, or at least they don’t know who I am, and I travel through the city’s underbelly much more easily that way.
Corinda leans in, as if she has the best secret ever. “I heard that Aquarius Social is losing members by the second because of Nico. A serial killer! Can you believe it?”
Yes. I definitely can. “Sylveria, did you attack my servers yesterday?” I ask smoothly.
She presses a diamond-adorned hand to her chest. “Why, Thorn, how could you even ask such a thing? We’re about to be family.”
I don’t like torturing women. It doesn’t mean I won’t do it. “If you did, I suggest you tell me now.” I already know it’s her. It has to be.
“I would never do such a thing. Now, the girls and I are going to fetch something to eat. Something small, of course, and when you’ve regained your manners, we will be back.” With a swish of her skirts, she pivots and storms off rather gracefully.
Stacia sighs. “Seriously, can’t we just all get along? Are we getting married or not?” She is eminently likable. I don’t know why, because she shouldn’t be.
“Have you met my brother, Justice?” I ask.
“No.” She holds out a hand.
Justice shakes it. “It’s very nice to meet you,” he says smoothly.
“I’m sure it is.” Winking, she turns and saunters toward the buffet.
Corinda lingers. “I’ll make a much better wife than she will,” she says, her voice several octaves too high. “Seriously, I have five million followers, Thorn. I could bring them all right over to Malice Media.” She looks me over and I feel like a slab of meat. “You’re hot. We could have a good life together. What do you think?”
I find her colder than the diamonds around her throat. “No.”
She lightly trails her fingers down my arm. “You’ll want to reconsider.” With that, she turns and follows her mother and sister.
Justice gives a mock shudder. “That’s a shark.”
“Yeah, no kidding,” I mutter, and then the doors open, and I taste honey.
The entire world grinds to a halt and warmth roars through my chilled body. Alana is absolutely exquisite. Her gown is a canary yellow silk embellished with what have to be pure diamonds and aquamarine crystals that make the dress shimmer with every movement. On her, the diamonds look warm and inviting.
I don’t like the white bandage around her arm, but the color in her face is good.
A deep heart-shaped neckline plunges to the tops of her breasts before the bodice narrows to her slim waist. The skirt descends perfectly to the floor, but as she walks, I can see hints of aquamarine-and-diamond shoes that match the jewels on the dress.
I look at her neck and see the gift I had created for her. An eighty-karat diamond serves as the centerpiece with folds of aquamarine crystals bracketing the stone on each side. The main collar is aquamarine and curves around her neck, changing to diamonds as it coils to the end. It is stunning and yet nowhere near as beautiful as the woman herself. I’m pleased that she decided to wear it.
As if she knows my thoughts, she gingerly touches the timeless piece. It’s the first of many I plan to give her.
I like how Quinlan and Mathias scout the ballroom before they all walk inside. Oh, they’re not as good a protector as I am, but at least they’re on alert. Quinlan has a backpack over his shoulders.
How odd.
The mask over the top half of Alana’s sculpted face hides her bruise. Next to her, Ella is in a deep blue gown, Rosalie in a surprising pink, and Scarlett in a deep red that matches her name.
The entire place stills and turns to look at my woman.
She’s royalty. Her chin is up, and she looks like the survivor she is. A rumbling starts throughout the crowd and then several people clap.
