Total pages in book: 84
Estimated words: 82068 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 410(@200wpm)___ 328(@250wpm)___ 274(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 82068 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 410(@200wpm)___ 328(@250wpm)___ 274(@300wpm)
It’s then I lock eyes on a man standing a few feet away from them.
Cold dark eyes bore into me, cutting through me like a knife. My confidence from earlier has evaporated. I feel exposed to the man who has his crosshairs on me. Unable to move, I meet his gaze and attempt not to shudder.
“Caius Crowne,” Isla mutters under her breath. “Like I said. Creepy. Ryan calls him Lurch. Do you know who Lurch is? Lord, you’re just a baby. The answer is no. I’m so old.”
I ignore her rambling to pick apart why she thinks Caius is creepy aside from his menacing stare. He’s at least a decade older than me—and incredibly tall, which allows him to see over those around him. Unlike his brother Gareth, he’s not bursting out of his tuxedo, though he’s broad-shouldered like him. But there’s a quiet strength about Caius. A dangerous aura that emanates from him. Rather than a philanthropist, he gives assassin vibes with his serious, calculated, emotionless stare.
“Come on,” Isla says, nudging me. “I want you to meet Ryan. He’s going to want to eat you up, sugar.”
A wave of irritation ripples through me when she grabs my bicep, dragging me away. I lose Caius’s gaze, which thankfully breaks the eerie spell he was trying to put me under.
As we walk, I decide to try to sneak in some questions. “Do you know Megan Benson?”
Isla cants her head in my direction. “Haven’t heard of her. Is she famous? Can’t be too famous.”
“No, uh, she’s a friend of mine. Went missing this week.”
Isla lets loose a sinister, hair-raising laugh. “Maybe she’s their new moth.”
My mind begins to whir with possibilities. I want to argue and state Megan is not a moth, but to people like her and the Crownes, it’s exactly how they’d see her. What if CUP is a front for something dark and evil? What if these people kidnapped my friend to…what?
Turn her into a butterfly?
I almost laugh at the insanity of it all. If I thought the school and police didn’t care about someone like Megan, these people certainly wouldn’t. They’re in a whole other galaxy than her.
Chasing rabbits.
But that’s why I’m here.
To chase down any leads.
Even if they feel insane.
“What do you mean?” I ask as we skirt around another group of finely dressed people. “Moth?”
She downs the rest of her champagne and sets it down on a tray as we pass. “Never mind, Romy. Come meet Ryan.”
A man around her age grins as we approach. He’s fit and handsome, but I don’t like the way he openly leers at me in front of his wife. She practically thrusts me toward him. He grabs me by my shoulders and assesses me like I’m a choice piece of meat.
“Well, hello, beautiful.” His smile widens, revealing rows of white veneers. “My wife has impeccable taste in…friends.”
His warm fingers bite into my shoulder and I have the urge to squirm out of his grasp. Thankfully, he loosens his hold, though doesn’t release me fully.
“Let’s get you something a little stronger.” He winks at me. “Don’t worry, Isla always takes good care of her friends.”
It hits me with sudden clarity that Isla has brought me to her husband as some sort of prize or offering.
Gross.
“I, uh, think I’ll pass,” I say, my cheeks blazing hot, “on whatever this is.”
The man, Ryan, releases my shoulders and his grin falters.
“I’m just looking for my friend,” I continue. “Megan Benson. I have a picture in my purse.”
He stands there, watching me with mild irritation at having been turned down. However, he waits patiently for me to fetch the photo of her. Isla, having realized I’m not into their threesome party, has already prowled off to look for someone else.
“Can’t say she looks familiar,” Ryan says after a quick glance. “Sorry.”
Defeated, I slink away from the man and into the crowd. I decide to stop being discreet and flat out start asking every person I come in contact with if they’ve seen Megan. Most people are polite, but a few are rude, not bothering to answer me whatsoever.
Maybe they know something…
Or maybe I’m just getting in the way of their good time.
I feel the cold stare again. Without having to see him, I know Caius Crowne is watching me. What if Ryan or one of the other partygoers told him what I was doing here?
Before I can figure out who I’ll interrogate next, a giant man crowds me from behind.
“Miss, I’m going to have to ask you to leave,” the gruff guy says. “Don’t make a scene.”
I scoff, but the meaty hand that clutches onto the back of my neck has the sound dying in my throat. A quick glance over my shoulder tells me it’s one of the security detail.
So much for being stealthy.
The man guides me out of the ballroom wordlessly and then deposits me into the lobby. “Don’t try to come back in or I’ll be forced to get the police involved for harassment.”