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Botosoni
It takes less than a few moments to make my decision. “Put some soldiers in the field around her parents.” They may not be at the top of my list, but they are a part of Catina, and con artist or not, she doesn’t deserve to be left in the world with no one to care for her, even if she does choose those wretched people and money over me.
I stalk toward the main part of the club, which is starting to empty out completely. I glance at my watch, just enough time to eat and settle in to sleep before the sun comes up. Maybe we’ll both be too tired to have this night be as uncomfortable as I imagined sharing the same room.
The others are eating and talking, but Catina’s chair is empty. I glance at Madria who she was sitting next to. “Where’s Catina?” I ask, settling into my seat.
Her brows knit. “We thought she was with you. She went to look for you and hasn’t been back to the table since. It hasn’t been too long, but she should have run into you by now. The club’s not that big.”
Lucianna’s eyes widen as she looks at me and then Catina’s empty seat. I swear that female does not miss a thing. She is about to say something when the waitress stops back to the table and comes to stand by me. “Someone is missing a coat. We sent most of the staff home, and I’m not sure who to take this issue to, you or Lucas. You’re not both usually here at the same time.”
My eyebrows raise in response to the looks from Lucianna and Descallia across the table. “It would seem we have a missing female and a missing coat. Not hard to put two and two together. I’ll find the coat if you take care of the patrons, Lucas.” I empty a quart of blood with haste since it’s clear that supper will need to wait. “Finish eating, and I’ll see you all tomorrow. I’ll deal with this and have the coat back to whoever it’s missing from tomorrow.”
Lucas nods, as he gets up to go smooth over the situation. Descallia growls under his breath. “The sun will be up in less than thirty minutes. Wherever she’s gone, she won’t have too far a head start if you wait until dusk. You can track her. It’s not as though we have to have her here to proceed; we’ll just be one short. I can’t risk being one short if they invade and attack.”
Lucianna’s eyes glow, and she casts them toward her mate. “I understand what you’re saying, but Catina needs to be here. There’s something critical about her presence at that auction. I’ve been feeling it for some time now, and I can’t put my finger on it, but it’s growing stronger. Whatever the reason, she needs to be here for that auction.”
I scowl. It’s not that I don’t believe in her powers or the Vade Mecum’s guidance, but how Catina being here is critical to drawing the rogues in, I cannot fathom for the life of me. It’s not as though she has the stone, and that’s what they’re after. The minute word let out about the auction and that three of them would come with special stones said to have mystical powers in the underworld, every black site operative and handler we know was heating up the waves with news of the event. A few of the special ops teams working from Trentino’s estate scouring through the names of interested event goers, ensuring they know exactly what to expect and how they can help, while keeping an eye out for anyone using it as a way to get into the club. Because the rogues are not going to send in a request, or await the special gold sealed invitation that will be hand delivered.
No, they’re just going to appear, stay close enough to find out the best way to attack, and then transport in the rest of the way, and we know it. I glance at my watch one more time. Descallia’s right, it’s far too late to chance going out and not making it back in time; besides, the rogues will need to be bed down somewhere dark now too, having the same affliction to the sun. “I’ll find Catina at first dusk and bring her back to the club. Don’t worry. She’ll be here for the auction.”
I stab a piece of the steak and chew. It may not still be hot, but a few pieces of this and the fresh blood is all I have time for. It will tide me over until first dusk when I can sneak out and find Catina. I finish eating a few pieces and hand the waitress my dish who by now is hovering, ready to clear everything up and end her shift. I tuck a few large bills onto the ones from the others onto her tray. “Thanks for putting up with us tonight. Get some sleep. It’s going to be a long few days,” I tell her.
She nods. “I’m not sure what’s up but I can tell something is amiss when you close down the club and keep me on payroll anyway.”
I narrow my eyes at the young woman. “We’ll see you tomorrow.”
Miss chatty nods and smiles. “Sorry, I’ll mind my own business and be here to help in whatever capacity you need tomorrow. Night, everyone!” she sing songs, leaving us to head back to the kitchen as the group gathers their personal belongings and heads to the lower level. I head to the coat check area and hear Lucas dealing with the irate woman and her husband who are not only furious about the theft, but also about the wait. Nothing he’s managed to say has consoled the wife in any meaningful way.
I pull a couple cards from my pocket. “As Lucas said, we’re very sorry about your missing coat. We’ll find it and have it returned to you as quickly as possible. In the meantime, please accept these with our apology.”
The wife’s eyes light up as she takes them from my hand and reads the cards. “You know where we live whenever you find it. Thank you, Master Botosoni.”
Lucas turns to me. “Well, it looks like you settled things to their satisfaction. Thanks for stepping in. I was a little over my head with the missus.”
I laugh. “I’ve known her for a very long time. I may be out two tickets to the most exclusive dinner and dance held at the club in the spring, but they leave, with her in his coat and him with his arms wrapped possessively around his mate.” I watch them walk away noting the closeness, the possessiveness of his touch and the way she softens right into him.
I had that … for a very brief piece of time; I had that with Catina. My jaw locks tight as I say good night and head downstairs, into the room where I left her and told her to stay only hours ago. That was before I found out what a little con artist she is. And now it seems our entire future revolves in some way or form around getting her back to the club and present to this auction when I thought I would never see her face again.
Damn…
Sleep is elusive, but the memories of us together, of her first smile, of her choosing to have me be the one to take her virginity, of us in bed together and doing that very thing. All the memories swirl now that the anger has subsided, and I’m all alone in the bed that I planned to share with her tonight.
The memory of those bruises, and her asking me to take her virginity. Both of those were real. No way she could have done that to herself, and I can smell a liar a mile away. She didn’t lie about that, or I would have known right at that very moment. And the racing of her heart, the smell of her arousal, the barrier I broke taking her virginity, and the cream I tasted when I made her come. Damn it all to hell, none of that was a lie. I would have known in the moment, but it was real.
Just like that damnable attraction, that magnetic chemistry that sparks anytime that she’s near. No, all of that is real, but yet she’d toss that all away for some cash and a chance to go back to the people who hurt her. None of that makes a bit of sense. But yet the camera and audio don’t lie. She said every word that I heard with my own ears, coming from her own sweet lips, and said while standing right in front of her father.
I toss the covers off and slide into a pair of lounge pants, pulling on a t-shirt as I make my way barefoot from the lower-level room to the security room. I don’t even bother to sit at the table; instead, I open the laptop and replay the scene in the side room where I saw her talking with her family earlier in the day.
This time, I scrutinize every single thing as it plays in real time. The menacing stance, the grimace on his face, the rapidly beating pulse on the side of her neck and the flushness of her face. Duress, Catina was under duress. One look at the brothers and my jaw tightens so hard that I think it might crack. I’d like to pummel every single one of the people in that room, but that will not bring Catina back.
I have to believe that whatever she said, there was a reason. I know that now. I should have known it then, but I let all the other experiences I’ve had in life, mistrust of other women cloud my judgment. And in doing that, I let the one woman I love get away— no, drove her away.
I close the laptop and walk back to my room. I didn’t even give her a chance, and now she’s gone, and I can’t even go after her for hours to come. She could be anywhere, with anyone. I text my right hand to get me the phone number for Aleah, the waitress at the café. She will know where Catina lives, or how to get in touch with her; at least I hope that’s the case.
It’s takes more than fifteen minutes before he texts me with the number while I sit in the dark and stew at my stupidity, contemplating another way to get to her without getting myself fried with the rising of the sun. Then I would be no use to anyone, Catina, Descallia, or the other masters, all who are depending on my help.
The minute I get Aleah’s number, I connect, surprised when she answers almost immediately. “Hello?”
