Page 47

It must have cost a small fortune.

Lucien finished fastening the necklace at the back of my neck. He then looked at me in the mirror’s reflection, and for the first time ever, I saw us both standing there, me in front of him. He was so much taller than I was, and he filled the mirror’s borders with his shoulders. I was slight in comparison, but the dress I was in made me look taller… made me feel taller.

“Perfect,” he said, almost whispered it against the back of my head.

“I… really don’t know what to say.”

“Don’t say anything. People won’t give us a second glance, now.”

“Are you kidding me? You can see this thing around my neck from space.”

“And that’s why no one will look at us. Remember where we are. The streets are filled with wealthy people. Trust me.”

I did.

I do.

He placed a hand on my hip, and my body ignited again. “Let’s go,” he said, as he ushered me toward the door.

As we left the room, and went down the hall toward the elevator, I couldn’t help but feel excited, despite the dire situation I was in, and what we were about to attempt.

Chapter

Eighteen

Everything looks better at night. The glow of the city lights against the low hanging clouds overhead, the shine of streetlights and storefronts along the bodies of the cars rolling past, even the people. Lucien had been right. Everyone out right now looked like they were dressed to impress.

The only two idiots that stood out were Diaboli’s men tailing us. They had emerged from their room only a few moments after Lucien and I had left ours, and now they were behind us, like distant shadows.

Lucien extended an arm. I hooked mine around his and together we entered the current of passersby. “Are they really going to follow us everywhere?” I asked, trying to keep my voice low enough that he could hear.

“They’ll go wherever we go,” he said.

“Is that necessary?”

“You might not be too happy about it right now, but if we get into trouble with the Recondites, you’ll be glad they’re here.”

“I doubt that very much.”

“Try to relax. Isn’t this what you wanted? To be outside?”

“Yes, but they make me uncomfortable because you know everything we do and say is getting back to your father.”

“I know it is, which is why I’m being careful with what I choose to say around them and while we’re in our room.”

I glanced back at the two men following us while we waited for the crosswalk lights to change. They were keeping their distance, watching us carefully. Both had earpieces in their ears. One of them reached for his, tapped on it, and spoke quietly to no one.

Relaying information to his boss.

Lucien tugged my arm when the lights changed, and we crossed the road together slowly. Though I had walked in high heels before, it wasn’t exactly a common occurrence; I found myself checking every crack in the sidewalk to make sure I wasn’t about to twist an ankle.

I suddenly found myself in the shadow of the building we had been watching since we got here. It looked taller from down here, more imposing. The windows all along the side of the building reflected their surroundings at night, making the entire side of the structure look like a giant mirror.

My apprehension started to rise. There was something magical about this building. I could feel it, like a low hum, or a quiet pulse. It was like standing too close to an electrical transformer, so close you could hear the current buzzing inside.

Lucien and I made a pass of the front of the structure, making sure to get as close to the front door as possible without looking like we wanted to go in. He didn’t stop to look at it, choosing instead to keep walking, to pretend like he was just another guy, like we were just another couple, on our way to dinner, or something like that.

I wasn’t nearly as subtle.