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Jupiter continued out into the hallway and to the stairs, still carrying Trev.

“You can put me down now,” Trev whispered angrily.

“Someone might be watching.” Jupiter reached up and smacked his ass. “Come on, we’re committing right?” He smacked him again. “Like with hitting me in the balls!”

“Ow! You dick!” Trev growled. “I didn’t even hit you that hard!”

“Tell that to my fucking balls!”

Trev rolled his eyes, grunting as Jupiter hauled him over to the stairs. “For fuck’s sake. You can put me down now.”

“Gonna kick me again?” Jupiter growled.

“I kneed you and not even that hard!” Trev snapped. “Will you quit bitching and focus, please?”

Jupiter set Trev down. “I’m not bitching!”

“Said in the bitchiest tone ever. You should be the one on a leash.”

Jupiter smacked Trev’s ass hard enough to sting. “Let’s go.”

Trev took the stairs two at a time. Jupiter was on the same page and was only a second behind him. Into Jupiter’s room they went to retrieve the lockbox and the bag, and Trev left the leash behind. He kept the collar on. He couldn’t say why and chalked it up to madness in the heat of the moment. They hurried back downstairs in equal haste, and Jupiter went out first into the hallway to make sure the way was clear.

Trev froze, his heart pounding fast.

There was still a chance that a guard might see them and question what they were doing. A guest might see them and ask what was going on. Ugo could come barging through and ask them for a dance.

Anything could fucking happen.

Jupiter came back and grabbed Trev’s hand. “Let’s go.”

Trev let Jupiter take the lead as they jogged down the hallway and around the ballroom, ducking here and there to make sure they weren’t seen. Trev thought he heard voices nearby, perhaps the valets, but the kitchen was empty when they finally made it in.

Trev frowned.

This was almost too easy.

Jupiter shrugged at his concerned expression and grabbed a set of keys from the case. He squeezed Trev’s hand. “Almost there, baby doll.”

Trev could only nod.

They headed outside, racing across a sprawling patio to a crowd of cars. Jupiter hit a button on the keys, and the headlights of a nearby SUV flashed. Another cursory look around revealed no sign of any of the valets.

Trev’s stomach lurched.

“Jupiter,” he whispered. “Something’s wrong.”

“What do you mean?” Jupiter hissed. “We’re almost there.”

“Right, but where is everyone? The valets aren’t here, none of the guards?—”

“Are you really complaining?” Jupiter stopped to stare at him.

“I’m telling you, something is wrong,” Trev insisted.

“Look, it’s fine,” Jupiter argued. “We’re gonna get in that fucking car, we’re gonna get the fuck out of here, and then we’re?—”

“I wouldn’t do that if I was yous,” a familiar voice chirped.