Page 93 of Cruel Pleasures

But that would be a lie.

My fist tightens around the steak knife I’m holding and I lean toward her. “Imani?—”

“Archer and Ryu here have been a great deal of help,” the Hostess continues with smarmy satisfaction. “The two have been keeping such a close eye, they’ve found everything his mother and I hoped they would and provided it to us with no trouble at all. If not for them, then we wouldn’t have had any clue about the spy in our midst. Which, as I’m sure you understand, is a serious concern for a club as elite and private as the Midnight Society.”

“Archer, you collected all that information on me?”

For once, I’m tripping over my words. Before I can even begin to answer, the Hostess presses on.

“Archer proved an invaluable asset. Just as he always does, one way or another. I’m not sure what we would do without him. We might’ve actually believed you were who you said you were,” she says with a tinkling laugh. “But let us not forget Ryu here, who was very vital in making sure you were brought here as planned. He’s had a very big hand in this ordeal as well.”

“If you’re trying to provoke me, it won’t work,” Ryu answers composedly, despite his narrowed eyes.

“Of course not. Tonight’s not about provocation. At least not anymore. Archer put an end to that with poor, dearly departed Timothee,” the Hostess says. “No, tonight’s dinner isn’t about provoking anyone. Tonight’s about the truth, as Archer so eagerly pointed out. It’s about ensuring we’re all on the same page.”

Anyone unfamiliar with the Hostess would take her words at face value. They’d assume she’s being as proper and civilized as she comes across and means no harm by anything she says. Even Imani seems to be caught wondering, falling silent.

But I’m past being fooled.

It’s merely a prelude to whatever the next phase of her plan is.

“I’m afraid to say, there will be penalties for breaking the club rules. Disobedience is never tolerated. If you are to be a member, you’re to follow the protocols closely. Anything less doesn’t end favorably.”

“Is that your polite way of saying you’re going to come for me?” Imani asks.

The Hostess picks up her wine glass for a sip. “It’s merely our way of being transparent. Rules have been broken. Therefore, something will have to be done about that.”

“For the sake of truth and transparency, why don’t we talk about what you’ve been hiding all these years? The fucked up truth he doesn’t want you anymore? He never wanted you!”

My retort does the trick—it pushes the Hostess over the edge she’s been teetering on all evening. Though the venetian mask hides any rage, the air circling her is too suffocating not to notice. She sits seething in her chair for a silent second and then she launches herself out of it.

She flies over the table, raising her steak knife over her head, fast as someone half her age. I barely have enough time to react, throwing my arm up to block her. The blade slashes into my forearm. We tumble to the ground as I hold her off.

The staff hovering around the edges of the dining room flock toward us. It takes several efforts to pry us apart. Mostly because she’s stabbing away at any point she believes might cause me damage. I’m just too quick for her.

I shift left and right, gripping her wrists, holding her back as she tries to bring down the knife again and again. She’s screaming hysterically, her mask half fallen.

“IHATEYOUIHATEYOUIHATEYOU!” she screeches with so much pure loathing that it cracks her voice. “WHYWON’TYOUDIE? DIE! DIE!”

She jams the knife down for the fiftieth time in sixty seconds only to stab one of the servers in the hand.

They’re finally able to peel her off me to more frantic kicks and wild screams.

Far from the first time this has happened. I’m so used to it, I’m calm.

Amused.

I sit up as she’s carried away by four staff members. Imani and Ryu have both risen out of their own chairs at the commotion. For once, Ryu’s slightly less composed while Imani’s downright shocked and gaping.

I push myself to my feet and put on a grin. Turns out, I’m bleeding. She nicked me on the side of the neck. “Well, shall we continue our civilized little dinner?”

My dark joke falls flat. Ryu gives no reaction. Imani runs out of the room.

I rush to follow. Then Ryu does the same.

The moment turns into the three of us on the move.

Imani cuts through the atrium ’til she reaches the heavy oak front doors and draws them wide open.