Page 97 of Cursed

Tyson nods. “My boys know how to blend in. Even Gage can play nice for one night.” He glances at the silent giant.

“Once the handoff is complete,” I continue, “the product moves through the kitchen. By midnight, everything should be distributed to our network.”

Phoenix taps on his tablet. “I’ve got eyes on all entry points. If Orlov makes a move, we’ll know.”

“He won’t,” Vane says confidently. “Not with the mayor and half the police department in attendance.”

I check my watch, not quite believing Vane is right. Orlov is a cocky son of a bitch. An hour has passed since I left Sadie. The stylist should be finishing up soon.

“I need to collect my date,” I announce. “I expect everything to be in place when I return.”

As I move toward the door, Xavier catches my arm. “Remember what we discussed, brother. Don’t let personal interests compromise business.”

I stare at his hand. “Sadie’s presence won’t affect the operation. If anything, she provides additional cover.”

“That’s not what I meant,” he says quietly. “And you know it.”

I brush off Xavier’s concern and exit the suite, my footsteps echoing down the marble hallway. His insinuations about Sadie affecting my judgment irritate me more than they should. He’s wrong.

The elevator carries me to the parking garage where my Ducati waits. As I slide onto the seat, I check Sadie’s tracker to ensure she’s still at the penthouse.

Good girl.

The drive gives me time to consider tonight’s significance. I’ve never brought a woman to a Blackwood event before. Previous Hunt prizes remained private entertainments, locked away where only I could see them. But Sadie... something about her demands to be displayed. I want everyone to see what belongs to me.

There’s a risk in bringing her tonight, not just to the operation, but to my carefully constructed walls. Each day with Sadie feels like she’s extracting pieces of me I didn’t know existed. The way I relinquished the reins and gave them to her.

That’s never happened before.

The light changes, and I accelerate harder than I need to. She’s becoming an addiction, this broken little butterfly with her clever mind and damaged soul. I can see how perfectly she matches my darkness—knows it, craves it even as she fights it.

I pull into my building’s garage, suddenly eager to see her. The stylist will have her ready by now. Tonight, everyone will see that Sadie Reynolds belongs to me.

As I dismount from my bike, my phone buzzes with a message from Xavier.

Security reports suspicious activity near the west entrance. Potential Orlov scouts.

I pause, split between obligation and obsession. The operation claws for my attention, but the urge to go to Sadie upstairs outweighs everything else.

This unsettling pull toward her is what Xavier warned me about.

40

SADIE

Istare at my reflection in Landon’s massive bathroom mirror, barely recognizing myself in the emerald gown. The silk hugs every curve, making me look elegant yet seductive. The neckline dips low, deliberately exposing the raised, angry skin below my collarbone where Landon carved his initials.

“Perfect.” Landon appears behind me, eyes darkening as they trace the LB etched into my flesh. “Leave your hair up. I want everyone to see you’re mine.”

His possessiveness should disgust me. Instead, heat pools low in my belly. What’s happening to me? Two weeks ago, I was terrified of this man. Now, despite everything—the stalking, the surveillance, the dominance—I find myself leaning into his touch when his fingers brush my neck.

“You’re quiet tonight.” He presses his lips to my shoulder, watching my reaction in the mirror.

“Just nervous,” I manage, applying another coat of lipstick. “I’ve never been to a charity ball before.”

“You’ll be the most brilliant woman there.” The compliment sounds genuine, making the knot in my chest tighten. Theseglimpses of something almost human beneath his monstrous exterior are confusing.

My phone buzzes with an incoming video call from an unknown number. Landon steps away to take a business call, and I answer mine with shaking fingers.