Page 14

‘I hope that Miss Marguerite wasn’t too upset about the state of the late madam’s rooms.’

I frown at the memory of that day and Stevens lets out a small sigh, the only visible indication that he might be upset.

‘After she left, one of the other members of the house staff came across a box of items, which had fallen out of the bins.’ He eyes me. ‘The trash, sir.’

‘Yes, Stevens, I know what bins are. What was in the box?’

‘Oh, nothing of any real value, sir. Merely some trinkets that Miss Marguerite, or even you, might like to keep.’

‘Thank you, Stevens. Have the box put in my car, would you? I’ll take them to Dais–Miss Marguerite later today.’

‘Very good, sir. I think you’ll find that Mister Novelle is in his study.’

I nod and make my way through the house, anxious to find out what my father knows, or thinks he knows, if this meeting actually has anything to do with Daisy, or not.

When I get to my father’s study, I knock twice and wait.

‘Come in.’

I open one side of the tall, mahogany French doors, which my father had imported from a Chateau he bought on the Rhine in Germany a few years back, and then stripped for parts. They’re pretentious as fuck in a house that’s barely thirty years old, but that’s John Novelle.

‘Pop,’ I greet.

He’s sitting behind his huge, ornate desk. He puts a lone finger up and continues writing.

I roll my eyes. Nice to see you too, Dad. It’s only been a month or so.

I busy myself while I wait for his little power play to be over, reading through some of the book titles of the ancient-looking tomes he had brought in when he last renovated, to stock his floor to ceiling shelves that take-up most of the wall space. Most of them are old encyclopedias, I realize. He’s probably never even opened them, they just fit the aesthetic of the room. I notice the metronome he had ticking when I brought Daisy in on her first day. It sits silently on the shelf.

‘Sit.’

Here we go.

I stroll over to his desk and sit in front of him, the leather chair deflating considerably as I do, thereby ensuring that he’s seated higher than me.

It reminds me a little of when I was a kid and I was waiting before him to receive whatever punishment he was going to dole out, which, of course, is the point. I don’t let it bother me.

‘You asked that I come,’ I say, hoping we get the ball rolling soon, so that I have enough time to get to the lab and then to the club later to help Dom and Sandy with stock-taking.

‘Yes.’ He glances up at me and then down again, turning the page of whatever he’s reading.

I stifle a sigh. If he knows he’s getting to me, he’ll make sure this takes even longer.

‘The Christmas Gala. The one at the Forrest’s. It’s early December. Call Melissa for the date and make sure it’s in your calendar. You’ll be attending.’

I nod. ‘Of course, I go every year.’

‘And will you be bringing Laurie Hilner?’

I grit my teeth. Did she tell the whole goddamn state that we were together?

I force a polite smile. ‘Unfortunately, Miss Hilner and I are...no longer seeing each other.’

My father frowns. ‘Who will you be bringing, then?’

I say the first name that pops into my head. ‘Marguerite, of course.’

‘Marguerite.’ He says her name as if it leaves a bad taste in his mouth.

‘Yes.’ I double down. ‘She’s really settled into college life. Making friends and doing well in her classes. She’s like a totally different person since she got back. I thought me, Andy, Marguerite. Novelle united front.’

My father’s small hum might as well be a resounding yes.

‘Make sure she looks the part of the Novelle princess.’ He glances up from his book again. ‘But it’s on you if she’s anything less than perfect.’

I nod. ‘I understand, but she’ll be great.’

John Novelle waves a hand and that’s my cue to leave. I get up, relieved that this was all about a stupid gala. He could have just messaged me about this. Why drag me all the way here?

‘Oh, Jack. I did hear something. I ran into Dean Wallis on the golf course the other day. He seemed to think he saw Marguerite’s name come up.’

I hold my breath, waiting for the other shoe to drop.

‘Some fighting club. Dragon something.’

Jesus.

My stomach untwists and I’m afraid I might spew all over my father’s grand desk.

‘Dagorhir?’

‘That’s what I said.’

I let out a chuckle. ‘It’s a medieval enthusiast’s group who get together and pretend to fight wars. It’s where she’s made some friends. All above board. I checked them out.’

My father leans back in his chair. ‘Fine. She can continue with the little club.’

‘I’ll let her know.’

Like she’ll care.

I turn to leave, and I get to the threshold before he stops me again.

‘One last thing.’

I resist the urge to knock myself out on the ancient family crest, the one that’s carved into the center of the mahogany door and has nothing to do with the Novelles at all.

I turn around with the same expression of polite interest that Daisy wears so often, and I’m suddenly sure she’s rolling her eyes and mentally giving everyone the finger whenever she plasters it on her face.

‘I’m between business trips around the middle of the month. Come for dinner. Bring Marguerite. I’ll see if Andy can join us from Harvard too. A little dry run before the Gala. Melissa will be in touch to set something up.’

I smile and nod as I internally roll my eyes. ‘Sure thing, Pop.’

This time I actually escape and practically run to the front door so quickly that Stevens can’t get there in time to open it for me.

‘Leave it, Stevens, I got it.’

‘Very well, sir. The box is in your car as requested.’

He hands me my jacket. I throw it on, nod my thanks, and get the hell out of there before my father materializes to stop me again.

I check my watch. Have only twenty minutes passed? It seemed like an eternity. Now I have to go to the Forrest’s fucking Christmas gala, and I have to bring Daisy to dinner. Here.

I glance at the house as I speed down the driveway and, instead of deciding to go to the lab, I head toward the club first. Sark will probably be lurking, so maybe I can get another shitty and uncomfortable meeting out of the way early. Then, I can spend some time going through data at the lab later when my head is clear.

The trip into Richmond proper is easy at this time of day. I park the Jag in the alley next to the club and enter via my usual way through the side door. Inside is dark and a little musty, but the janitors don’t come until the afternoon, so that’s why it still stinks of stale alcohol and sweat. I guess it’s a good thing. It means the club was busy last night despite it being a weekday.

Sandy is behind the bar, restocking alcohol. She waves at me when she sees me.

‘Where’s Dom?’ I ask.

She thinks for a second. ‘I’m pretty sure I saw him down in the basement.’

‘Were you here during the raid?’

She winces a little. ‘Yeah.’

‘Are you okay?’

She nods. ‘You know how it is. They don’t see us like people since the rich assholes run this town. No offense.’

‘None taken. I’ll make sure you know beforehand next time, and you can get out of here before they come.’

‘I’d appreciate it.’ She rubs her wrist absently and I wonder if she was cuffed while the cops were looking for contraband.

‘I’ll see you later,’ I murmur, making a mental note to increase her pay. Maybe give her a ‘surviving the cops’ bonus, or something.

Down the hallway and to the right is a nondescript door with the words ‘Staff Only’ emblazoned on it. I open it and descend the dingy stairs, following the light from the lone bare lightbulb that hangs from the ceiling.

‘Dom? You down here?’

‘Yeah. Back corner.’

I follow the voice and find Mav’s brother between some shelves lined with boxes of liquor bottles. There’s broken glass all over the floor.

‘What happened?’

‘Fucking pigs happened,’ he mutters. ‘They don’t give a fuck if they break shit.’ He chuckles. ‘They couldn’t find a bottle of beer in a Bud factory though. Fucking amateurs.’

He pulls one of the shelves out. It slides easily and reveals a dark door that blends into the bricks, still black from when this basement was used to store coal for the fires back in the day.

We enter the secondary lab, and he pulls an old switch. The fluorescents flicker on revealing the tables full of beakers and Bunsen burners.

If the cops found this, they’d assume it was a meth lab. But the truth is, this is for Envy. I frown. If we can ever get the formula right, that is. When it goes into production, we’ll make it right here and distribute it upstairs to be consumed on the premises only. Not one pill will be allowed out of the club except for the supply we sell to Sark’s guy. It’s genius. Or at least it would be if we could guarantee its effectiveness. As it stands now, only one out of seven people get high from taking it and we can’t figure out why. Can’t sell an exclusive experience if most of the people who take it don’t feel a fucking thing.

‘Sark was here earlier looking for you. He’s probably still hanging around. If you don’t feel like seeing him, you might want to go out the back way.’ Dom smirks.

‘I think I’d rather talk to him than wade through sewage for twenty minutes,’ I murmur. ‘Lock it down and make sure it’s hidden again. I’ll bet we’ll get another visit from that detective and his guys as soon as he thinks we’re comfortable again. Envy still isn’t ready anyway.’

Dom frowned. ‘My big-brained little brother still hasn’t cracked it?’

‘Nope. And I can’t figure it out either. Going to have to soon, though. Sauvage isn’t known for being a patient man.’

Dom nods. ‘Might wanna make it a priority.’

I snort. ‘You think it’s not?’

Dom shrugs. ‘You’re here shooting the shit with me instead of at the lab. You tell me.’

I let out a sound between a groan and a snarl and leave the secret room, resisting the urge to lock Dom in for a while and send Sandy down to get him in a few minutes.

He’s right. I’m dragging my heels because I’m afraid we aren’t going to be able to figure this out, which means we’re dead in the water if Sauvage doesn’t kill us outright for screwing him around. We won’t have the money to open a real lab or get the other drug launched. We’ll be stuck in Richmond under my father’s thumb and then under Andy’s until we die.

No.

There is no way that is happening.

My father will give Andy the reins. I know that. It’s all part of my punishment for not following in his footsteps as I was raised to. But I’m not living as my brother’s right-hand man, in his shadow, or, worse, as his enforcer for the rest of my life.

I climb the stairs and, sure enough, a figure walks out in front of me, cutting me off.

‘Sark.’

‘Shade. You’re a hard man to pin down when you don’t wanna be found.’

‘It’s not like that,’ I tell him.

His eyes bore into mine. ‘No?’

I see Sandy eyeing us curiously from the bar. She knows a lot of what goes on here, but I’d like to keep her away from the worst players in this town if I can help it. She’s a nice girl. She doesn’t deserve the bad things.

‘Come on. We can talk in the office. Want a drink?’

‘Not while I’m working.’

He follows me up the much nicer stairs to the office and settles into the couch in the corner.

‘There’s only so long I can delay Sauvage. He wants the money to start flowing. He’s been patient because his kid is your friend, but he’s not gonna wait forever. Doesn’t matter who you are, or who your daddy is.’

‘It won’t be long.’

‘You’ve been saying that for months and nothing is moving. You’re not producing. What’s the holdup?’

‘Science,’ I mutter. ‘That’s the fucking holdup. But we’re close. A few more variations and we’ll narrow it down and go straight into production right underneath your feet. Remind him what we’re trying to achieve. A drug that gives a powerful opiate-like high, undetectable within two hours, low cost to make, and with minimal negative side effects and no addictive qualities.’

‘There are some who think it’s a pipedream.’

‘It isn’t and they know it. I showed Sauvage the first prototype. He even had someone try it in front of him and verified everything I just said.’

Sark leans forward. ‘That means nothing if you can’t guarantee a high.’

I lean back with a sigh.

‘A month,’ he says. ‘That’s all I can give you.’

‘It’s not enough,’ I say, standing up and pacing the room.

‘It’ll have to be, or he’s taking the club and you’ll be working for him for a very long time, my friend.’

‘I understand.’

Sark stands up. ‘Actually, there was something else. A girl.’

‘A girl?’

‘We keep hearing about some nutty girl who lives in the KIP house. Sauvage wanted me to ask if her pussy is the reason the drug is still in vitro.’

My blood runs cold in my veins.

‘No,’ I grind out. ‘She has nothing to do with any of this.’

‘Who is she, then?’

‘My stepsister.’

Sark frowns. ‘I didn’t know your stepmom had a kid.’

I try my best to look relaxed and I force a shrug. ‘She was in school in England. She came back for the funeral and decided to stay.’

‘What’s wrong with her?’

‘Nothing, not that it’s any of your fucking business.’

‘Not what I heard.’

My eyes narrow. The last thing I need is Sauvage or his goons looking closer at Daisy. I don’t want them anywhere near her.

‘She’s autistic. That’s it. There’s no conspiracy or big secret.’

‘Okay.’ Sark gives a nod and stands. ‘I’ll tell him you’re close and production will begin before Christmas.’

‘Fine.’

He gives me a mock salute. ‘Be seeing you, buddy.’

The silence in the office after he leaves is stark. It rings in my ears. I need to make sure Daisy isn’t caught up in anything because of me.

I wish we hadn’t been forced to make this deal, but our assistant, that asshole, Angelo Giuliani, was going to spill all our secrets. If Pierre Sauvage’s son hadn’t had to take the fall with the other guys, we wouldn’t be in this position, we wouldn’t have had to make a deal to ensure silences were bought.

Fuck.

I leave the office and the club. I should head straight back to campus and go to the lab, but I don’t. I always think best while I’m driving so that’s what I do. I drive. For hours.

By the time I get back to campus and leave my car in the lot by the science building, it’s late afternoon. When I get in the lab, I find Mav and Daisy working side by side. I can’t hide my amusement at how similar they look, both with their feet on the rung of the stool, matching expressions of deep thought.

I notice her hand is next to his on the table, their little fingers touching and I feel a pang deep inside. There was a time when she would do that with me. The feel of her initiating skin to skin contact was always a rush. Not many people would understand that, but I see Mav’s finger flex, stroking hers. It’s the merest touch, like the brush of a hummingbird’s wings, but she does it back and I find I can’t look away. I’m warring between happiness that she’s so close with my friends to outrage that she’s so close to my friends .

But I turn away and grab my laptop out of my locked drawer, trying to focus on the ideas I had in the car. There were a couple things that came to me that I think might be viable options, and I want to run through simulations. That should give me a good idea of what’s more likely to work and then I can change the formula and test it again .

I have some guys for that who I pay, which might not be ethical. I mean, of course it’s not, but it’s not as if a drug like Envy can go through a legitimate trial process the way the other drug we’ve made will. It wouldn’t even get off the ground and the DEA would be all over us even though Envy isn’t actually illegal according to the law as it stands today.

It’s a few hours before I look up again and blink. I stretch and yawn, glancing at the clock. Almost seven.

‘We’re going to go grab some dinner,’ Mav says. ‘Want to join us?’

I look at my screen. ‘I need to keep going,’ I answer. ‘Maybe another time.’

I glance at Daisy. She’s putting on a long blue coat. She waves at me a little awkwardly and grabs her stuff, walking slowly to the door. She doesn’t need the crutches anymore, but she’s still limping heavily.

‘Where did that come from?’ I ask Mav quietly.

‘Blake.’

‘He bought it for her?’

‘She didn’t have one,’ Mav explains. ‘I think he was trying to show her that she’s special. Show us, too, maybe.’

She didn’t have a coat? It’s been so cold lately. How could I not have noticed?

‘I...didn’t know.’

‘She barely has anything, dude. You saw. Her friend might take her to that local consignment store all the sorority girls were talking about a couple years back sometimes. But I saw the balance in that account you set up for her. She has like five bucks to her name.’ He frowns. ‘Guess it’s not surprising. She hasn’t been working since she got hurt.’

Jesus. The account. The one I set an automated allowance payment into to give her two bucks a week as a joke .

With everything else that’s going on, I’d forgotten all about it. She couldn’t buy anything for herself without her hours at Grinder, even if she wanted to.

What the fuck is wrong with me? God, I’m an asshole.

I hear them leave and frown at the door as it clicks shut. Grabbing my phone, I change the amount to the same as Andy and I get. Five hundred a week.

The laptop is going to take a couple hours to run through the simulation. I might as well join them for a bite.

I grab my coat and rush after them, taking the stairs two at a time instead of waiting for the elevator. I get out and go to the parking lot where I left my car, calling Mav to find out where they are.

Then I see them ahead of me, walking slowly side by side along the path next to the road. I head their way, following quickly to catch up to them before they get to the crossing. They stop at the light, and I can see Mav searching for his phone.

The light turns red, and they begin to walk across.

He picks up. ‘Hey. Change your mind?’

‘Yeah,’ I begin, and then I hear the screech of tires behind me.

A black, beat-up Camero turns onto the road from one of the side streets and revs its engine. It accelerates, the tires smoking and leaving marks on the asphalt. The car hurtles in the direction of Mav and Daisy, who are still crossing.

‘Mav!’ I yell down the phone, running faster as the car careens toward them.

It whizzes past me, and I realize the driver has a hood pulled up to hide their face.

Daisy freezes in the middle of the road when she sees it heading straight for them.

NO!