Page 51 of Love At the Gates of Hell (The Seven Sinners Trilogy #1)

One song played into the next, this one a little bit more upbeat, and Gideon was quick to lead Benny back toward the stage, moving their bodies through the other couples with practiced ease.

It was the first time since they met that she seemed to give him complete control, her body moving with his wherever he led her.

Like she really trusted him. That thought alone made him tug her just a little bit closer as he spun them both.

Though he’d be lying if he said he didn’t like their little battles.

“Who taught you how to dance?” she asked, disbelief still lingering behind her eyes.

He shook his head. He wasn’t sure he could answer that question truthfully, so he stepped back and twirled her in his arms instead. But no dice, because the moment she was back facing him, her eyes narrowed at him playfully.

“People are watching us, Crawford.”

“They’re supposed to, Russo,” he said, matching her tone.

“Oh, come on,” she said, her bottom lip jutting out just slightly.

He tilted his head back with a sigh. That bottom lip could get him to do whatever she wanted. And he wondered if she was beginning to learn that.

“Patrick Swayze,” he muttered, hoping the music would drown him out.

But it didn’t because Benny’s smile went wide.

“Wow,” she said, letting the word drag out. “I would have pegged you more as a Roadhouse guy than a Dirty Dancing guy. But I guess now I know where you got your style from.”

He scoffed.

“I mean, listen, I can respect ripping a guy’s throat out when you have to, but Johnny Castle is just as much of a badass,” he said before he pressed his hand to her lower back and took her in a slight dip.

She closed her eyes, a serene look taking over her face as he held her there.

He wanted to kiss her so badly. And then, he laughed because why couldn’t he?

They had a role to play, after all. So he brushed his lips against hers lightly before he brought her back to her feet, his hand curved around the back of her neck, fingers tangling in her hair.

“I’m gonna make you lift me in a lake,” she said suddenly, a wicked smile on her face.

“I wouldn’t mind getting you wet in a white shirt,” he mused.

She rolled her eyes. “Like you haven’t already seen me naked.”

“Benny,” he said, voice rough, “I like you in clothes and outta clothes. Do you know how incredible you look in this dress? I’m doing my goddamn best not to let you distract me tonight.”

Her eyes widened, a little breath passing through her lips and he wondered if the blush working its way across her cheeks was happening anywhere else.

“If we get through this—” She paused, her bottom lip catching between her teeth. “I am going to find a million ways to distract you when we get home.”

Home.

“I hope you do, princess.”

Out of the corner of his eye he could see Cleo working her way across the ballroom and he knew the song was coming to its end. This was it.

“Alright, you ready for the big finish?” he asked.

Benny nodded.

She hadn’t been lying when she said the other couples on the dance floor were watching them.

He had been flashy enough to garner that attention on purpose.

And now, as the song was reaching its big crescendo, he spun Benny in one, two twirls before guiding her back into his arms. They hovered there for a moment, their eyes locked on one another, and when he gave her a small nod, she repeated the gesture, and he dropped her into a dramatic dip just as a clang of silver and a crashing of glasses came from just beyond the stage.

But it was enough to draw applause from the others on the dance floor.

And create a perfect distraction from the disaster happening behind them.

9:30pm

Tefi watched the ballroom like a hawk.

Four hundred bodies swarming around like little rats, moving from one table to the other, downing expensive champagne while writing their names and bids on the auction sheets.

It was such a curious human concept, charity.

All these groups and organizations that were built to support issues that were really only problems due to the negligence of some of the very people standing in the room with her.

But she supposed the tax break was a bit more appealing than dealing with the issue firsthand.

She traced her fingertip along the edge of the table as she walked the length of it, noticing each of the big sheets filled with messy penmanship and numbers in the thousands.

When she reached the end, she stilled, the last item the one she was most concerned about.

A meeting with someone very special. It had been the sole purpose for her trip here.

That was until she learned that her very favorite child resided in town.

Learning he would be at the very same event had been a delightful surprise.

Even if he had been hard-pressed to share that information with her, Tefi always knew just the right way to get under Lucas Crawford’s skin.

She knew each and every single one of his secrets.

Each and every tell. As was her right as his sire.

His blood was her blood, after all. How could he say “no” when she asked so nicely?

The band stilled as the hosts from earlier appeared back on the stage, the woman clearing her throat before taking the microphone off the stand.

Tefi truly hoped this announcement would be less brutal than the welcome.

“Well, ladies and gentlemen,” the woman started. “We’ve officially reached the end of our silent auction! We will announce the winners after we tally the final numbers. If you were the winning bid, please ready your payment method as we will be coming around at the end of the night to collect!”

Tefi smiled, the corner of her mouth hitching just slightly.

By the time the night ended, Tefi would be gone, her prize along with her, and she had no intention of paying.

Not at the absurd price she’d written down on the bid.

Every third line on the form was a different fake name Tefi designed, every third line a bid inching higher and higher in order to stave off other potential winners.

And when she stole a glance at the bid sheet nearest her prize, she was pleased to see her handwriting still at the top.

9:34pm

Cleo was certain she’d smell like champagne even after she showered off the sticky and sweet residue.

She had at least two bottles worth drenched on her person.

But as she wiped the tears away from her skin, she couldn’t help but feel just a little bit proud of the absolute meltdown she had bestowed upon the good charitable folk who spent far too much money this evening to watch a waitress lose her shit.

Frankly, it felt good to let it all out.

The heavy weight of the ruby in the pocket of her apron was an added bonus.