Page 42 of Provocation (Den of Deception #3)

‘Nothing. No one’s talking about him. Blake’s boss is pissed but not looking for him either. He was the type to just up and disappear, so no one suspects. His body will be long gone now, pulled out to the Atlantic.’

He leaves the room, and I throw some clothes on, going to the lab and starting another batch of Envy. My process is pretty streamlined now, so it doesn’t take me long and within half an hour, we’re on our way to the KIP house.

Shade and I get ready for the gala that afternoon.

I take a shower, and Lu comes to do my hair. She primps and prods, curling my hair, and even my eyelashes. She’s very excited to be getting me ready for what she calls ‘the biggest party of the mother fucking year’.

When I roll my eyes she frowns at me.

'You know, not all of us get to go to all the swanky stuff for the rich people. Okay?' She says, wagging her finger at me. ‘You have to go and tell me all about it because I sure as fuck am never gonna get in there to see it for myself.'

'Okay,' I huff. 'I promise, I'll tell you everything that happens and what it looks like.'

'Pay attention.' She points at me. 'I know you, you won't remember any of the little things, and you won't look at any of the people, and you won't tell me who's wearing what.'

I put my hands up. 'Okay, okay,' I say, with a laugh 'I'll make an effort just for you. I will make sure that I notice everything I can possibly notice. Hell, I'll even take photos for you.'

She claps her hands together, squealing in glee.

'I thought you weren't into all this stuff,' I mutter.

She shrugs. 'I may not like most of the rich assholes in this town, but a girl loves a pretty dress and a glitzy party. The best I’m gonna get is the afterparty when our play is over.'

She unzips the dress bag that has appeared in my room, and she takes out a slinky, deep green silk, off-the-shoulder, floor- length dress. Her eyes widen at it, and I'm pretty sure she's salivating as she takes it out.

'Don't get slobber all over it,' I murmur.

She closes her mouth and then gives me the finger.

'Put it on,' she says, almost breathlessly. 'People can say what they want about your stepbrother, but fuck me, he has taste.'

I put it over my head, careful not to mess up the hair and makeup that Lu has done so artfully.

Unlike the night of the Halloween party where I was made-up to the nines, my look tonight is understated and elegant.

When I say so, she just mutters that you have to know these things when you're in the theater, and then she mutters something about spirit fingers that I don't really understand.

She opens my closet when I'm ready, and I stare, my mouth dropping open in spite of myself.

'You're right,' I say. 'He does have good taste.'

Whereas the dress that I was given by Joe Banderville for his horrible Thanksgiving nightmare dinner was uncomfortable and made me sweat, this dress is made of natural fibers.

It feels so soft on my skin, it doesn't snag in my nails, and I don't feel like I'm going to go up like a dried up Christmas tree if I get too close to a candle, although with the amount of hairspray Lu has put in my hair to shellac it into place, maybe I should be careful.

My door opens without a knock, and I turn around to find Shade in a tux. His usually slightly unruly hair is combed back, falling artfully over his forehead. My eyes travel the length of him, and I see his lips twitch.

'Like what you see?'

I don't bother to hide it. I nod, and his grin is wide.

'Ditto,' he murmurs. 'I knew that dress would look amazing on you.'

He comes forward with a box.

'Don't get excited,' he says, 'I need to take it back tomorrow.'

'What is it?' I ask.

'This was a piece from my mom's side of the family.' He opens an antique looking box, and I gasp when I see a beautiful necklace strung with rubies and matching teardrop earrings. My eyes widen.

'Wow,' I breathe. 'These look really valuable.'

He winks at me. 'Just don't lose them, or there'll be hell to pay.'

'Is this allowed?' I ask.

He nods. 'The safe deposit box is held by both me and Andy.

I haven't asked him, but he's not here anyway.

He's not gonna know. He hasn't come back from Harvard.

' He shakes his head. 'He didn't last year either. I think once he's there, he just gets into the zone. Has his Harvard people, business stuff. There’s not much to come back for, is there? Some passive aggressive dinners, a gala or two. If Pop didn’t demand it, I wouldn’t go either. '

He nods at Lu and takes my hand, leading me into the hallway where both Mav and Blake are standing in their doorways watching for me.

'Fuck, Daisy,' Blake says, almost leaping forward.

He twirls me around, and I laugh.

'You look good enough to eat.' He steps closer and puts his lips next to my ear. 'Later.'

I shiver in anticipation, and then Mav, who's rolling his eyes, draws me away with his hands on my waist, picks me up to bring my face to his. He kisses my lips.

'You look absolutely amazing, Tulip,' he murmurs. ‘Sublime.’

I smile, my cheeks heating at their compliments.

'Thanks,' I say.

Mav’s arms don’t leave me. ‘When you get back later, I’m going to put on some slow music in the club and dance with you.'

'Okay, come on.' Shade says impatiently, looking at his watch. 'It's time. The car is probably already here.'

I wave goodbye to Lu, who gives me a wink but then her eyes find Shade, and she gives him an odd look I don’t understand.

I put a pin in it to ask him or her about it later.

We go downstairs, and every member we pass in the hall stops and stares at us.

Outside, a black town car is waiting. We get in, our hands brushing each other's as we go down the road.

'They'll be there tonight,' he says quietly.

I nod. ‘I know.’

My stomach twists.

'He'll ask you to dance with him, probably.'

I nod. 'Don't worry. I won't embarrass the Novelles.'

Shade cringes.

'Fuck,' he growls, 'my dad will be there watching as well.

Just...it'll be fine. Everything will be fine.

' He says more to himself. 'But you don't leave my sight.

I was serious about the chaperone thing.

Joe won't be allowed to take you anywhere, not even outside on the terrace alone. He can dance with you, and that's it.'

Just thinking of his hands on me makes me shiver. I don't even want that much, but I won't make a scene.

After all, I’ve been trained not to. I let the sneer take over my expression for a moment as I stare out the window.

Shade side eyes me, not knowing the dark turn of my thoughts. ‘You should probably stay away from the champagne tower.'

I huff, turning back to make a face at him. 'That was one time, and I told you, I tripped on a cord. It wasn't even my fault.'

He snorts.

We get to the party that’s being held at a grand house just outside of Richmond proper. It overlooks the sea, and the grounds go down to a rocky shore where I can hear the ocean waves crashing hard.

Everything is decorated for Christmas in golds, reds, and greens. There's a massive Christmas tree in the foyer, designer decorated. It's at least 20 feet high, and there are actual presents underneath it.

The Forrests are standing close by to welcome their guests. I'm given a flute of champagne, and when they greet Shade enthusiastically, they luckily don't seem to realize who I am because I'm ignored completely. I guess they just think I'm his date.

In the dining room, there are tables set up. Each one is decorated with place cards and a party favor for each guest as well as a huge centerpiece pile of golden Christmas baubles. We find our seats, and I see that I’m supposed to have John on one side of me and Joe Banderville on the other.

Shade's eyes narrow as he sees the place cards.

'Fuck that,' he whispers, switching his name tag, which is on another table, with Joe's. 'I can't do anything about my father, but at least you don't have to sit next to that son of a bitch all night.'

I sit down and grasp my champagne glass tightly, taking a sip.

The party favor on the table in front of me is wrapped up like a Christmas present.

I open it and find a little crystal kaleidoscope.

I look into the light with it, enjoying the shapes and colors, and then put it into my purse, intending to give it to Lu as a memento of the evening since she can't be here.

The dinner passes off without a hitch. There's nothing that I can't eat, but it's all lukewarm fare from a caterer that had to make two hundred dishes all at once.

For most of the meal, John isn't even there, and when he does finally turn up, he looks a little out of it. He’s swaying a little and his eyes are unfocused.

Joe Banderville’s seat is out of my line of sight, but I know he’s watching me, probably wanting more than anything to punish me for drinking alcohol.

I don’t look at him once, but I do make sure I have at least two glasses of champagne.

John speaks over my head at Shade a few times, and to the older man who's next to him, who I don't know, but he doesn’t spare me even a glance. I do notice that John is knocking back the tumblers of whiskey, though.

When the dinner is done, after a couple of boring speeches about whatever charity we're here for and the silent auction that's taking place tonight, we leave the table.

Most go straight for the ballroom to dance, so Shade and I wander through the auction room.

We look at all the lavish things that can be bid on, from expensive bottles of wine to trips, and one in particular catches my eye.

It’s a luxury day-voyage up the coast in a sailboat with a captain.

I put my name down and a dollar value I can actually afford with a small smile on my face, making sure Shade doesn’t see me do it, and hoping I win.

Afterward, we go into the ballroom.

Shade is immediately asked to dance by a determined blonde girl who looks about sixteen.