Page 12 of Scarred Sacrifice (Savage Sisters MC #1)

CHAPTER SEVEN

MORRIGAN

I have never been more grateful than to be practically kidnapped by an older woman. Edna has given me all the gossip on most, if not all of everyone here, warning me who to stay clear of. As we make our way to dinner, Edna finds her place card and hands it to her assistant.

“Paul, sit me next to my new best friend,” she orders. He nods and scurries off. We make it to my table, and someone called Edward pulls out the chair next to me. Edna quickly slides herself right into his seat.

“Edna, you’re in my seat,” the tall skinny man states.

She gives him her best sweet old lady look. “Oh, Eddie, you aren’t going to move an old lady, are you? You have my seat, dear. It’s next to that Dick Warren,” she says, patting his hand.

“You mean Richard Warren,” he corrects.

“Oh, yes, silly me.” She tuts and turns her back to him, ending the conversation. I watch as he shakes his head and walks away.

“Lesson number one, take no shit from any of these yahoos.” She winks, holding out her glass for me to clink.

I clink her glass. “I look forward to learning more lessons from you, Edna,” I state.

“Ladies and gentlemen, Mr. Nyx O’Conner,” is announced as people take their seats.

I frown. “I thought everyone was already announced?” I whisper to Edna.

She shrugs. “Maybe they got lost on their way here?” I shrug in response. “So, my dear, what made you want to come to this boring event?” she asks.

“Can’t be that boring if you’re here,” I quip.

“Touché.” She nods.

“Purely for networking. I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but all of the men here don’t take women seriously,” I state.

“Not all of the men. I, for one, take women very seriously,” a deep voice states.

I turn my head, and my gaze immediately lands on a man stood at our table.

He’s dressed in a sharp fitted black suit, a crisp white shirt, with the top few buttons casually undone, exposing the slightest hint of his broad chest. My eyes continue to wander up along his neck to his sharp stubbled jaw, over his soft mouth that twitches into a smug smile, revealing a deep dimple on his right cheek.

Then my eyes land on his rich blue eyes surrounded by thick dark lashes.

“And just who might you be?” Edna asks, breaking me out of my lust-filled gaze.

He arrogantly pulls out his chair next to Edna and sits down. “I’m Nyx O’Conner.” He holds out his hand to Edna, and she blushes as she places her hand in his. He places a soft kiss on the back of her hand, making her giggle like a schoolgirl.

“Another newcomer,” Edna states.

I eye him sceptically. Surely Betsy or Edna would have vetted who was on the list, and surely they would have warned me about this guy.

Or maybe they didn’t so I wouldn’t react.

Who knows? Either way, he has caught me off guard.

He doesn’t look like he belongs here; he’s too young, and far too good looking.

I sit back in my chair and sip my champagne. “So, tell me, Mr O’Conner, what business are you in?” I ask curtly.

His gaze flickers to mine as he clicks his fingers, and his assistant arrives at his side within a millisecond.

“Scotch on the rocks,” he orders. No please or thank you.

My opinion of him instantly changes. He goes from hot to jackass in a split second.

He turns his attention back to me. “Well, Mrs?” He pauses, waiting for me to answer.

“It’s Miss Fox. Valentina Fox,” I state coldly.

“Well, Valentina…” he starts.

“Miss Fox,” I correct him sharply.

His brow arches at my correction. Cleary he’s not used to being corrected. “Miss Fox,” he states. “My apologies. I am in no business. I am of old money.” I don’t respond. Now I think he’s an entitled asshole. “So, Miss Fox, you will have to enlighten me. What is your business?” he counters.

“She’s made millions selling dildos,” Edna blurts out. I want to glare at her, but instead I remain my blasé self, as if I didn’t hear or care what she said.

A surprised chuckle escapes him before his eyes roam over me. “Interesting business to be in,” he states.

Why is it when men hear you sell sex toys, they think they can eye fuck you? Like it gives them a right. Sure, I may have had an appreciative glance when he entered, but it wasn’t sleazy. Well, okay, maybe it was a little sleazy. In fact, I’d say it was delicately sleazy.

He, on the other hand, is clearly just another arrogant rich prick.

I am here to do one thing, and one thing only, and that is to get the information needed to help those girls.

For all I know Mr. Come-to-bed-with-me eyes-and-sit-on-my-face-lips is a part of it.

In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if all the men here are a part of it.

I straighten my back and fix my cold gaze. “What Edna has failed to say is I have a specialist business,” I state.

He leans on his elbow, running the pad of his thumb across his bottom lip. His assistant silently approaches and places his drink on the table beside him before skulking away. Again, he doesn’t say thank you. He just simply picks up his glass and takes a sip. Prick.

“So, Mr. O’Conner, please tell me what brings you to this year’s event?” Edna asks.

He turns his attention to her. “Boredom.” He shrugs. “I had some free time, so I figured why not.”

I roll my eyes. The poor man has too much time and money. Such a hard life he must lead. I ignore him and turn to Edna. “So, what are we to expect this weekend? The invite was very vague,” I ask.

“Usually, we have a variation of games or most, which usually include a little gambling. I like it when I can have a little flutter, but I don’t think he has a full racetrack here.” She sighs.

“He had a full racetrack?” I blurt out before I can hide my shock.

“Yes, only a basic one. So don’t get too excited.” She waves me off, misreading my shocked expression.

“Just a basic one. Pfft. What a loser,” I state sarcastically while rolling my eyes.

Edna throws her head back and laughs, elbowing me with her bony elbow. “Such sass! I like it.” I clink my glass with hers, but as I go to take a sip, I notice it’s empty.

I turn and look around for a server with more champagne, but sadly don’t spot one. Before I can call Penny over, Nyx obnoxiously clicks his fingers and his assistant comes running. “More champagne for Miss Fox,” he demands.

I frown. “I am quite capable of asking for my own drink.”

“Didn’t look like it,” he quips.

I would love nothing more than to slap him upside the head. Fucking smartass. I keep my gaze fixed on his and raise my hand slightly, clicking my fingers. As if it’s the national call for assistants, Penny scurries over. Huh, clearly it is.

“Penny, please can you inform Mr. O’Connors assistant that I no longer require champagne, and could you please bring me two fingers of whiskey on ice,” I order. “Thank you.”

“Right away, Miss Fox,” Penny states before disappearing.

Mr. O’Connor picks up his glass and takes a sip, his eyes fixed on mine. Both of us are stubborn as the other refuses to look away. “I wouldn’t have you down as a whiskey drinker,” he comments.

“There are many things you don’t know about me, Mr. O’Connor,” I retort.

His lips twitch with a faint smile and his lips part as if to say something, but the high-pitch squeal of a mic interrupts him. We all look over to see Henry Sparks stood in front of a microphone, tapping it with his finger.

“Testing, one, two,” he jokes. “Friends, colleagues, and newcomers,” he says, looking to me when he says newcomers.

I force a smile at him and raise my empty glass, hating the attention he is throwing my way.

I never did ask what happened to Henry’s wife.

Surely Isabella wasn’t spawned in a lab.

“I am grateful to all of you for coming out here and joining me. There are some fun things planned that will raise a lot of money for my charity. Your money will help those in the poorest communities, offering private tuition to their children.”

The hairs on the back of my neck prickle.

That’s how he’s taking so many. He’s hitting the desperate, offering them a life, money, and opportunities.

Is that what he’s telling the families? That he’s sending the girls to a private school?

Is that why there aren’t a hundred of missing persons reports? Shit, I feel sick to my stomach.

“Now, I won’t ramble on, but I will say I expect you all to dig deep, give generously, and after all, it’s a tax break.

” He chuckles. People laugh and cheer, raising their glasses in a toast to that.

“Now, let’s eat, drink, and relax,” Henry cheers, and with that the doors open and a swarm of staff enter, carrying plates of food.

They all stand around our tables, pausing until they are all in their correct spot before placing the plates down for everyone at exactly the same time with military precision.

“Jesus, is there a countdown where we all start at the same time, too?” I mutter under my breath.

“I don’t think its mandatory,” Mr. O’Connor quips.

I look at him and he smirks as he takes a bite of his scallop. I clear my throat. “So, Mr. O’Connor, what do you like to do with all your free time?” I ask, trying to deflect.

He wipes the corners of his mouth with a napkin before leaning back in his chair, taking a long sip of his drink. “It’s Nyx, and I do whatever I feel like doing. I often like to go on rides,” he states.

“Horse rides? My husband and I loved to go riding in the countryside.” Edna smiles.

“No, Edna, not horses. Bikes,” he states.

That has my attention. “Bikes?” I press.

“Yes, I ride motorbikes. There is nothing quite like the open road.” He sighs.

“No, there isn’t,” I blurt out. Cringing, I sit up straight, feeling stupid for opening my mouth. “Er, I mean, so I’ve heard,” I say, quickly scrambling to cover my mistake. Jesus, the first night and I’m already fucking this up.

“Well, hello, Edna. How are you?” a woman—probably in her fifties—approaches.

It’s not hard to tell that she’s had a lot of cosmetic surgery.

While for the most part she looks fabulous, but she probably should have stopped when her eyebrows were getting too close to her hairline.

She has a permanent shocked expression about her.

“Oh, shit. Watch out, she’s a viper,” Edna mutters behind her napkin, pretending to wipe her mouth.

“Sherry! How wonderful to see you,” Edna falsely beams.

The woman smiles, or at least tries to, but she has so much Botox and lip filler, her face is staying mainly emotionless.

Her eyes flicker to me. “Are you going to introduce me to your friend?” she asks with the flick of her hand in my direction.

I notice a huge diamond ring on her finger.

It’s so big, I’m surprised it’s not weighing her hand down.

“This is Miss Valentina Fox.” Edna gestures to me. “And Valentina, this is Sherry. Her husband is the rather large man loudly blowing his nose. His name is Lord Mulberry.” She points.

I watch as Sherry huffs in annoyance at Edna. “So, your husband is British?” I ask, trying to take Sherry’s attention away from Edna.

Her grey eyes shift to me. “Yes, he is the third cousin to the King,” she boasts.

“Oh, I see.” I nod, not sure what else to say to that.

Well done? Whoopie for you? Clearly not satisfied with my response, she turns her attention to Nyx.

“And who might you be?” she asks, her voice turning sultry as she leans across the table, pushing her cleavage together, which wouldn’t normally be a problem, but they’re practically in my face. I blanch, leaning back.

“Nyx O’Connor,” he states curtly.

Sherry looks him over. “How have I not come across you before?” she practically drawls.

“Well, I’m sure we have crossed your path before,” he states, smiling up at her.

My eyes flicker back and forth between their interaction. Something in her expression makes me think she knows him, or in the least recognises him, but while she is playing dumb, Nyx is acting like he wished he didn’t know her.

I frown, confused. “So, do you attend many other events then, if you recognise Sherry?” I ask.

“Some, but not many,” he answers.

I nod. “Do you have favourite one?” I ask, pressing further. Something isn’t sitting right.

“Sure, this one.” He shrugs.

“But this is your first time here. So how do you know it’s your favourite?” I ask.

He gives me an irritated look, not appreciating me pressing the issue.

He puts on a smile. “Quite the detective, aren’t you, Miss Fox?

Well, if you must know, I’ve heard so much about these events.

What I meant to say is, I’m sure this one will be my favourite,” he states firmly before he stands.

“If you ladies will excuse me, I require the little boys room.” He pushes to his feet, giving us a brief nod before he walks through the room and out the double doors. I frown, watching him.

“Well, I suppose I best get back to my seat. Good to see you, Edna, and you, Miss Fox,” Sherry mutters under her breath as she walks back to her seat.

An unsettled feeling swirls around my gut. I’m not sure what it is, but something doesn’t feel right. Maybe it was just the scallops, but something about Nyx O’Connor isn’t all as it seems.