Page 36 of Sugar

I just hoped it didn’t backfire. “Yes. A whole group of friends. They should be here soon.”

“How many?”

“Eight of us,” I lied yet again.

“Good thing you came early then. ID?”

My fingers trembled as I slid it from my pocket and handed it over.

He gave it a cursory glance that was nowhere near long enough for him to memorize any details. Not unless he had an eidetic memory. He reached for the phone before pausing to look at me.

Why is my dumbass playing along instead of running?

“The password,” he prompted. At my extended silence, his expression softened as he quietly whispered, “It’s golden.”

“Oh. Uh, golden?”

“Wow, how did you ever guess that?” he drawled with a teasing smile. “Make sure the rest of your party knows it because we’resupposed to turn people away who don’t. And if it gets busy by the time they arrive, they’ll have to wait. Any later than ten, and they’re better off trying a different night. Got it?”

I wondered if he was messing with me. Toying with his prey before he got to the murdering.

That didn’t stop me from nodding. “Got it.”

He lifted the phone but didn’t press any buttons. “One for now.”

I wasn’t sure who was crazier. The man speaking to no one on the vintage phone he hadn’t dialed.

Or me for still standing there like a too-stupid-to-live character in a horror movie.

A click echoed in the space, making me jump out of my skin.

The man returned the handset and tilted his head to the door. “Enjoy your night.”

Run.

Run.

Turn and run.

“Thanks,” I muttered and did not, in fact, run.

I opened the heavy door to find a small landing and a golden spiral staircase that led down. It was too bizarre. All of it. Everything. I was about to finally listen to common sense when the sound of laughter, music, and chatter drifted my way.

The kind of noises one would hear at a bar.

With one last pause—and my last act of good judgment—I pulled my phone free and dropped a location pin to Wren and Greer in case I turned up missing.

Then I started down.

When I reached the bottom, another door was being held open by a second beefy guy. “Welcome.”

“Thanks,” I said as I walked inside. My steps slowed to a stop until I rudely blocked the walkway, but I couldn’t help it.

Done in dark woods and plush leather, the space was sophisticated and old-fashioned, yet undeniably cool. Gold details were tastefully interspersed throughout, adding an elegance to it. It was far more expansive than I would’ve thought from the outside, which was good because it was already busy. I couldn’t imagine how packed it would become during peak time.

I started across the room toward the lengthy bar. Every stool that lined it was filled, and more people stood between them. Mounted on the mirrored backdrop was a twisted wrought iron sign with what I assumed to be the name of the bar.

Golden.