Page 26 of The Devil After Dark

twenty-five

LIANA

Place settings were shining. Servers in their black uniforms were checking every last detail as I walked between the tables and admired their work.

Everything was set. The dining tables were ready.

The appetizers were ready and waiting for the first guests to start filtering in.

Sparkling wine was on ice and ready to be poured as soon as the first guest was spotted.

“Liana, everything looks wonderful! Is it all ready?” Daren asked as he crossed the room towards me. The deep navy of his suit even coordinated with the decoration color palette.

“Everything is ready, Mr. Worthington,” I replied with a proud smile. For this being the first event of this size I was responsible for, I was quite pleased with myself.

“I can’t decide if I prefer your formalities or if I’d rather you just call me, Daren,” he said as he reached me and greeted me with the common kiss to my cheek.

“Maybe we could test out using ‘sir,’” he said as he stepped back and his eyes took in my dress.

It was a crisp black floor length satin.

The simplicity of the dress catered to its elegance.

“Whatever you say Mr. Worthington,” I responded casually. Internally I was screaming. Sir? The way he said it like a name to call him in the bedroom made me cringe. But Daren was still our client for now and Roger would not appreciate me talking back.

“Do you think you can save a dance for your future boss?” he teased as his hand found my hip.

I quickly stepped away and pretended to straighten a name card. “I’m staying with Roger, Mr. Worthington,” I replied and skipped further away around the table.

“Eventually, you’ll agree to be mine,” Daren tossed out casually. The word choice made alarm bells ring inside of me.

“I like what you’ve done with the place,” Thea’s voice rang out from across the room. I let out a relieved sigh as my coworkers crossed the room to greet me. A few of Daren’s employees filtered in as well. Thank the gods I was no longer alone with him.

A few minutes later servers emerged with trays of bite sized appetizers and sparkling wine. Guests chatted as they filtered in and admired the artwork along the walls and the expansive city view out the floor to ceiling windows that lined one side of the room. Soon the room was buzzing with people.

My eye caught on the entrance as Cassio and a man I recognized as Jason strolled in.

They would have been hard to miss. Cassio was a presence all on his own, but Jason was almost just as tall.

I would never have guessed he was recovering from being shot.

I had not bothered to review the guest list, that had been an item I had delegated, and I did not realize Cassio was set to attend.

He looked so completely comfortable in this room filled with powerful magic wielders and the city’s elite.

Hell, it looked like he owned this place and the city.

At this point in time I wouldn’t be surprised if he did own this place.

Cassio’s open collar was a stark contrast to the ties and bow ties of the other attendees, but it only made him seem more important than the rest of them.

Cassio had been visiting me most nights for weeks now.

Some mornings I would wake up disappointed he didn’t wake me in the night.

But most mornings I woke up slightly exhausted, yet completely satisfied.

The best mornings, I woke up nestled in Cassio’s arms. Cassio’s eyes found mine across the room within seconds of his arrival.

I was content to drown in those blue eyes, but they suddenly narrowed.

Daren motherfucking Worthington’s hand slid over my hip and settled at the small of my back.

I felt him turning me and I tore my eyes away from Cassio, trying my best not to outwardly cringe away from Daren’s touch.

“Liana, I want you to meet a business associate of mine who is here visiting from another province,” Daren said as he stepped closer to me.

I stopped breathing as I saw who he was introducing me to.

Even in his suit and the warm lights of the room there was no mistaking that I was looking at the man I had been dancing with at The Devil After Dark.

The man Cassio had said was an enforcer for a drug gang.

“Merrick Delacourt,” he offered with a smirk that told me he knew exactly who I was too.

“Liana Sutton,” I said as I managed a polite smile and shook his extended hand. He held on a little too long before letting go.

“Liana arranged this entire fundraiser, Merrick. I am trying to convince her to come work for me,” Daren continued his introduction.

“It’s a lovely event,” Merrick said. His eyes were glued on me, even as he sipped his drink.

More than half this room was magic wielders and although a fact like that had never bothered me before, the stroke of Daren’s finger along my low back and the intensity of Merrick’s stare made me feel extremely vulnerable.

The fact that men had a distinct physical advantage over women was not missed by me, but this was different.

What could the magic of these men do? Did they participate in the games Cassio had told me about?

“It is so nice to meet you, Mr. Delacourt. I apologize, but I need to check in with the staff and make sure everything is set for dinner. I hope you enjoy yourself tonight,” I said with a practiced ease.

Merrick smiled. “I’ll be looking for you,” he replied smoothly and my skin tingled with his statement.

I couldn’t just leave my own event. Maybe Cassio could come drag me out of this event like he dragged me out of his club.

I certainly had not been expecting to see the stranger I’d ground my body against at my client’s fundraiser.

I slipped out of Daren’s touch and headed straight for the curtains that blocked off part of the space for a staging area.

I kept walking past the doors that led to the kitchen.

I didn’t need to check with the staff, I needed to put space between me and those men.

The dark hallway I found myself in was lined with windows that overlooked the city.

I needed a minute away from the busy event filled with strangers and small talk and two men who made me feel like prey.

My hands raised to my head as I let a few panicked breaths roll through me.

It’s fine. I’m fine. I told myself and squeezed my eyes closed.

I let go of one more breath and let my arms fall back to my sides.

I would take the long way back to help calm myself. I wandered along the wall of windows, taking in the lights. It’s going well. People are having a good time. I whispered the words repeatedly under my breath like an affirmation.

Just because I was not having a good time did not mean others weren’t as well. It’s going well. People are having a good time . I whispered again as I turned a corner. I let out a startled gasp as a strong hand grabbed me and pulled me into an alcove.

His body pressed me against the wall as his hand covered my mouth.

Cassio held up a finger to his lips, telling me to be quiet.

My momentary panicking subsided and Cassio’s hand slipped from my mouth, only to be replaced by his lips against mine.

His kiss was demanding and rough. I was no longer thinking about the other men when Cassio pulled back from me. “Well hello to you too,” I whispered.

“Do you know how hard it is to stay away from you?” Cassio replied breathily.

Like it was my fucking choice. It was his. He was the one dictating when we saw each other. “You are the one limiting yourself,” I responded a little more snarkily than I intended.

“Gods dammit, Liana,” Cassio growled, his chest heaving. “I need you to understand that being with me puts a target on your back. People will hunt you, Angel, just to get at me. I can’t let that happen.”

“Cassio …” I just wanted him. I wanted him to not be different depending on the setting. I wanted him to show me the same outward commitment he demanded from me every night he broke into my condo. “I can’t just be a secret. I don’t need or want the spotlight, but I feel like a midnight booty call.”

“I am so sorry, Angel,” Cassio whispered. Was that actually an apology I heard from his lips? Then he cupped the back of my head and gently kissed my forehead. “You are not a booty call for me. I want to keep you safe.”

“I need things to change,” I pleaded as I let my hands wander from his hips. He was actually listening tonight. He had apologized. I was taking this opportunity to say what I needed and wanted to say to him. “I just can’t handle being a secret forever, okay?”

“Things will change. I promise,” Cassio whispered. Then he gently kissed my forehead again and laced his fingers in mine. “We need to get back before people start missing you out there.”

He was right. I did not know if things would change, but I had said my peace and we needed to get back to the event.

I let Cassio lead me back down the dark hallway and around the corner towards the fundraiser.

As we approached the staging area, his hand slipped from mine and slid across my back.

Then he leaned close and whispered, “We will continue this conversation, Angel. I promise.” He slipped through the curtains and I peered after him.

I watched him stride into the crowd of people, heading towards the bar.