Page 98 of Wonder

“Not in the state you’re in.” I turn, scanning the crowd. Red is up in the Palace, entertaining some locals. “She’s been making noises about settling here, you know. Permanently.”

A permanent base for Wonder. In the place that Buck hates most.

His face twists. “Fucking fantastic. And that’s not what I meant.”

He despises coming back here. The drinking always gets worse when we do. Maybe that’s why Red seems to enjoy being here so much. All part of her entertainment, although she doesn’t seem particularlyentertainedby Buck at the moment.

Buck drains the glass as I turn back to him, reaching for the bottle again.

“What did you mean?” Frowning, I grab it from his hands. It’s empty. “You’ll end up killing yourself. No more tonight.”

He points at me – or in my general direction. “Don’t ruin my plans.”

I pause, my eyes sliding to him. “Don’t.”

It wouldn’t be the first time he’s tried. They’ve pumped his stomach in the staff area twice before, Knave pinning him down as he choked and begged.

Red does not like to lose. And she sees her ongoing battle with Buck as a competition.

Knave appears at my back. “Red wants to see you.”

Sighing, I look at Buck. “No more.”

But Knave shakes his head. “She wants both of you.”

Shit.

Buck stumbles off his seat. “Great. I have a few things I want to say to her.”

He’ll provoke her. Say whatever he can in an attempt to enrage her into killing him.

It never works. But she’ll find a way to punish him for it.

“Quiet,” I hiss at him as we make our way upstairs. Knave glares after us as he takes up a space at the bottom, preventing anyone from following us into the VIP area.

He’s not allowed up here, much to his annoyance. He pants after Red like a bitch in heat.

I end up half-dragging Buck, pushing the curtain aside as we duck into Red’s space. She’s fully gowned tonight, dripping in glittering stones that look like diamonds.

A gift, perhaps. She gets enough of them.

Her lips curl up when her eyes land on me. “There you are. My lovely mad one.”

I fucking hate that nickname, and she knows it.

She ignores Buck completely. He starts humming at my side, and one of the men seated beside Red murmurs. He’s grinning, staring at Buck.

Buck’s too wasted to notice.

On Red’s other side, a man is kneeling, flanked by two of her henchmen. Head down, I can’t see his face. Only a shock of blonde hair, the edge matted with something that could be blood.

So, it’s to be one of those nights then.

The man beside Red straightens. “I appreciate your assistance.”

She smiles at him, slow and inviting. “As I appreciate yours. I look forward to seeing you next time we’re in town.”

He kisses her outstretched hand before brushing past us. Buck is frowning as he twists. “Was that—,”