Page 33 of Retaliation
DoucheKing
You wound me, lady. Save me a dance?
Sara
Only if Prince Charming doesn’t show up.
DoucheKing
If he does, I’ll kill him and take you anyway. See you soon, princess.
My blood heated thinking of this particular Obscuritas Prince. He might be charming to some, but he was an ass, just like his father. Probably a murderer too, and I needed to remember that before my stupid, horny pussy got any more dirty ideas. The head asshole had been particularly attentive this past week. Andras called on me constantly in class, trying to get one over me but not knowing I had Tibby in my ear. Dev was weirdly quiet, as if our recent hookups didn’t happen. His behavior was off, and I couldn’t figure out why. Maybe the Kings had called him back to the fold. Everyone knew you didn’t just walk away from a cult like this. Not alive, anyway. Ty sparred with me at the gym this week but he also kept his distance; flirting and sending chills up and down my spine, but never crossing any lines outside the ring. Were the Princes ignoring me? Did they figure me out already? I shrugged, even with the little voice in the back of my head telling me to be weary. I didn’t have time to figure out their mood swings. Tonight, I had to focus on my family.
After pouring myself another drink, I stepped into the gown, pulling the corseted top over my chest. I strained my arms to reach the tiny clasps at my back. I should’ve chosen something easier to get into but I was really going for the princess look tonight. The navy fabric glistened with glitter and lace, cinching my waist and flowing out around my feet in waves of silk. I went with dark-blue contacts, something different than what they’d seen before. I picked up the crown on my bed and stepped in front of my mirror.
“Very Ice Queen, Seraphina.” I grinned, patting myself on the back.
The crown sparkled silver and blue, matching my hair and dress perfectly. I planned to take an Uber and I hand-picked my driver with Tibby’s tech wizard magic. I tucked my earpiece into place and shoved up my skirts to wrap my knife holster around my thigh. I figured my purse would be searched, but I might get by with the hidden blade. If my big distraction worked, security would be very busy all night.
“All set, Nova?” Tibby called out via the earpiece.
“All set, Zenith. We play this smart. No dallying. And don’t get caught,” I growled at her and could feel the eye roll she was giving me in return.
“I got this. We got this. You just keep the horny kitty between your legs on lockdown. That slut is adDICKted to those Princes.”
I nearly spit out my whiskey. “Fuck. She really is. We’ll just have to find her another bad boy to make her purr.”
I stepped out of the hotel room and headed downstairs. Before I reached the lobby, I turned to a side door leading to the alley. I dumped the clothes I didn’t need and walked to the top of the street.
I opened my phone and pulled up the Uber app. The car pulled up quickly, and I scanned the plates, asking for him to repeat my name before getting in. Too many girls got into cars without verifying the driver was actually their Uber. Not that I couldn’t take the scrawny guy behind the wheel, but I had important places to be tonight and no time to find a new dress if this one was suddenly stained with blood.
The ridiculously big estate wasn’t far from the hotel I chose, and after about ten minutes, we found the private street leading up to the grand driveway. Several heavily armed men guarded the gates, checking cars for weapons and checking names against their lists. My Uber pulled up next to one of the burly security guys, and I rolled down my window.
“Sara Braun,” I stated my name before he could ask, and he frowned, checking his list.
“Welcome, Miss Braun.” He nodded, eyeing my driver. “Please follow the drive up to the main entrance and drop her off. Then follow the other cars to the gates on the far side of the estate to exit. There will be security stationed along the road to guide you.”
I smirked. Yes, guide you or kill you if you tried anything crazy. Of course, Tibby and I knew about the guards and the two gates. But she wasn’t using a gate. My little tech spy was currently scaling the fence along the other side of the estate. The top of the wrought-iron fencing was lined with high-voltage wire, but we had a plan.
My Uber pulled up to the front doors of one of the fanciest fucking mansions I’d ever seen. If castles existed in the States, this was a castle. The stone walls were lined with ivy, and beautiful stained glass windows decorated the front of the mansion. The turreted rooftop disappeared high into the night sky. Stars twinkled overhead as I gazed out the window of the car. A servant quickly came to the door and opened it, offering his hand to help me out. I smiled brightly, catching his eye and making him blush. I needed all eyes on me and not my Uber for now.
“Why thank you, Mr.…?” I gushed, squeezing his arm.
The guy was probably close to my age, maybe early twenties. His long, curly hair falling across his face.
“Oh, um Samuel Blackbyrn, ma’am. Miss. Mrs.”
I laughed, tugging his arm so he would follow me up the grand staircase leading into the house and away from the Uber driving toward the gates. “Just Sara, sweet Samuel. I’m a nobody, just like you.”
“You don’t look like a nobody.” He gulped, eyeing my dress with another blush.
I batted my lashes. “Thank you, Samuel. Oh, will you pause a sec. I need to check my lipstick before going inside.”
I pulled open my tiny purse and passed him my phone and the bag before taking out a compact and a gold lipstick case. I twisted the top off and felt the mechanism click. I smiled as I reapplied my blood-red lipstick.
Tibby’s giggle sounded lightly in my ear. “Three, two, one…”
“Done,” I smiled, snapping the lipstick closed just as a loud boom sounded near the gates of the estate. Brightly colored fireworks shot into the air. People screamed and the security guards ran to the gates as the massive explosions fired into the air. I grabbed Samuel’s arm and gasped as the loud fireworks covered the other boom of the electric fencing shutting off.
