Run From Me (Barbed Wire Hearts #2)

28. Calliope

TWENTY-EIGHT

calliope

“You clean up rather nicely for being an asshole thug. Do the Spectors know one of their bosses looks pretty in a suit?”

We watched from a corner. Everyone had masks on and some looked to be studded in real diamonds.

“How much money do you think is in this room?” I asked, leaning against Xander. I fought the urge to melt into him as his fingers grazed my neck.

“Let’s hope a lot. But more so, I hope their pockets are deep tonight.”

I watched as a couple walked side by side with champagne, moving between two sculptures that were larger versions than mine. Xander promised to make me another one, but seeing these here, I just wanted the original. It wasn’t just the knife. It was the fact he’d thought of me. He’d thought of me and done something about it.

Maybe that would be something I really pushed for this week, to empty out my apartment of the few things I wanted.

“Did you help with those?” I nodded toward the sculptures.

“I was inspired, what can I say?”

His hand slid around my back and past the backless part of the dress, heading beneath the edge of the drape of the top that went up into a halter.

“Behave, asshole. Just because I complimented you doesn’t mean you get to cop a feel. Maybe explain to me why this was moved up? If I call in sick one more day, I’m probably going to be fired with or without your doctor's note.”

His chest rumbled behind me, but he stopped as Zeiden moved next to us. Without having seen them put on their masks, I doubt I would actually know who either of them were. Xander had complimented my dress with silver in his mask and a gray shirt under the black tux. Zeiden wore a deep green, and Cas and Rylee sported red.

“X, keep your eye out. We don’t know who we are looking for. I just have a hunch that whoever the puppet master is will show. He has to be one of the rich to afford the poisons and to have set up that fake fight.”

I looked at Zeiden. “It looked pretty real to me.”

He sucked on his bottom lip before responding. “Yeah. It was real. But it was manufactured to get us all arrested. Imagine inviting all the top fighters from the major gangs in the city and then calling the cops. I can’t put my finger on it, but who has enough money and balls to back that endeavor and not get caught?”

Xander kept me close, his hand tightening around my waist, and he leaned in so only I could hear him.

“You see, Calliope, we’re one of the few who can afford to back those kinds of fights. It keeps the riffraff down and lets the gangs fight it out. It’s also our way of reminding them who not to mess with.”

Behind the masks, everyone here seemed rich and unassuming. What exactly would someone dangerous look like?

Would they look like these guys with hourglasses peeking over collared shirts? Would they look like the people who hide behind masks of discrimination and hatred even here with another mask over the top?

Xander’s hands wandered as he held me closely. We stayed in the corner as Zeiden walked away.

“Xander, you have a job.”

His finger bit into the skin of my stomach.

“Do I? Then why did you wear a dress that makes me want to kill every man in this room for looking at you?”

The pressure of his hands kept me from turning around to see even his eyes. Instead, I raised an arm behind me and placed it around his neck as I pressed my ass against his cock.

“Your anger issues are not my fault. You hired the designer,” I said under my breath.

I could feel the rise and fall of his chest behind my head, but he didn’t say anything as we stood there. I kept watching the anonymous faces as they hopped from one sculpture to another.

I noticed a man with a strange blue mask. I couldn’t exactly place why it caught my attention, but something about it did.

“Why do you fight me, Calliope?” he said, pulling me back to our corner.

With one quick twist, his grip shifted and I was facing him, pulled tightly into his warmth as he leaned down and claimed my lips.

I closed my eyes, memorizing the way his mouth moved against mine and the way he tasted. When he pulled away, adjusting his mask, I smiled, only seeing his eyes and little else around the anonymity.

“What are you thinking, Calliope?”

I shivered at the way my name rolled off his tongue, like it was different from any other time. It wasn’t, but my body seemed to need whatever magic his beautiful lips had when they said my name.

“I keep wondering when this little bubble will pop.”

We stood there for far too long. Just watching the other when no words seemed to fit. The only thing breaking our magic was when Zeiden’s shadow caught my attention as he leaned into Xander and whispered something I couldn’t hear.

The exchange was quick and short, but it was there, and the way Xander’s posture changed, all playfulness gone, I knew the night had shifted.

“Cali, stay with Rylee. The boys will be watching you and her. We will be back shortly.”

I nodded and reached for his hand, kissing his knuckles.

“Love you, Crash.”

He shifted around me, pulling me to Rylee, and just as I thought he was going to release me and walk away, he leaned in one last time.

“Love you, Sparky. Stay put.”

“I never go far, my liege,” I said under my breath.

With that, he was gone with the other two imposing figures. When they left, the room almost seemed empty. Or maybe it was my imagination.

Xander was my calm, but maybe it was for the best. I could breathe air that wasn’t filled with him. Who was I kidding? I missed him already.

All those nights dreaming of him. Then the reality of seducing him and getting what I thought I’d wanted? None of it could have prepared me for what it was to be his. Not only that, but to belong. Here tonight, it felt like I’d just come full circle.

Except now? Every step around this place was a sore little reminder of how he used my body to keep whatever was deep inside him in check. Or maybe it was hidden. I wanted to find out what ate away at him.

“I’m going to the ladies’ room. You good?” Rylee asked. I nodded as I studied one of the sculptures.

“Yeah. I’m good. I’ll wait right here.”

I glanced over my shoulder and saw two sets of eyes watching us. Two big guys in pretty suits shadowed us even with all the extra security.

“The Tweedles won’t let me go anywhere anyway.”

She giggled.

“You get used to it. I’m just excited to have you around. I’ve always wanted a sister, and if I’d ever been asked, I’d have picked you.”

I blinked at the admission. Not that she hadn’t said things like she loved having a neighbor and a girl to hang out with. But sister? I never imagined asking out the big guy would have led me here.

“Sister?” I choked out.

Her response was a little smile that I swear looked like she knew something I didn’t.

“I don’t think Xander’s the settle down and white picket fence type,” I quickly added.

She shrugged.

“Not all dreams are white picket fences. Mine happens to be a fortress with a man that comes home to me and looks at me like I’m his sun, moon, stars, and obsession.”

She patted my arm and headed toward a small hall where the bathroom must have been. One Tweedle moved to follow her while the other stood right where he was.

“Whatever,” I said to myself. I looked at the guns, chains, what I’d have guessed were brass knuckles, and a myriad of other items. I looked closer to see delicate little needles long since removed from the syringes, making whiskers of some kind of large cat. Mountain lion? I needed to go to a zoo and broaden my sad little horizons.

I snorted at the idea of Xander doing something so normal. Yeah, probably not. Maybe I could donate a scalpel or bone saw from some of my favorite victims as they came in. I sighed at the idea that I was busy making plans for an unsure future.

“Interesting, isn’t it?” said a male voice.

I turned to him and froze. It was that hauntingly familiar mask.

I could see the guy's lips and roughly make out his eyes, but for the most part, I couldn’t see past the mask. I shook it off because the chill running down my spine said it wasn’t a good idea to give anything away.

Instead I hid behind my own mask and all its glamour and pearls that hung down, obscuring nearly all of my face. Rylee’s has been equally concealing.

“I… Yes… Beautiful. I wonder how they make it all look so real.” Small talk. I hated it but I could do it.

The man was tall, and I had to look up to see him clearly, but I still wanted to figure out why the mask stood out to me. His odd little almost choke caught my attention.

“My dear woman. You don’t believe these to be fake? I’d be remiss if I didn’t acknowledge how clean our streets are in this part of the city. Not a needle, spoon, or tossed aside lighter to be found. A stark contrast to other more unsavory parts.”

Absentmindedly I nodded, still stuck on the mask. The Spectors did seem to keep their part of the city clean.

“I never realized. The Arcane Alchemist is a humanitarian then?” I didn’t react much, playing the dumb bimbo with finesse. I didn’t even flinch when the back of this hand grazed my arm.

“Oh, sweet innocent little girl. That’s far from the truth. Don’t let their pretty illusions fool you. Now, be so kind and tell me, why have I never seen you at these events before?”

I scoffed. “Innocent little girl? Pardon me old man.” He wasn’t old, or at least his hair was still lush and dark.

His hand grabbed my arm, but I didn’t even have a chance to use the couple of moves Xander and Zeiden had been showing me. My self-defense lessons longed to be used, and yet the big, burly Tweedle ripped him away.

“Do not touch what isn’t yours, sir.”

The guy’s eyes flicked over me and back at the guard.

“My apologies. I mistook you for someone else. So many masked events in this city, it’s hard to not be curious of those we meet.”

As the Tweedle spoke to the brazen man, something dawned on me.

Masked events. I knew where I’d seen the mask.

While the Tweedle was busy, I snuck away, ducking past every guard by using the darker corners. It would be a matter of seconds I was certain before someone noticed, but I needed to see if I was right. I needed to get to the morgue now. This would eat away at me if I had to wait. But something told me maybe I could be useful to the guys. And choosing to be useful was something I’d never had before.

I pulled my phone from the tiny purse that I had a mace in as well as lipstick. Xander insisted we have something on us at all times, and I was shit with a knife.

I had to download the ridesharing app on the new phone since I wasn’t getting my old one back apparently. Seconds ticked by as I figured out how to log in and get a car ordered. I looked around the corner, and sure enough, the poor Spector tasked with me was looking around. The way Xander hated me doing anything, there was no way he would let me go do what I needed to. He would make me wait and I couldn't. The police picked up evidence regularly, and I prayed this particular bag was still there.

The app showed the car a minute away. Okay, time to go for it.

I ducked out of the corner and headed for the front door. Did Xander give everyone a photo of me in a mask? We were about to find out.

I got past one guard who was turned away, but the next stopped me.

“Miss, the bidding hasn’t begun. We would appreciate you going back into the event.”

The pearls hanging down my chin obscured the demure look I was trying for. Pointless really.

“I’m sorry, I’m not feeling well. I just need some air.”

The guard looked at his counterpart, and right as he was about to open the door, I heard the guy behind say, “Boss’s girl is missing. Pearl and silver mask. Silver dress.”

The guy next to me looked down at me and back at the guy.

“Miss, you need to go back. It’s not safe out there.”

I rolled my eyes.

“Look, do you think X would be happy to know I passed out here because I couldn’t get fresh air? My guard dog is coming anyway. Just let me go. It’s not like I’m going to run away from the man I love.”

There were some exchanged looks but the door opened and I stepped out just as I noticed the car drive up.

I took all of one second to think, and then hightailed my little heels to the car.

“You want a massive tip?” I asked as I slammed the door. “Just drive.”

He looked at the guys charging the car and drove away, but I doubted it had anything to do with a tip. The gun I could see glistening in the dark light as I looked back? Yeah, probably that.

“Fuck lady. What the hell was that?”

I took a deep breath.

“Tight security. Just take me to the morgue please, and I’ll pay you extra if you wait out front for me.”