The banquet hall rises from the center of Moscow, all ivory stone and massive glass windows glowing warm against the winter dark. Valets move through the snowfall in black coats while luxury cars line the entrance in an endless procession. It’s elegant and deadly.
Ugh, fuck.
I know exactly what kind of people are inside. Men with blood under their fingernails, hidden beneath diamond cufflinks. Women draped in silk beside monsters they pretend not to notice. He must have invited a shit ton of predators who are dressed like royalty. And somewhere inside that building is Alexei.
My stomach twists so violently I almost feel the urge to vomit.
Beside me, Emma notices my wince. Her hand slides gently over mine, where it rests against my knee. “Stay with me,” she says softly.
I nod once, though the motion feels stiff.
Rafe opens his door first, cold air rushing into the vehicle as snowflakes spiral through the light outside. “Remember,” he says calmly, adjusting thecuffs of his black coat. “You only need to survive long enough for Adela to finish. She’srightthere. We could release his shit instead of yours.”
I swallow hard.Long enough.That’s the mission.
My fingers flex once against my thigh before I force myself to move. The cold hits immediately when I step out of the car, sharp enough to sting my lungs when I inhale. Snow crunches beneath my boots as I look around, noticing the party is very much black tie. Luckily, since Rafe and I are about the same size, he lent me one of his suits. And Emma is in one of Adela’s dresses.
She steps out behind me a second later, and for a heartbeat, everything else disappears.
Fuck.
She looks beautiful.
The dark red dress she’s wearing clings softly to her body beneath her coat, her hair falling in loose waves around her shoulders while snowflakes melt against her skin. She catches me staring and offers the faintest smile, though I can see the tension beneath it.
She’s scared, too.
Rafe moves ahead first, one hand slipping casually into his pocket while his sharp gaze tracks every entrance, every security guard, every shadow near the doors.
I force myself to walk, each step toward the entrance feeling heavier than the one before it. Because the closer we get, the more my body remembers this place. Not the building itself, but the feeling of a performance and ownership. I can already feel an invisible leash tightening around my throat again.
The doors open before we reach them, and warmth welcomes us, smelling like expensive perfume and liquor, and polished wood. The sound of orchestral music reaches my ears, and again, I wince. I feel like I am here with Adriana instead of Emma for a split second.
Fucking dammit.
I hate this. These memories need to fuck off for a while so I can actually focus. I know what Alexei made me into in rooms exactly like this.
Crystal chandeliers burn overhead while guests glide across marble floors in black suits and glittering gowns.
Emma moves closer beside me, just enough that her shoulder brushes mine. I anchor myself to the feeling immediately so I don’t lose my shit.
Don’t disappear.
Rafe guides us deeper into the building without hesitation, his composure almost unnatural. The further we move, the louder the orchestra becomes. Though it weaves with loud bursts of laughter from the evil pieces of shit in attendance tonight. I don’t know all of them, but Alexei has them here for a reason, I’m sure.
I glance up, focusing on the chandeliers. My body remembers standing under lights, high as fuck, while Alexei watched from the shadows, as if he owned every goddamn breath I took. Because hedid.
A hand touches my arm lightly. “You’re drifting,” Emma murmurs.
I blink hard, realizing the edges of the hallway have started blurring again.
Fuck.
The beginnings of derealization creep in slowly now instead of crashing over me all at once, but that almost makes it worse because I can feel myself slipping while it’s happening.
“I’m okay,” I lie quietly.
Her eyes soften in that way that tells me she knows I’m lying. But before she can answer, the atmosphere in the hallway changes, and my entire body locks before I even fully see him.