The Summer King Bundle 3 Stories - Jennifer L. Armentrout Page 0,30

embarrassment creeping up my throat in a prickly flush as I heard a low whistle from a man who was at one of the tables.

But I also wasn’t the Brighton before the attack. She was gone, dying the night I should’ve died. Because while I was embarrassed by the attention, there was still a half grin that appeared on my lips.

Maybe the Prince was wrong.

Maybe I wasn’t completely a façade.

I had no idea.

Climbing onto the stool as ladylike as humanly possible, I crossed one leg over the other and placed my clutch on the bar top.

A human bartender was behind the bar, but so was a fae. I wasn’t quite sure if the female actually worked here, but she was the one I always saw when I came here, ferrying Nightshade back and forth to the non-human clientele.

Right now, she was carrying an entire tray of glasses to one of the booths along the wall. My gaze skipped away. There were a handful of fae among the humans chatting and drinking. None of them recognizable.

And definitely none of the younglings.

So far.

“What can I get you?”

I turned back to the bartender and smiled. He was young and his gaze was clear. Focused. Obviously not under any trance or control, but he had to know that not everyone who was served here was human. There was no way he couldn’t, what with the Nightshade being served and what went on up on the second floor.

“A rum and Coke,” I said.

“Coming right up.” He picked up a glass and got to making the quick, easy drink. “Tab or pay now?”

“Cash.” I opened my clutch and slid the money over to him. “Thank you.”

The man smiled and then he was off, serving someone at the other end of the bar. Sipping my drink, I twisted around on the stool so I was facing the main bar floor, but was able to keep an eye on the back hallway, where the elevator serviced the second level. I pulled out my phone and pretended to be engrossed in it as I scanned the floor.

Within a few moments, two more fae entered the bar, their glamouring fading away to reveal their silvery, luminous skin. They made a beeline for the back hallway.

The second floor was a… different kind of service area, one that didn’t just cater to fae looking for their dinner, but also sex.

Lots of sex.

Only once had I gone up to the second floor, and that had been pure luck, sneaking in behind a group of humans who were being led by two fae. Once was enough.

The humans I’d tagged along with had not been entranced. Based on their giggling and whispered dares to one another, they knew at least one of the things that went on upstairs.

“Excuse me.”

Looking over my shoulder, I spied a man—a human man. He was older, maybe in his fifties? Tall with dark hair graying at the temples. Handsome, too, dressed in a very nice dark suit. A silver fox was what Ivy would’ve called him.

Pretty sure Tink would call him Daddy.

I immediately wanted to punch myself in the face after the image that conjured forth.

The man smiled, and wow he was handsome, and if I was anyone else, I would be extremely pleased with the attention. However, I wasn’t here to meet silver foxes.

“I’m waiting for someone,” I said apologetically.

Dipping his chin, he chuckled. “He said you might say something like that.”

My brows lifted in surprise. “He?”

“I am not here to buy you a drink or to make an advance,” he explained.

Oh.

Oh.

Well, this was awkward, and I sort of wanted to fling myself off the stool. “Sorry?”

He smiled tightly as his gaze drifted over my shoulder, to the bartender. He nodded. “My name is Everest. I am the owner of The Court and I’m here to escort you out.”

Dumbfounded, all I could do was stare for a moment. “Excuse me?”

Everest moved closer, his brown eyes not nearly as warm as his smile. “You, my dear, are not welcome here.”

A chill swept down my spine as I stared back at him. Only one possibility circled through my thoughts. Somehow, he knew I was a member of the Order and he facilitated what occurred here.

I played it cool, though, lifting my drink and taking a sip. “May I ask why?”

He didn’t answer. Just smiled at me blandly. Out of the corner of my eyes, I saw a large man shift in our direction. Another human wearing another nice, expensive suit was