by whisperers all night, who will report back to the Dukes about whether or not she’s a suitable worker. Her life depends upon being a bad girl tonight.
Kope will be working for the first time since he was fifteen, and I know he’s doing it for our sakes. For Anna’s sake. I’m grateful.
We park at the hotel and I chug from my flask before I get out. I straighten my tie as we walk, and feel the heavy slap of my wallet’s chain against my thigh. I try to concentrate on these small details so as not to freak the hell out. Thankfully no whisperers are in sight. Yet.
It takes me half a second to find Anna when we walk into the darkened ballroom. She’s dancing with that Veronica chick, in true Anna fashion, as if this were an ordinary party and not a test in which her life is the prize.
My worries are momentarily sidetracked as I watch the way her body moves with fluid grace—the way her arse shakes in perfect time to the beat. I reach down to adjust myself through my trousers, and Ginger huffs next to me, mumbling, “Oh, gawd.”
Whatever.
Anna is smiling and fanning herself when the song ends. And then she sees me and stops. I want to go to her and remind her of everything we told her about dealing with the whisperers. I want to shield her and protect her and take this burden from her, but she’s got to do this on her own. I cannot be a distraction, so I will make myself scarce; however, I’ll be listening and watching when I can.
It doesn’t take long for the whisperers to show—two of them—and they stalk her like the creepers they are. I want to tell them to back off and give her room to breathe. She’s completely rigid when they first take to her, but to my surprise she heads straight for the bar and shakes off the stiffness with determination.
Knowing she’s okay for now, I find a brunette in an emerald dress to talk to in a corner where I can see Anna from across the room. I manage to keep up a conversation, answering, nodding, even making the girl laugh, but she’s only got a small portion of my attention.
I’m more than a little proud of the way Anna handles herself at the bar, but I’m worried her friend Veronica is going to be an issue. I think she’s together with Jay, and . . . oh, fantastic. Marna has him in her sights. What is she thinking? She should not be working on Anna’s friend and causing unnecessary drama for her to deal with when she’s trying to bloody concentrate! The moment Marna breaks away, I excuse myself and head over to her.
I catch Marna near the poker tables. “What are you doing? Not Jay, okay? Leave him be so Anna can focus.”
Her eyes are sad and she whispers, “Sorry.” Ah, shite. I think her play for Jay was less about work and more about her possibly fancying him.
Ginger marches up, frowning at me. “She’s got nothing to be sorry for. She’s working the way you should be. Come on, Marn.”
She takes her sister by the elbow, and Marna casts an apologetic glance over her shoulder at me before they walk through the room, making eyes at all the guys who’re coupled up. I shake my head and catch sight of Kope at a poker table. The blokes he’s with are all edgy, their auras stirring with gray. We give each other a nod.
I grab two wines from the bar and head back to the girl in the emerald dress. I don’t care for wine, but she’s a chardonnay type, so I suck it up. Anna finally finishes with the Veronica/Jay drama and is making her way to the bar again. She’s only got one whisperer flanking her now. I duck behind someone when Anna’s eyes move in my direction.
Loud chaos ensues and suddenly people jump up, running to see. I stretch my hearing and nod to myself when I realize what’s happening.
“What’s going on over there?” asks the girl I’m with.
“Fight at the poker table,” I say. She stands and shifts side to side, trying to catch a glimpse.
The room’s energy zings and auras are fading as more alcohol is consumed, along with other drugs. The music gets louder. The brunette finishes her drink and eyes mine.