were waxed and plucked free of almost all hair, I decided it was time for a change. It wasn’t so much a spur-of-the-moment decision, though. It was something else entirely. I wanted to be a new person. I didn’t want to head back to the West Coast feeling like the same sandy blond, hazel-eyed Mackenzie Wright. Even though I was no longer that girl from high school, I couldn’t help but feel that being near the Savages again would change things. I had to make myself unrecognizable to keep the upper hand, and as I stare in the mirror, I think I’ve accomplished that.
Picking up a strand of my hair that has been dyed jet black and straightened down my back, I have to admit, the hair was a difficult change. Seeing my blond smudged away with black was like watching a piece of me die, and my alter ego emerge. It’ll definitely take some getting used to, but as I rake my gaze over myself for the first time, I can’t help but feel…different. Seductive. The fire engine red wrap dress hugs my curves to perfection and fits damn near like a glove. All the running in the world couldn’t get rid of my backside, so years ago, I decided to embrace it. I switched out the horde of cardio in place for Pilates and weightlifting. Now, my backside is something I’m proud of.
I look dangerous—like a vixen. A sexy, dangerous vixen getting restitution for her sister.
My cell vibrates on the end table. Snapping my gaze away from my reflection, I glance at the message on the brightly lit screen.
Kat: Once you’re ready, the concierge will be waiting with a Town Car. Courtesy of my dad. Kisses.
I roll my eyes. Kat’s father, the mogul, has always worked at his daughter’s beck and call. Vera and Kat are staying at Kat’s family vacation home, but I opted for some privacy because I didn’t want to be a burden. I also wanted time to gather my wits before insinuating myself in the lives of the elite once again. Kat wasn’t happy at the thought of me staying at some random hotel alone, so she had her daddio pull some strings. Instead of staying at a cheap, decent hotel like I intended to, Kat’s father got me a room at the Kings Resort and Spa. It’s as pretentious and snobby as it sounds, but it’s also incredibly beautiful. My suite is otherworldly, and the staff here has been absolutely incredible. For the first time, I feel like a princess. That’s how everyone treats you in a hotel like this. Now I see why people dish out so much money for five-star hotels—because the Kings Resort? It’s more like a hundred-star hotel.
And believe me, I had my qualms about staying here. I mean, the name alone, Kings Resort, felt like some sick joke, especially since I was preparing to deal with the infamous royalty. My staying here is an omen of sorts, but I’m just not sure if it’s a bad or good one.
I stuff my phone into my clutch and check my hair one last time before I leave my room to meet the girls. We’re supposed to have dinner tonight at Nobu, which I’m positive will cost an arm and a leg. I can already feel my credit card sighing at me from within my wallet. I file into the elevator, not surprised to see it filled with handsome men in suits and beautiful women hanging off their arms. If I remember Kat correctly, the owner of the resort chain is throwing some kind of party here this weekend, which means the hotel is filled to the brim with rich uppity people.
Great. Just what I need.
Navigating my way through the crowded lobby, I try not to let the sound of voices grate on my nerves. My phone vibrates in my clutch, and I blow out a sigh, ready to reprimand Kat for rushing me, even though I’m already on my way out.
When I glance at the screen, my heart screeches to a grievous halt, and my mouth goes dry. I swallow thickly, flitting my gaze around the multitude of bodies, looking for a moment of reprieve. I find it in the form of a restaurant labeled The Den that’s blocked off with a “RESERVED—EMPLOYEE PERSONNEL ONLY—KEEP OUT” sign. Saying to hell with it, I sneak past the velvet rope and the sign, finding a small slice of solitude.