Kings of Anarchy (Brutal Boys of Everlake Prep #3) - Caroline Peckham Page 0,155

wedding ring before moving forward and passing me a bundle of clothes then grabbing his own.

I unravelled the black material. It was an all over black catsuit, the material stretchy and opaque in places and it had the number 77+ embroidered on the chest in gold. With it was a black skull mask with gold detailing all over it, the eyes hollow and the mouth filled with gold teeth. It made my skin prickle to look at.

I stripped out of my clothes, wriggling into the super-tight material which clung to my body. Then I put on the high-heeled boots provided with it before I turned to Kyan, finding him in honest to shit robes over a fitted pair of black trousers and a smart black shirt with gold buttons. It looked so strange on him, covering his tattoos and making him look like some sort of medieval prince. On his chest was the small number 77.

“What’s with the numbers?” I frowned.

“Anonymity,” he explained and I remembered he’d said something about that before. “When you’re signed up as a member a number is linked to your name so if you wanted to go into business with anybody, it can be arranged through the club. Names and details can be swapped privately then or you can remain entirely anonymous depending on people’s preferences.”

“You told me you were 69,” I said, raising an eyebrow at him.

“I will be later if that’s what you want, baby,” he said, but the joke didn’t quite land as we looked at each other fearfully, knowing we were about to walk right into a snake pit.

“So why does mine have a plus symbol on it?” I asked, running a finger over the gold embroidery to point it out.

“Because you’re only allowed to come with me. Your membership is spousal and I’m responsible for you while you’re here. If you do anything out of line, it’s on me.”

“I’ll behave,” I promised and he nodded.

Kyan reached forward, tugging up a hood on my catsuit which I hadn’t noticed. “Every part of you has to be covered.” He tucked my hair into it before putting up his own hood and I shivered as we shared an intense look. This was getting realer and realer by the second. We were risking so much by being out here. The virus alone was enough reason to stay away, let alone what terrors awaited us at Royaume D’élite. But I wouldn’t have been able to stop Kyan from coming here even if I hadn’t wanted to come myself. We were doing this for reasons beyond ourselves but knowing that didn’t stop me being afraid.

Kyan brushed his rough thumb across my jaw then leaned in and kissed me. There were so many words that passed between us in that kiss, I couldn’t count them. But all of them said the same thing. That we had each other’s back, that we were going to face this together and return home safe.

When we broke apart, I tucked myself up against him, our fingers interlacing. I rested my head against his shoulder and took comfort in the solid strength of him as we were driven somewhere off into the night.

It was over an hour before the car finally slowed to a halt and the clamour of a party reached us beyond the car.

The driver put the partition down, peering at us through the eyeholes of his mask. “Put your masks on,” he instructed sharply.

I put mine on, securing it in place and keeping the hood tight around it, looking to Kyan and shuddering at the sight of the skull covering his face.

The driver gave a signal to someone beyond the car and my heart lurched as the side door opened and another man in a black mask ushered us out. Kyan went first, taking my hand, his grip iron as he guided me from the car and kept me close to his side.

We were at the foot of an impressive stone stairway that led up to what looked like a huge old hotel. The walls were faux gothic and sheer, rising up to steeples and towers, the enormous building casting a massive shadow thicker than the night.

Lights glittered in the windows, but many of the curtains were drawn and my instincts told me I didn’t want to know what lay behind them.

“Welcome to Royaume D’élite,” the man said, walking ahead of us up the stairs. “You have a guest waiting for you.”

He led us through the enormous arching glass