Devil's Due [h.s.]

Chapter 79

Chapter 79

Here it was. The day I'd been stressing over the past couple of weeks having finally arrived.

It was hard to keep myself composed as Harry, Morgan, Zayn and I drove to the studio, a fleet of security cars tailing close behind us. I'd warned them in advance that parking was probably going to be hectic given the number of people that were due to arrive, plus the staff and catering, so we made the ultimate decision to park in a lot a few blocks away.

Despite our respective hold-ups, Zayn and Morgan spending a few extra minutes to recompose themselves, and me having to rid Harry's face of the lipstick I'd covered it in, we still arrived well before everyone else – meaning we were right on schedule.

Morgan, true to her nature, hopped out of the car in 6-inch heels and a dress that refused to quit, barking orders left and right at where the food needed to go, how many flutes of champagne needed to be poured, and where the security needed to be stationed to remain inconspicuous.

A couple of weeks ago, Morgan and Harry had insisted I draw up a list of exactly who was coming tonight and who I suspected might show up anyway from our roster of clients, even without an invite. With that list, they'd pulled ID photos, social media selfies and practically any other off-guard picture they could find of those people, having entered them into the new security system, where a facial recognition scanner would discreetly screen everyone entering the studio and match them up to the given list to ensure their validity in being there.

It did make me feel the slightest bit better – knowing that if someone not on the list, aka one of Damien's men, did try to slip inside, Harry and the rest of the party would be notified immediately, and it would be handled as swiftly as possible by security. Though thinking about the reaction that could cause for my guests, having to put the studio in total lockdown to ensure their safety until the "threat was eliminated" according to Niall, did have me the slightest bit hesitant.

My goal was to keep everyone safe, not traumatize them.

But to my surprise, once I was inside the gallery and came face-to-face with my best friends, our art, the showing we'd worked so hard to put on, my nerves subsided. Instead, I was overwhelmed with elation. Overwhelmed with the feeling of gratitude I felt looking around at everyone I cared about all gathered into one room, celebrating something I was so passionate about.

"Another great year!" Raven gushed when the five of us finally had a moment alone amidst the chaos of preparing for the debut. She'd grabbed us each by the arm and hauled us into the back room, leaving Morgan to look after the final touches. She looked Liv and I directly in the eye, "I'm so proud of you both."

Olivia reached for my hand, knitting our fingers together, and saluted her flute into the circle. "Be proud of River. She's the one who does the real work here."

"To River," all of my friends chorused and saluted their champagne as well.

Liv gave my hand a squeeze, waiting until I caught her eye to give me a small smile, where she repeated, "To you, Riv."

"To all of us!" I said back, feeling my face heat. "Let's hope and pray this night goes well and that we sell out."

"Are you kidding?" Raven had already downed her drink. She set it down on the paint-covered table beside us. "If anything, it's going to be a matter of keeping things listed until everyone has a chance to get here. Your art is going to be flying off the showroom shelves before you know it."

My heart fluttered, thinking about how Harry had said much of the same thing before we'd gotten out of the car today.

Harry.