C.A.R.M.A

10

With my lipstick smudged and head high, I entered the hotel Red Wolfe had made its home. A bejeweled, sparkling wine filled home. 

The lobby has transformed into an elegant ballroom like magic. All of the normal furniture was replaced by plush red loveseats and chairs scattered on the outskirts of a dancefloor. Small circular tables of silver accented the space with people leaning their drinks against them.

I smirked as I craned my head back to take in the dancers traipsing across the ceiling among the chandeliers. Each dancer moved like strange, beautiful birds of prey as they leaped from rings and curtains dressed in red leotards with wolf masks.

Tyler led me toward one of the five bars tucked throughout the ballroom and placed a sparkling wine in my hands.

"To Red Wolfe", I said, holding my glass up and smiling at him under my eyelashes.

Tyler clinked my glass with his, and placed his arm around my waist pulling me closer.

"Would you blame me if I wanted to ignore everyone and only talk with you tonight", he whispered in my ear.

My pulse quickened as alarm bells went off in my head. Could this be the night he reveals his true nature?

"Tyler", a woman's annoyed voice from behind us cut off my reply.

He rolled his eyes, "Alexia."

I turned to see his cousin and co-CEO dressed in an elegant floor length black gown that pooled at her feet and fit like a glove. Her hair was done up in a beautiful french knot, with a gold clip fashioned in Red Wolfe's logo securing it in place. In short, she looked stunning.

"You look wonderful, Alexia", I smiled, a razor sharp thing, showing my canines.

She gave me a simpering smile and turned to her cousin, "Are you going to come talk to the investors or not?"

"I am talking to an investor", Tyler pulled me closer again.

Alexia looked like she could spit fire, and fixed me with an icy filled stare. Oh, I was really starting to get under her skin.

"Look!", I said pointing to the door. "Max is here!"

She spun so fast I thought the french knot would come undone. Alexia's shoulders tensed to her ears when she saw Quinn.

Quinn didn't accessorize the deep purple dress in any way, she didn't need to. Max had his hand on her waist where the dress fanned out and Quinn had her head high. Sparkling brighter than any light in the room.

She made Alexia look like a child playing dress up. She made all of us look that way. I smiled at the thought.

Hissing something incoherent under her breath, Alexia took off toward Max.

"Well, that will be fun to watch", I chuckled. Alexia reached them just as Becca walked in, immediately sticking up a conversation with a brunette woman who looked about thirty. That must be her point of contact for the possible other suspect.

Tyler sighed, "I really should talk with some other investors."

"Working on the tidal project still?" I looked up at him. Despite looking impeccable in his suit, Tyler had purple circles under his eye and more stubble than usual. Something was keeping him up late, but what?

"Yea", a pause. "It's not going well."

I angeled myself toward him, surveying him properly. Did he lose weight recently? Did he know he was being monitored?

Before I could react, Tyler grasped my forearm and half dragged me toward the elevator.

Cursing myself soundly for not seeing his move, I let him parade me forward, flashing a smile to Max across the room as I went.

Max's gaze wasn't the only one trailing us as we waited for the elevator to arrive. I turned to see several clusters of businessmen watching us, wondering where their potential patron was going.

All of them were looking at my face. All of them knew what I looked like.

It was as if the final gear snapped into place. It all made sense, all at once I was surprised Tyler couldn't hear an audible click.

Taylor designed this plan to fail. And I, playing the fool, took it. Took the chance to be Head Vixen instead of breaking down this faulty plan and building it back up.

If I killed Tyler tonight, there were a thousand witnesses who would confirm he left with a blonde woman before they never saw him again. That part I could live with, I understood I wouldn't have a cover.

But Max hadn't confirmed if Alexia was ready to take the reins of Red Wolfe after we took out Tyler.

If I killed Tyler tonight, I rolled the dice for Red Wolfe's survival. Which meant my fulfillment of this mission was up to chance.

Why had Taylor told me to kill him tonight if he hurt me?

I took a slightly shaking step into the elevator as Tyler pushed the button that would take us to the top floor. The only floor I hadn't been to yet.

He turned and stared at me. I raised my chin and stared back.

Would he attack me here or wait until we made it to the top floor?

Every conversation, every small hesitant kiss and touch flashed between our gazes. In the dim light of the elevator, his brown eyes looked almost black.

I'd been a fool. I let all my training and calculation slip to the side because a billionaire was trying to make me relax my guard. And I did.

How had I let this happen?

"Where are we going?", I asked in as calm a voice as I could muster.

He smiled, a cold, cunning smile I'd never seen before. "There's one more place I have to show you."

The knife attached to my ankle felt more like a leaden weight. I'd have to hide it somewhere in the fold of my dress.

Because there was only one path forward that ended in a successful mission.

If Tyler attempted to hurt me tonight, I'd have to let him. I'd have to become another silent victim.

The elevator dinged and the doors slide forward, feeling almost comedically slow.

"After you", Tyler purred behind me.

I swallowed, taking a step forward into the hall. There was only one door made of rich dark wood in the hall.

We were completely alone.

My heartbeat pounded in my ears, in my throat. I vowed to myself that I would not scream, or break in front of him. I would save that for later.

What a reckless, stupid girl I was for believing him. My mouth, pressed into a grim line, threatened to start wobbling.

Tyler still kept his distance as he pulled out his phone and unlocked the door with the digital key.

I tried to take as many details of the suite in, not wanting to waste this chance. The detritus of his life was thrown about. Clothes, diagrams, a calendar with important meetings scribbled on it.

The suite had a melancholy feel to it, or maybe that was my imagination. The suite branched off into his bedroom and what appeared to be an office space, but my attention was fixed on the balcony, and the man lingering in my periphery.

"Care to look at the skyline?" I asked, failing to keep a slight tremble out of my voice.

Tyler leaned his head from side to side, accessing me.

I've never been prey, I've only been the huntress. But the way his cold eyes drunk me in told me that role had finally switched.

I swallowed again.