Total pages in book: 80
Estimated words: 79253 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 396(@200wpm)___ 317(@250wpm)___ 264(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 79253 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 396(@200wpm)___ 317(@250wpm)___ 264(@300wpm)
Harrison takes my hand, squeezes it. “You ready?”
I take a deep breath, squeeze his hand back. “Let’s end this.”
36
HARRISON
I keep Bianca’s hand in a death grip as the elevator climbs to the apartment’s penthouse. I assumed we would stop on the sixth floor based on Rouge’s apartment number, but it feels like we’re ascending all the way to the top of the complex.
Perhaps Rouge had the apartment number changed to reflect her birthday. I’ve given up trying to understand how her mind works. The elevator doors open to a long, narrow hallway lined in pinstriped wallpaper with a glossy red door at the end. From here, the apartment’s numbers printed on the door almost glow with their resident’s malice.
We approach the door. Rouge has a smart lock on it with a code.
“What do you think the code is?” I whisper to Bianca.
“The only code I can think of is the same one she uses for the back door at Aces. Her birthday. Zero-six-one-zero. But there’s no way that’s her code for her apartment. Not when it’s literally the apartment’s number.”
“Unless that’s exactly what she wants you to think,” Vanya says.
“Worth a shot.” Bianca bends over, enters in the four digits.
The smart lock beeps, a green light flashes, and the whirring of gears sounds from behind the lock.
“No fucking way,” I say. “That’s too easy.” I try the door. It opens. I close it quietly, look back at the rest of the group. “I guess no one knows that Rouge lives here, and no one knows her birthday, so…” I rub my forehead. “I don’t know.”
“It is difficult to fathom to inner machinations of a Queen’s mind,” Chet murmurs.
“Thank you for that, Chet.” I roll my eyes before redirecting them to the rest of the group. “Anyway, we have no idea what might await us behind this door. You guys have to be ready for anything, okay?”
Bianca nods. “We’ll take on anything that confronts us together.”
I open the door. The four of us step into Rouge’s apartment. It’s decorated with the exact amount of immoderation I expected. All reds, everything drenched in her precious red diamonds. We open first to a lavish living room furnished with sleek velvet couches in a deep crimson encircling a plush rug of the same color. A square-shaped antique coffee table in dark cherry and a cast iron fireplace. On the mantle are figurines of a spade, a diamond, a club, and a heart carved out of ruby. The entire space is lit by a chandelier crafted from blood-red stained glass that scatters dark-pink light across the space.
The area is immaculate, as though no one has been in here for days. I can hardly imagine Rouge doing something as common as sitting down in her living room with a good book, so this place is purely for show. Odd, considering Rouge doesn’t want anyone to know where she lives.
Maybe the show is just for her.
A small part of me would be fascinated to get inside this woman’s head.
But the bulk of me would be terrified.
I lean into Bianca’s ear. “I guess we can’t have any doubt this is your sister’s apartment.”
She gives a small smile. “Subtlety was never her strong suit.”
I can’t help a smile myself. Bianca said the same thing when we entered the ladies’ room at Aces before we discovered the cooler of hearts. At least she hasn’t lost her sense of humor, even in the face of certain conflict. Perhaps even death.
A chill runs through me.
No. Need to focus.
We move to Rouge’s dining room, which is dominated by a huge table covered in red velvet. An ornate candelabra sits in the center, flanked by large salt and pepper grinders in the shapes of chess pieces. A buffet topped by a china cabinet stands at the other end of the room. Inside is a set of china, bright scarlet with gold trim. I open a wide drawer to reveal a gleaming set of silverware, including an impressive set of steak knives. I pocket one.
Still no Rouge.
We move then to her powder room, her private library, and a large balcony overlooking the Chicago skyline. We work our way through her apartment until we have only one room left.
Her bedroom.
My heart drops as we approach the door. Unlike everything else in Rouge’s apartment, it is painted in the darkest shade of obsidian. I press an ear against the door.
Stifled sounds of moaning, as if someone is bound and gagged in Rouge’s bed.
I look to Bianca. “Someone’s in there. And it’s not just Rouge.”
She swallows but then steadies her beautiful face. “Do you think she has the Kings with her?”
“Possibly. But it sounds like she might also have a hostage or something. Like someone is trying to speak but they have duct tape over their mouths.”
She widens her eyes. “You don’t think… Alissa and Maddox?”