“You’re not afraid.”
“For me?” She shook her head. “More for the two of you and because I want to go and help. I’ve spent months doing nothing because they kept blocking me. No more.”
As soon as Freddie was in the passenger seat, I got the car started and pulled out. We didn’t look back at her car or the apartments. Aware of her concern, I kept an eye on the cars around us in case we picked up a tail.
“Okay,” Freddie said, twisting in his seat. “Tell us what you know.”
“It might be better to wait until we get to wherever.”
“No,” he said. “It won’t, because it’s a long drive back and I need to know we’re going the right way.”
I hadn’t thought of it that way but Freddie was right. “Cooperate,” I told her. “Or I’ll leave you on the side of the road. We don’t have time for games. She doesn’t.”
She was quiet long enough I thought she didn’t believe me, so I changed lanes in order to pull over onto the shoulder.
“Fine,” Lainey snapped. “I’ll tell you.”
CAGES SURROUNDED BY THORNS
LAINEY
Gala season meant a circus of events, parties, and conversation with peers, allies, clients, potential allies, potential clients, and, unfortunately, enemies. I’d exercised a little familial goodwill and reached out to some of Grandfather’s contacts on the various committees. With so many events, invitations went out as many as three to six months before. The RSVPs were requested a month prior to the event.
All I had to do then, was find out which ones the Sharpes had accepted during the period Emersyn’s show was closed. A month. She’d protested in her last letter that it was the longest she’d been shuttered between shows. But one had ended and the next wouldn’t even begin their first round of rehearsals for four weeks.
That meant she was within arm’s reach, only the first two weeks of events—she’d been at none of them. The Sharpes had accepted a handful, but the three I’d made it to had all been her parents. She never came to these with them. Adam had already figured out what I was up to and had begun trailing me like an angry shadow, constantly looming out of the darkness when I least wanted him there.
I’d tried to talk Ezra into escorting me, but he’d been in a mood and had pretty much told me to fuck off. Tally was also utterly preoccupied with her latest conquest. He was definitely her conquest too. An older man, by all reports, and she’d been lusting after him for months, stalking him like he was her prey and she was the big game hunter.
The very satisfied messages she’d been sending me about his place in the Poconos were downright sickeningly sweet. I didn’t see the appeal, but Tally was happy and that was what was important. Tonight, however, I’d pulled off because Grandfather was in the city and I’d tagged along with him.
I just needed to see Emersyn. I needed to quell the flutters of worry about her absolute silence the past couple of weeks. Yes, it was harder for us to stay in touch when she was home. Her family held her aloof, even when they were everywhere. Their wealth and connections made them top tier on most guest lists.
But Emersyn’s distance had given her an air of mystery. Everyone wanted to know her and no one got close to her. She’d joked once that she should be a social pariah. After all, she was a performer. Pretty common.
What she didn’t see was that she was a star and a headliner. The air of celebrity just added to her mystique. Gossips wasted their time trying to squeeze blood from a stone, but they found nothing. Because the Sharpes wanted them to find nothing.
I wanted to protect her, too. The first time they sent her to Pinetree because she’d “exhausted” herself had worried me. The second time, though, had terrified me. Now, all I could think, was they’d done it again. Two weeks of absolute silence from her suggested as much. The first time, Adam had helped me find out where she was, but after that, he refused to let me be involved.
He was such an asshole.
It didn’t help that the very next time I’d seen her after that, she’d been so—distant and scattered. She hadn’t remembered Ezra. Hadn’t remembered a few things. Not at first. Then it came back. Me? She remembered me and I was grateful for that, but Ezra had been aggravated when I’d introduced her to him again.
Later, she’d laughed it off.
But I didn’t think it was funny.
“Leave it alone,” Adam snapped at me. “Can you just leave it alone?”
“She’s my best friend. Do you even understand what that means? Oh wait, I forgot, your best friend is Ezra. You wouldn’t care if he fell off the face of the earth.”
“Hey!” Ezra said. “He’d care. Who else is he gonna get drunk with?”
I shoved the memory aside. Assholes. Both of them.
Still… there. Oh thank fuck, there she was. I’d been hovering at the top of the stairs trying to not be noticed and yet have a good view of the new arrivals. Grandfather had gone inside to the bar, where he would probably spend the rest of the evening with his friends. I would place solid money that they’d be deep into a poker game.
If I could steal Emersyn away, I’d totally do it.
She was with her uncle, so I held back, waiting for her to find me. It would be easier to make our “meeting” look like an accident. After all, we were in public. We had to be able to exchange a few words.
In the meantime, she looked absolutely stunning in the deep forest green dress and jewels. Emersyn was gorgeous and while her manners seemed flawless, her eyes were… lost. My heart hurt. I wanted to march down there and rip her away from her uncle. But that would be a scene and we weren’t supposed to make scenes. Too many years of training, not to mention years of keeping our friendship out of the public eye, kept me in place.
Then she caught sight of me and the fake, plastic smile she wore turned real. Relief flooded me. No matter what had happened, she remembered me. That was a good first step. Still, I waited as she and her uncle worked the other guests and the hosts on the steps. As soon as they were within fifteen feet of me, I saw my chance.
He had dropped his grip on her and focused on something a pair of financiers were saying and I hurried down the steps to hold out my hand to her. Her clasp was fierce and her expression faltered.
“You look amazing,” I told her. “It’s been ages.”
After all, we had our parts to play and I would play mine to excellence. Nothing I did would be allowed to hurt her.
“I know,” she said in a breathier voice than she normally had. It was steeped in exhaustion and relief. “Was it last June?” For the briefest moment, confusion clouded her eyes and my heart sank.
No. It had been just the past Christmas. We’d stolen away for a day of shopping. I’d managed to slip away while Adam and Ezra were out of the country. It had been the best day.
“Last April,” I said, laughing even if entertained was the last thing I was. “At the show in Paris.” I’d tagged along with Grandfather and Mother for some meetings. Though Grandfather barely spoke to Mother the whole trip. “You were fantastic, and I was so surprised to see your name.”