Total pages in book: 72
Estimated words: 70524 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 353(@200wpm)___ 282(@250wpm)___ 235(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 70524 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 353(@200wpm)___ 282(@250wpm)___ 235(@300wpm)
“And she finished up her time here, and…”
May spreads her fingers in an explosive gesture. “Gone.”
“And you haven’t heard from her?”
“We friends. Svetlana and I… Plans to see city… Day off.” Her eyes widen. “No news. No phone.”
“So she’s disappeared?” I mimic the same gesture Alissa made. “Gone?”
“Gone.” Her eyes widen. “Scary.”
“I’d think so.” I point at first myself and then the sticky note. “But why did you ask me for help?”
May smiles at me. “New member. Old members… They don’t care. New servers often.”
“But what can I—”
“Seven! What are you doing back here?”
A chill runs down my spine at a haughty female voice behind me. I turn around and see a woman dressed in what I can only describe as a modern take on Elizabethan royal attire.
She’s in a gown featuring a sleek, body-hugging bodice of crimson satin adorned with intricate ruby-beaded embroidery surrounded by a poofy skirt with layers of structured tulle and organza, cascading in bold, asymmetrical tiers. Around her neck she wears a high ruffled collar that fans out like a fiery halo, crafted from sheer cherry fabric. Her sleeves are fitted to the elbows with lace and flare out into billowing cuffs. Her hair is a shocking shade of red coiled and braided into an intricate updo, and her makeup is bold and theatrical, with winged eyeliner, shimmering red eyeshadow, and deep rosy lips.
But as dazzling as her ensemble is, it pales in comparison to the red jewels—I assume they’re rubies—that she wears from head to toe, from a studded crown resting atop her hair, to delicate chandelier earrings, to a statement choker necklace. Her fingers are adorned with ruby rings of various sizes, and even her corset features ruby embellishments carved into the shapes of the four card suits. The private area is not well lit, but every single ray of light bounces off this woman’s jewelry. She’s like a walking disco ball.
I squint against her dazzling display and take a step back.
She opens her mouth again, glaring at May. “Seven, I asked you a question.”
May bows her head to the woman, and I realize who this must be. This is Rouge Montrose, the woman who owns the club.
Rouge whips her gaze back to me. “Did she talk to you?”
I swallow. They’re not allowed to talk, and I don’t want May to get into trouble.
I shake my head. “No. I’m so sorry.” I extend my hand. “I’m Alissa Maravilla. I was here in the club last night as a guest of Maddox Hathaway. I left my credit card here by mistake and wanted to close out my tab, so Chet let me come down.”
Rouge widens her eyes. “He did?”
I blink several times. “Yes. And I guess my curiosity got the better of me, because I sneaked back just to get a look at the private room.” I paste a smile on. “I’m sorry. I just love what you’ve done with the décor here, and I wanted to see how you had furnished this area as well. It’s gorgeous.”
Rouge smiles at me, but her eyes remain wide open. “Thank you, pet.” She looks over at May. “You may leave us. I’ll have a word with you later.”
I raise a hand. “She didn’t do anything wrong. Ma— I mean, Seven—she came back here to tell me I shouldn’t be snooping.”
Shit. I almost let slip that she told me her real name. Did Rouge notice?
I don’t see any change in her facial expression, though it’s hard to tell what she’s really thinking with that inch of makeup on her face.
Rouge turns her gaze back to me. “Well, at any rate, Chet should not have let you come down here.” She grabs a phone out of her cleavage and sends a text. “He’ll be down in a moment to see you out.” She narrows her eyes back at May. “In the meantime, Seven, back to work.”
May walks out of the room, her head hanging.
“There’s no need to have me escorted,” I say. “I can walk out myself.”
Rouge chuckles. “A curious little kitty like yourself might wander a bit, as you already have.” She gives me another sweet smile, but again it doesn’t reach her eyes. “You are welcome back anytime you’d like, Miss Maravilla, as long as you are the guest of a dues-paying member of Aces Underground.”
Chet’s tall figure looms near the entrance of the private room. “Yes, Rouge?”
Rouge turns to him. “Please escort Miss Maravilla out. And then please see me in my office.”
Chet grabs my arm gently, grinning. “Please come with me, Miss Wonder.”
I turn back to Rouge. “Sorry. It won’t happen again.”
Rouge frowns. “I’ll see to that.”
Chet escorts me back up the mirrored staircase, pulling out his set of keys to unlock the door. Before I exit through the black door that leads to the alleyway, I stop and turn back to him, studying his mustachioed face.