Chapter 144

Andrew

I thought back to all my time in childhood, knowing for certain that I wasn't a bright claw, knowing that that made me defective, somehow scratching and clawing my way up a ladder that had only a few rungs. And here it was. The truth of the matter staring in my face. Defective. Lesser.

All of my doubts and insecurity staring up at me in a torn nightgown, high on potions and not even certain of what day of the week it was probably.

A twisted, washed-out version of her mother, trading her body for drugs and money?

Vivian sashayed forward, unaware of my horror, and placed her hand on my chest.

"You gonna play or just stand there looking dumb?”

I shoved her back. “Don’t touch me.”

Confusion flickered across her face. Then annoyance. “What the hell is wrong with you? Don’t pretend you’re better than the rest of them. You’re here, aren’t you? And I expect to get paid. So whether you're having a crisis or whatever, I don't really care, but you're going to pay me.”

I shook my head, jaw clenched so tight it hurt. “You have no idea who I am.”

She didn’t, and that was probably for the best. No, it was the best because I couldn't be associated with this. I didn't have to be associated with this because for everyone else, Vivian was still Dominic's daughter. And as his daughter, she likely had a lot more information.

Hadn't she been entangled with Tyler?

I could still use this.

Dominic didn’t know I was her father. It didn't even matter who her real father was at this point. It just mattered that she was going to embarrass the fuck out of him, but not before I got all the information I needed out of her.

She had been entangled with Tyler. Entangled enough to be able to compel him. Which means she knew Renee. Had part of the case been about how Vivian had betrayed her some shit?

I wasn’t going to waste the opportunity just because of biology.

I reached into my coat and pulled out a small vial: blue-glassed, glimmering with a pearlescent swirl. It was my preferred potion when I dealt with hookers.

Her eyes widened.

“This is better than whatever you’re taking now,” I said. “A custom blend. Euphoria, strength, clarity. Makes you feel untouchable.”

She looked at it like it was salvation.

“What do you want?”

“Information,” I said smoothly. “On Renee. What she’s doing. Where she’s staying. Who she’s close to. The more you tell me, the more of this you get.”

Her eyes narrowed. “Why do you want to know about her?”

“Because I have plans for her." I offered her the vial. "A down payment for your services."

She took the vial, uncorked it, and sniffed. A sigh slipped out of her.

“Oh, that’s good…”

“More if you talk.”

She sat down heavily on the couch, crossing her legs and tapping a finger on her chin.

“Well,” she said, voice syrupy. “Let me tell you a few things about Renee…”

Dominic

The sun dipped low over the bay as I parked near the docks, the golden light casting everything in a soft glow that didn’t match the tension brewing in my chest. This was supposed to be a night to relax, a much-needed break from the stress of tracking Vivian, deciphering financial shell games, and undoing all the things that shouldn't have happened in the first place.

But I couldn’t turn it off. Not even now.

The river cruise ship was docked and waiting, lights strung along its deck like some romantic fantasy plucked straight from a dream. This wasn't exactly how I expected our next day to go, but I wasn't complaining. I was excited. I.

The marina sparkled under the city lights, the boat gleaming like a silver dream at the end of the dock. I checked my watch, then looked up to see a woman approaching—coat fluttering in the breeze, lips painted the exact color of temptation.

It wasn't Renee, but I knew here. I had plans to date her at one point, I was sure.

"Alpha Brightclaw, what an honor…Didn't think this was your kind of scene."

"It's pleasant to see you."

"Are you getting on?"

"Yes, that's the plan."

She pouted. "A shame I just got back. Maybe next time."

She trailed her hands across my chest and over my shoulder. "Now that your daughter isn't really around to make things so difficult. I look forward to seeing you soon."

I grimaced at that, there was no way I'd see her again soon. Or at all, if I could help it.

I kept looking for her. But I didn't see her.

I glanced around the quiet marina, half expecting her to come running up late with a cup of hot cocoa and a sheepish smile. But instead, I heard a low whistle.

“Lookin’ a little lost there, Dominic.”

I turned slowly and found Neil leaning against one of the guard rails with his hands in his pockets, wearing a dark, tailored shirt and jeans that somehow still looked expensive. He was grinning like a cat who’d just knocked a glass off the counter.

You had to be kidding me.

“What the hell are you doing here?” I asked.

Neil raised an eyebrow. “You mean you didn’t put it together?”

He tilted his phone toward me, flashing a message.

Renee: I hope you two have fun tonight. Come back with better communication and maybe an appreciation for each other.

She'd ended the message with a heart of all things. I almost laughed at how adorable she was and how sneaky she could be.

Another message pinged through while I stared at it in disbelief.

It was from Arielle.

I had your cabin stocked with condoms. Have fun, boys. Don’t break the bed. Or the deck railing. Or each other.

I choked on air.

Neil burst into laughter so loud a couple boarding the ship turned to look at us. He pulled the phone back to look at it and laughed some more.

" Got to love a woman who really does believe in being prepared for all things. Wonder if she left handcuffs, too."

I sputtered. "You---"

"Relax." He rolled his eyes and stood. " You gotta admire her commitment though, don't you?"

“I am going to kill her.”

“Which one?”

“Both of them.”

Neil gave me an infuriatingly amused look. “Lighten up, man. We’re already here. There’s food. There’s alcohol. And we’ve already been set up on the world’s most awkward not-a-date. And you wouldn't dare harm Renee, because then you'd have to deal with Arielle, and you couldn't harm Ariel because she's a force of fucking nature. So deal.”

He turned and headed toward the ship’s gangway like he owned the place.

“Come on,” he called over his shoulder. “At least let’s make sure the champagne is worth the trap we walked into.”

I followed him reluctantly, muttering curses under my breath. The closer we got to the deck, the more I noticed the fine details: the smell of fresh seafood, the glitter of candlelit tables, and the way the river shimmered as the ship prepared to depart. Renee had chosen this. I knew from the look of it, this was definitely something that she probably did want to do, so why was she sending us instead?

I was touched that you went into so much detail to plan things, but I really would have appreciated not being set up on a date with Neil.

At least he was stuck here with me.

As we boarded, a crew member handed us our key card.

“Suite 304,” she said cheerfully. “Special occasion?”

I was about to shake my head, but Neil beat me to it.

“Yep,” he said, smiling. “It’s his birthday.”

I turned to glare at him. “What?”

“Tomorrow, isn’t it?”

I blinked. For a moment, the thought didn’t compute.

“...Yeah,” I said slowly. “I… forgot.”

Neil gave a low whistle. “Damn. That bad, huh?”

I stared down at the key card. “I haven’t celebrated it since Hazel died.”

Shit, I shouldn't have said that. Not that it mattered that I was sharing these kinds of details with them 'cause this wasn't a date, but still. Neil’s expression softened slightly, losing some of that teasing spark.

"I'm sorry to hear that."

I nodded, swallowing against the tightness in my throat.

“Well,” Neil said, clapping a hand on my shoulder. “Guess this is your year to start again. And don’t worry, I’ll make sure it’s interesting.”

We found our suite. It was a lavish, airy, and with a panoramic view of the water. A bottle of champagne chilled on the table. The bed was not subtle. Turn-down service with rose petals. Chocolate-covered strawberries. A ridiculous amount of scented candles. And yes, a drawer full of condoms with a sticky note on top.

Don’t waste my goodwill.

With Lube, Arielle.