Cole(83)

Sia met my gaze, a hidden smile lurking there. “Your sexy and very powerful—” She raised her voice on that last word. “—man is in the back section. I sent him there while I came to get you.”

I got the message and nodded, trying not to laugh. As soon as the grumpy woman heard powerful, her irritation seemed to vanish, replaced by curiosity. She eyed me now, and I could see the wheels spinning. Who was I? How much money did I have? Where was I on the totem pole compared to her?

But then Sia swept in, putting a hand on the lady’s arm. As I left, I heard my best friend doing what she did best: charming the pants off that lady, or at the very least charming away any potential complaint she might’ve had.

I glanced around the crowded room. I’d come early to support Sia, and people had been trickling in ever since. It was nearing the end of the event, and usually people started to leave around this time, so I was surprised at how packed the main floor remained. I didn’t see Jake anywhere. Snagging a champagne from a server, I started for the back room. It was darker, with lots of hidden corners, and I knew that was why Sia had sent Cole there. He and I could stand back there and be part of the event, but also be on our own.

I was passing a side entrance when I heard my name.

“Addison.”

I turned, a polite greeting on the tip of my tongue, but I swallowed it when I saw Liam’s mother. I grew cold. “What are you doing here?” She knew this was Sia’s event. This was my territory.

Carol stopped. Her mouth opened as if to speak, but instead she closed it and started toward me.

I looked her up and down. She wore shimmery black pants and a black sweater that crossed over her waist. She looked nice, but she wasn’t dressed for an event like this. I couldn’t hold back my sneer. It wasn’t often that I got to sneer at her. I wanted to take advantage of it when I could.

“You look…nice.” I stepped back and made sure she saw my appraisal. Then I wrinkled my nose.

I thought she’d react. I was waiting for it, and I even had another veiled insult ready to go.

She glanced over her shoulder, reaching inside her sweater and she moved closer to me. “I’m so sorry, Addison,” she said. “I actually am.”

“Wha—”

Her hand flashed out, and I felt the prick of a needle in my neck.

I shoved her away, but I was too late. She blurred in front of me. Two large shapes moved around her as I started to fall. The world was falling with me. Something caught me just as everything went black.





I heard voices first. A woman and a man—and she was pissed. I couldn’t make out their words, or even tell where they were, but they were somewhere nearby.

“I said no!” the woman yelled, then she stormed away.

I felt her footsteps underneath me, and a door slammed, making my headache the second thing I noticed. It pounded behind my forehead, like I’d been hit.

I tried opening my eyes, but closed them right away. The light made it worse.

What had happened to me? I tried moving my hands, but I couldn’t. They were tied behind me, and I was sitting in a chair. A cool draft chilled my face and feet. I moved my feet around and felt a blanket. The backs of my arms were warmer. I felt heat back there.

I’d been at Sia’s event at the Gala.

Cole had been there.

…and Carol. I’d been going to see Cole when I saw Liam’s mother—and then felt the cold prick of a needle.

That bitch drugged me.

“Is she waking up?” a male voice spoke, sounding far away. It had echoed a bit.

I heard a shuffle of feet and a second voice. “Nah. Sometimes they fidget in their sleep.”

“You sure?”

“Oh, yeah. She’ll be out for a while.”

“Boss said she’s high priority. We can’t fuck this up.”

“We won’t. Stop worrying. It’s your turn.” Knuckles rapped on a table. Poker chips rattled. “What’ll you call?”

The first voice grumbled, his chair creaking. “Fuck if I know.” His chair screeched, shoved against the floor. “I swear she’s awake.”

“She hasn’t moved.”

That was a third voice. How many were there? The woman, who’d left, and the guy she’d been arguing with and then these three. Their voices sounded from the other side of the room.

And fuck. My head was really pounding. I winced, then went back to slack jaw. I couldn’t do anything different. No sounds. No movement. Nothing but breathing. I had to breathe normally, as if I were asleep—

Suddenly, my chair was tipped over, spilling me onto the floor.

“Ow!” I couldn’t hold back. My eyes whipped open, and I lay sideways, staring at a table of four guys playing poker. A pair of combat boots stepped in front of me, and the arguing male voice said, “She’s awake.”