The music shifted to something upbeat. They drew apart.
“I’d better go and look for Markos.” He looked like he wanted to say something more.
“Yes.” She waited for a beat.
He didn’t say anything.
“It’s getting quite late.” She fidgeted with her dress.
He nodded curtly.
“I have to go to the ladies’ room first,” she said.
“I’ll meet you at the bar by the statue of Apollo.” He gestured to one corner of the ballroom where people had congregated.
She craned her neck. “I see it.”
“I’ll see you in a few minutes.” Luca turned on his heel and then disappeared into the crowd.
Sabrina tried to find her way to the nearest bathroom. It was tricky to navigate through the dancing, merry throng as the lights were dimmed. Logically, a bathroom would be near one of the exits, but since the Royal Palace was a few centuries old, Sabrina wasn’t sure what would be a logical floor plan in the 1800s.
She hailed a circulating waiter, who pointed to a side door at a corner of the ballroom. She traversed the dance floor, the shortest distance to her target, dodging couples swaying to the fast rhythm. Someone tapped her on the shoulder. She looked behind her. It was Johann, bopping his head, grinning. He was holding a beer bottle in one hand and gesturing for her to join him, Adriano, and several other ladies who were gyrating to the music. She declined with a smile.
She was near the glass-paneled door. It looked like it opened to a courtyard. She peered closer. Her heart leapt to her throat when she saw a reflection beside hers in the glass.
She whirled around.
“Well, well. If it isn’t little miss gold digger,” Eleni Konstantinos said, tipping her wine goblet to Sabrina in a mocking salute. She was dressed in a black bustier gown and took an exaggerated, wobbly step away from her. “Let me try and appreciate what you’ve been earning on your back.” She raked Sabrina’s dress with an insulting, calculating gaze. “An Argenti couture gown, no less. I’m impressed.”
Sabrina’s heart had managed to slow down from the fright Eleni gave her. “Quite frankly, Eleni, I don’t care what impresses you, what earns your appreciation, or whatever the hell floats your boat. Just stay the hell away from me.”
Eleni’s incongruent, glazed eyes narrowed. “You stay the fucking hell away from Luca.”
“Why don’t you tell him yourself?” she shot back.
“Don’t you think I haven’t tried? The fool is infatuated with you,” Eleni hissed viciously. Then she frowned, as if regretting admitting an unpalatable truth. “He’ll tire of you, Sabrina Connelly,” she said with conviction. “One way or the other, you’ll be out of the picture.”
“Don’t be too sure of that.” Her uncertainty about her relationship status with Luca was making her lash out.
“Then I’ll make sure there will be no doubt.” The malevolence on Eleni’s face made the hairs on her arms stand on end. “Scared?” she taunted, tottering on her heels.
There was no way she was going to admit a drunk, crazy socialite was scaring her. Eleni couldn’t do anything to her in public, could she? Still, she glanced around covertly, noting how this area of the ballroom was darker. Foot traffic was non-existent. She inched closer to the door.
“Oh no. Don’t leave yet, Miss Connelly. The party’s just started,” Eleni cooed with malice. “Here, have some wine.” With a deft flick of her wrist, she tossed the contents of her glass on Sabrina’s face.
Unable to defend herself in time, the alcohol entered one of her eyes. She blinked furiously, tearing up because the wine smarted. She swiped at her eyelid with her knuckle, unintentionally moving her contact lens so it was now off center. She became disoriented with half of her vision suddenly blurred by the wine and dislodged lens. She felt cool liquid dripping onto the front bodice of her gown.
“Oh dear. Your dress is ruined. There goes your investment. You would have been better off accepting the check after all.”
One eyed or not, Sabrina still had decent aim. And drunk people had slower reflexes. She raised her arm and delivered a stinging slap to Eleni’s cheek.
Sabrina had never imagined violence could be so gratifying. She felt the blood rushing to her veins. She felt primed, pumped up. Bring it on, bitch.
Eleni cradled her abused cheek, her mouth agape, as if she couldn’t believe Sabrina had actually slapped her. Eleni’s shock quickly wore off, though. Sabrina saw it by the narrowing of her eyes. Sabrina felt all her muscles tense, like a cocked bow and arrow.
They both heard it at the same time. A group of people chattering, making their way to their secluded corner.