Reign of evil, p.23
Reign of Evil, page 23
“Jace? He’s going to be there?”
“He’s flying in later today. He’ll go down with us.”
“That’s great!” Sterling chirped. “What about Clair? Is she coming too? I hope so…”
“No, Sterling. Clair’s not coming,” I snapped, kicking myself for breaking my own rule and talking directly to her. The “I told you so” look from Trinity didn’t help nor did Lars sitting there, trying to hide the fact that he was laughing.
I turned to Trinity, hoping Sterling would get the point and go away. “You’ll need to make sure Jace fits in with the others. Get him some clothes to wear.”
“Not a problem. How soon are you going down?”
“As soon as we can get accommodations lined up.” I stood, preparing to leave. “Once the account and the alias are in place, call down and make the reservations. I’ll need rooms for everyone on the team, including Rok. See if you can get an entire floor. One with at least one suite.”
“An entire floor? It might be an exclusive hotel, Taylor, but it’s a popular one. The odds of them having a whole floor available anytime within a year are slim to none.”
“I need it sooner than that. Like in the next week or so.”
“It won’t happen, Taylor.”
“It will if you pay them enough.”
“It will cost a fortune. McPherson will have both our heads.”
“If we move fast, he won’t know about it until after the fact. When we’re successful and bring the Roi down, he’ll forgive us.”
“And if we fail?”
If we failed, we’d have bigger problems to deal with than a disgruntled boss. We’d be facing the Roi’s hired guns. His demons… We’d be outnumbered on their territory, going up against men who killed without question or remorse at the whim of their leader.
It was a scenario I couldn’t let play out, which was why I’d set my sights on the Roi himself. He was the glue that held them together. Remove him and his demons would scatter in the wind.
“The whole floor, Trinity,” I repeated with conviction. “I don’t care how much it costs.”
23
“You need to be on your best behavior or there’s going to be trouble,” I warned as we neared our destination. “That means no sniffing, no biting, no chasing people, and, above all, no marking your territory and no howling.”
“He’s a wolf,” Scotty reminded me. “You leave him alone, even for one minute, he’ll do all the things you’ve forbidden and then some.”
“I was talking to you.” He chuckled at my attempt at a joke, ratcheting down the level of tension inside the limo. Of the three of us, Rok was the calmest, which wasn’t exactly an auspicious start to the mission.
Eight days. We’d had eight days to prepare. Eight days of training Rok and training me. Talon had been relentless, working me to the point of exhaustion each and every day. When I wasn’t at the training center, I was at the kennels putting Rok through his paces.
By some miracle Trinity had managed to deliver the goods. She’d gotten an entire floor of the hotel. Ten standard rooms and a suite. My team was outfitted in clothes that befitted someone of Lilly DuPont’s status. Sporting slacks and custom-tailored jackets that hid the shoulder holsters and firearms they carried, they were the epitome of a high-end security team.
As for me, I was decked out in a suit that cost more than most people made in a month, shoes that felt like I was walking on pillows, and a leather bag that had been made in heaven. My luggage was stuffed full of similar items, including an assortment of jewelry and make-up. My new and ridiculously expensive luggage had been given a thorough scuffing up, exhibiting the scars of extensive travel; my lipsticks, creams, and perfumes, half emptied and worn down. The bottoms of brand-new shoes had been scraped over concrete and rocks to mimic months of wear. Every single pair of them.
Sporting a new hair color, cut, and style, along with my new clothes, I was a living, breathing example of everything that was the rich and famous. The limo and three huge black SUVs rolling behind it was icing on the cake, as was the rented private plane now sitting at the airport. The illusion was complete — our cover was as solid as we could make it.
We pulled up to the hotel, and I waited as Talon and Mac, who had been out front awaiting our arrival, moved quickly to open the limo door.
“We’re on,” I muttered as Mac held out a hand to assist me from the car. Rok bounded out behind me, eager to stay by my side, with Scotty bringing up the rear.
Doors on the SUVs sprang open, along with trunk lids as men and luggage piled onto the sidewalk while staff from the hotel rushed to assist.
“Ms. DuPont?” A voice by my side drew my attention away from my team. “I’m afraid you can’t bring that dog inside. Pets aren’t allowed. It’s a strict policy.”
“He’s not a pet,” I informed him as the limo pulled away. “He’s a service animal. He’s here to keep me safe.”
“I see.” He obviously didn’t. “I’m assuming you have the appropriate paperwork?”
I ignored the question of paperwork, of which I had none, and headed into the hotel. Rok followed on my heels, looking all wolf and no dog. Traffic on the sidewalk that hadn’t stopped to video our arrival stopped now, giving Rok a wide and respectful berth. He did cut a fearsome figure — one that would easily be remembered. It was a security risk, but I had wanted him to come along, and surprisingly Talon had agreed. If by some chance I was separated from my team, there wasn’t much that Rok and I couldn’t handle should the need arise.
“The rooms are as you requested,” Mac said as he fell into step beside me. “We did a full security sweep. The rooms are clean, and the security cameras are disabled.”
“Good. What about access to the floor?”
“Not a problem. We’ll station guards at the elevators and staircase doors. Anyone coming up will be redirected. One way or another.”
“Perfect.” I wasn’t really worried. I knew Talon and Mac would have security covered. The question, and more importantly the answer, was more for the benefit of the doorman who had forbidden Rok’s entrance to the hotel and was now following us inside, hanging on our every word.
“How are the rooms?” I asked, pulling to a halt at the reception desk. “Are they adequate?”
“More than,” Mac answered. “Pity it’s only for two nights.”
“Two nights is all I can spare. If I don’t have an answer by then, we’re moving on.”
“Ms. DuPont?” I looked up to find none other than Larón De LaRue standing behind the reception desk.
His photos didn’t do him justice. Tall, lean, and handsome, he was an imposing figure. Angular features and flashing dark eyes sat above a trimmed but scruffy beard, topped by a head full of unruly hair. All black, of course, as befitted the king of the demons.
His looks were arresting, but it was the charisma that poured from him that I hadn’t expected. It was no wonder that he had such a dedicated band of cutthroats — he was a man who exuded confidence and power. And now he was looking at me, waiting for me to answer.
“Stephen.” I nodded slowly in greeting, trying my best to appear as confident and superior as possible — a near impossible task given the murderous look on his face at my use of a name he had thought was long buried.
“Ah. So your name is not a coincidence.”
“No. It is not.” I waved Mac away and motioned for Scotty to take Rok. “It’s merely the one I’ve chosen for my time here. Just like you’ve chosen to be Le Roi Démon.”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” He raised a brow, assessing the danger that now stood before him.
“Don’t you?” I reached into my designer bag and pulled out a sheet of paper bearing a copy of the tattoo worn by his demons and put it on the desktop before him.
It wasn’t a move I had planned, but neither was calling him Stephen. I was following my instinct, but that might have been an error on my part if his reaction was any sign.
If he was angry before, he was furious now. His eyes narrowed to little slits, and his hand raised, ready to signal the two men flanking him to escort me from the premises. If he thought he could intimidate me, he was sorely mistaken. I knew what he was, and he wasn’t fit to clean my shoes.
“Do it and you miss out on the opportunity of a lifetime,” I warned. “A very lucrative opportunity.”
I turned away and headed for the elevator, leaving the tattoo rendering on the desktop and the King of Demons alone to make his choice. I’d set the bait — albeit not as I’d planned, but it was set all the same, and in a language he understood all too well. Money. He’d been after it all his life, and now, a woman who obviously had it, was offering him the very thing he lived for. A chance of a lifetime…
I motioned for Mac and Talon to join me and got in the elevator. Talon held the door open as Scotty and Rok hurried in behind us. The remainder of my team, who had taken positions throughout the lobby in anticipation of being needed, started making their way toward the elevator bank.
“You two stay here and keep an eye on things. Make sure he doesn’t try anything.” Mac pointed to Billy and Joel, who both smiled at the assignment — obviously pleased.
They stepped away, and looking past them, my eyes met those of the Demon King. Even from across the lobby, I could still see the anger, but he hadn’t thrown me out. Yet. I held his gaze as the elevator doors began to close. Just before they sealed us safely inside, the Roi smiled at me. Not a friendly, nice-to-see-you type of smile. More of a wicked, evil smile. One that said I’d better have something good to offer him, or my days were numbered.
“Well, you got his attention,“ Talon muttered under his breath as the elevator’s doors came to a close. “Hope you know what to do with him now.”
“No.” The tone was firm. The line undeniably set. “There’s no way you’re going to dinner with him. Not alone.”
“I’m not going anywhere with him, Lars. And it’s not dinner. It’s just drinks and a few appetizers. He wants to talk.” I threw open the closet doors and rooted through the evening wear hanging there, completely at a loss. “Trinity’s not around by any chance, is she?”
“Jonas took her home to get some rest hours ago. And stop trying to change the subject.”
“I’m not.” I looked at the bed where my phone was and gave it a frown. “I need her help picking out my dress for tonight.”
“You’re not going.”
“I am.” I pulled out a short black cocktail dress, covered in an intricate design of sparkling sequins. It fit the bill as a little black dress, which was supposed to be good for just about any occasion. I tossed it on the bed and bent down, searching for a pair of shoes to go with it. “You’re just jealous because I’m having a date with him before I had one with you.”
“I apologized about that,” he growled over the speakerphone. “I had to get Jace squared away.”
“Uh-huh.” I understood, but I still wasn’t happy about Lars having to cancel our date. I’d really been looking forward to it, and I’d actually made going out with him a priority. Then Jace flew in, and we’d had to postpone things once again, and there’d been no time in the following days to take a rain check. At this rate, we’d never get dinner out. Speaking of which…
I tossed several shoes out of the way, continuing my search. Why Trinity thought I needed so many, I had no idea, but there had to be over a dozen pairs. Time was ticking away, and I wasn’t dressed and there was still make-up and hair to do — neither of which I was proficient at. But I knew someone who was. “Lars, I’ll have to call you back.”
“Taylor…”
“Lars, I know you’re worried, but I’m fine. My team will be in place at the exits and lobby. Devon is filling in bussing tables at the restaurant tonight, and Rivers is nearby with the whole New Orleans FBI field office, ready to roll at a moment’s notice. Nothing’s going to happen, and if it does, we’ll handle it. Now I have to go. I’ll call you later.”
I disconnected the line and ran to the door in my stocking feet and silk bathrobe. “Mac,” I yelled down the hallway, startling both Jimmy and Duke, who were stationed as guards outside my door.
I didn’t see him, so I sent out a mental summons as well, knowing that if he was within a few miles, he’d get the message loud and clear. Sure enough, a door two rooms down flew open, and Mac appeared as if by magic.
“You bellowed?”
“Get in here. I need some help.” I did an about-face and ran for the bedroom, leaving the door open for him. I checked my watch, horrified to find I had less than ten minutes before I was due downstairs.
“What’s the problem?” He closed the door and padded into the bedroom, only to stop short. “What happened in here? Looks like a bomb went off.”
“Trinity’s resting.”
“And…”
“And I have to be downstairs in ten — no, make that nine minutes.”
“Oh.” He glanced around the room, taking in the dress laying crumpled on the bed and the shoes that I’d tossed against the wall. “I get it. You need someone to dress you.”
“Mac…”
“Not a problem.” He held up a hand to silence me. “First order of business is for you not to panic.”
“I’m going to be late.”
“Women always are. We men are used to it.” He picked up the black dress and shook it out, then, with great care, placed it gingerly back on the bed. “This is a good start. Now you just need shoes, a little bling, and a touch of make-up, and you’ll be good to go. It will only take a minute.”
It took more than a minute, but it was worth it. The woman looking back at me from the mirror looked like a million dollars, which was probably closer to the truth than I cared to contemplate. I grabbed the black leather clutch that Mac had pulled out of thin air and snapped my fingers at Rok.
“You’re not taking that dog,” Talon said from the doorway.
“Would you rather I leave him here howling his head off?” I glared at Mac for letting the man into my room. “Rok’s coming with me. You don’t need to worry. Scotty’s already walked and fed him, so he’s good for the evening.”
“That’s not what I’m worried about. They don’t let dogs… or wolves into restaurants. I can’t even believe they let him in the hotel.”
“And yet they did.” I snapped on Rok’s lead and headed for the door. “He’s coming with me, Talon. You have a problem with that — stay here. Otherwise, I don’t want to hear another word about it.”
“Understood. Just didn’t want you caught off guard when they deny you entrance.”
Where was Jenny when I needed her? We reached the elevators and, thankfully, rode down in silence. I was running late, but only by a few minutes. Apparently, it was a few minutes too long as there were two men waiting for me when the elevator doors opened. One stood on each side of LaRue and, upon our arrival, began moving toward me in a most threatening manner.
“Is there a problem?” I asked, barely able to resist the urge to send them both flying. Instead, I held up a hand, stopping Mac and Talon, who were already on an intercept course, and stilling the growls coming from Rok.
“You’re late,” LaRue said, motioning his men back as well.
“We women always are. Or so I’ve been told.” I stepped out of the elevator, pushed past his guards, and walked into the lobby.
Mac had done an outstanding job on my hair and make-up, especially considering the time crunch. The diamond studs in my ears were the perfect complement to the designer dress that hugged every curve in exactly the right places. I looked like a million bucks, and with Rok by my side, we had the attention of everyone in the lobby.
“It was worth the wait. You look stunning, Ms. DuPont. Perhaps a little overdressed for drinks and hors d’oeuvres, but stunning none the less.”
“I agree it’s a bit much for a little hotel eatery, but it’s perfect for the engagement I’m heading to next. And please, let’s not be so formal. Call me Lilly.” It was a barb I couldn’t resist throwing, and from the way he flinched it had hit home, just as intended.
“Call me Larón.” It wasn’t a request, but an order. One I could comply with for the time being. He pointed at Rok, evoking a snarled lip from my canine protector. “Is it your intent that he join us tonight?”
“Yes. That is my intent.”
“I see.” He stepped back and motioned to the locked door behind the desk. “Perhaps it would be better if we move our discussion to my quarters. It’s more private than the restaurant, and we won’t be in violation of city ordinance.”
“Well, we wouldn’t want to violate any ordinance, would we?”
He gave me a smile, all charm and grace, and started for the door to his private quarters. I glanced up at the security camera mounted above the door for an instant and hoped that Sterling was watching and ready. Getting into LaRue’s private quarters had been the whole point of bringing Rok along. It was a long shot, but it appeared to be working. Or it would if Sterling turned on the tracker and cameras that were hidden in his collar.
“I’m afraid the invitation is only for you,” LaRue informed me as I stepped to the door. “My private quarters are exactly that. Private. Your escorts will have to wait here.”
“We go where she goes.” More than irritated, I gave Talon a look that left no doubt as to what would happen if he opened his mouth again.
“Bring the cars around in twenty minutes. If I’m not out by then, you know what to do,” I told Mac. He nodded, pinning a deadly gaze on LaRue.
“If you’re ready now?” The King of Demons threw open the door to reveal an opulent hallway, lined with works of art and tables holding sculptures and statues worth a small fortune. The hotel was luxurious and opulent, but this was a whole other level. The man was rich beyond my imagination.
He was the real deal, and I was the imposter; my story, a facade fabricated for his benefit — and one that could easily crumble. It was easy to pretend when surrounded by my team, but now I was on my own. I reminded myself that all this was paid for by the sale of women and children. His money might be real, but that’s where the truth ended. He was no more what he pretended to be than I was. It was time for his mask to come off.
