Mercy (Salacious Players Club, #4)(21)

My attention is glued to their conversation, but I choose to keep the little spray paint incident to myself, not wanting to draw even more attention to myself.

“I’m ready. The legality is ironclad, Maggie. The most important thing is that we don’t engage with them. But you guys know that, so don’t worry.”

She takes in a long sigh, nodding her head as if she’s trying to build up her own confidence. “I’m trying, Fitz. I’m trying.”

He gives her a reassuring wink and pat on the shoulder, but when I shuffle my feet, clearly not part of this conversation, he turns toward me. “So, what about you, Mr. Grant? When are you going to join the family business?”

I screw my face up in disgust. “Gross.”

He laughs again. “Okay, I take it back. You are nothing like your father.”

“Thank God for that.” As I look away from Fitz, I feel Maggie’s eyes on my face, and I don’t like the look of concern in her features. Like I’m a disappointment for shaming my dad’s business, again.

I feel the disappointment, like knives. And I don’t like it. Not at all.





When I glance down at my phone for the hundredth time tonight and see it’s nine thirty-seven, I say a silent prayer of thanks. The partygoers are starting to get tipsy anyway, which means people are getting loose and obnoxious, and for a pretty formal party, it’s not as entertaining as you’d think. I lost track of Maggie about fifteen minutes ago, and I feel too exposed alone.

Just as I start to slip toward the door, I hear the cling of a spoon against glass. The party silences, making my exit a little too obvious. I freeze midstep and turn around to find my dad and Charlie standing at the front of the room, near the entrance to his office. She’s nestled against his side with a bright, beaming smile on her face.

“Charlotte and I would just like to thank you all for coming out to celebrate our engagement.”

I silently shuffle toward the edge of the party, trying to hide myself behind a large potted plant by the window. I scan the crowd again, looking for the familiar brown-haired woman who stood by my side all night. It’s weird that Maggie is suddenly my security blanket, but this would just be a hell of a lot less awkward if she was next to me.

“I’m not really the type of man to boast about his love life, but I feel the constant need to brag about how lucky I am to have this woman in my life.”

Give me a fucking break.

I roll my eyes. I can hold my tongue and watch what I say, but I can’t be held accountable for what my face does.

“Oh my God, Emerson, stop,” Charlie replies, hiding her smile in his chest, her left hand lifting to cover her face and showing off the giant diamond on her ring finger. I force in a deep breath. Just get this over with already so I can leave.

The exit is clear across the room, so any hope of getting out of here now is gone.

“I’ve never met a woman so brave and kind and funny and perfect.” Then he looks down at her, their eyes locked in a private expression that feels far too intimate for this public setting as he whispers, “You are perfect.”

And I fight the urge to vomit.

She smiles back up at him, and I tear my eyes away to see everyone else in the room gazing at them with loving expressions, as if they’re watching the greatest thing they’ve ever seen.

Almost everyone here is coupled up and they’re all clinging to each other as if watching my dad with his twenty-two-year-old fiancée is somehow reviving their own love lives.

“I’m sorry for being so cheesy,” he says with a laugh, and the crowd responds with their own chuckles. “But I feel incredibly lucky tonight to have the woman I love and all of my friends here. I don’t know how I got so lucky to have found you.”

“Ha!”

I’m the only one who laughs at that. Loudly.

Suddenly, all eyes are on me at the back of the room. I bite my bottom lip as I try to fade further into the wall, and I can’t possibly bear looking up at Charlie or my dad, so I freeze in my awkwardness until they finally all tear their eyes away.

Fuck my life.

“I’ll stop talking for tonight. Thank you all again for coming.”

With that, the room breaks out in applause, and I take it as my sign to hightail my ass out of that party. If anyone bothers following me, I’m too far gone by the time they have a chance to catch me.





Rule #10: Some mysteries should remain mysteries.





Maggie





I slip through the back door of the club undetected and head straight for the shared office, where I know none of my colleagues will be waiting for me.

This is by far the craziest thing I’ve ever done.

With shaky hands, I open my bag and start pulling out the clothes I brought, including the white feathery masquerade mask.

God, what if someone that works here recognizes me?

Oh well. They won’t dare say a word or I’ll have them fired on the spot.

Okay, that’s a little harsh, but I’m still fairly confident they won’t say anything, so I’m safe. We all have a mutual, unspoken agreement that everyone’s sex lives are private and discretion is gold-plated.

Shedding the stupid virgin skirt and blouse, I stand in my thin, lace thong and satin bra, quickly slipping the black dress over my body. My cleavage immediately pops out of the top, but instead of tucking it back in like I would have done before, I shimmy it out a little bit more.