28

We're in the backseat of an UberXL, set to drop us off at a location predetermined by our host. From there, a car service will pick us up and take us to The Mansion. I don't fucking like it, but it's within the fine print of the invite.

It's a way to control the guests' arrival and departure; the host isn't willing to house vehicles and further proof of attendance.

I had Jason add a tracking device to each of us. It's a state-of-the-art chip the size of a fingernail and it sticks to any part of our skin like a bandaid. It's undetectable and reliable. We use them on all our missions. This one is no exception.

We arrive at our first location and quickly put our masks on before stepping out. Three men in black suits escort us into a tent. I'm incapable of acquiring the behavior necessary to pass off as Niki's submissive, and I show this by wrapping my arm protectively around her.

Olivia's brows knit in my direction, then looks pointedly at the men that led us in.

"Put any and all electronics in this lockbox."

Their security is a band of ten idiots. We've definitely got brains over brawn, and I scan the interior to find it empty of anything that can be used as a weapon.

Four rectangular folding tables occupy the space, along with heavy duty rolling bins. Each is marked with a number that corresponds to the batch of lockboxes placed inside. Ours is number eight.

"We don't have anything," Olivia says.

The man looks her up and down, scanning her with his eyes, and I suppress the urge to punch him.

"The instructions specifically stated the rules," Niki offers, and I squeeze her waist.

She doesn't show an ounce of fear or nerves, and I'm so fucking proud of her.

"Well, we can easily figure out if they have any hidden electronics on them," a bulky one says.

Three men approach us, and I bristle at the action. My shoulders tense, and suddenly Jason's voice tames the animalistic-like rage building in me. "Deep breaths, everyone. They're not going to find anything. Just let them use their scanners."

I do as he says and watch as one of them waves a wand over Olivia.

Jason keeps talking to us. "Good job, Libby. You're next, Justice."

I bristle at the mere realization that this fucker is waving a metal detector less than an inch from my woman's skin, his eyes drinking her in. A snarl rips through me and a laugh resembling a snort leaves him.

"You're next, tough guy."

Jason's voice directs his attention to me. "Deep breath, D. Kick his ass later."

Kick his ass… Another chance and I'm going to fucking pummel his face in. He moves to Jasmin, who seems lost in her thoughts. She barely acknowledges the scanner.

The soon to be dead man turns and faces his comrades. "They're clean."

Olivia smiles a haughty grin, and Niki's shoulders drop in relief. She isn't used to this, and I get the sudden urge to throw her over my shoulder and get her the fuck out of here. But she would never forgive me. She needs to do this. And for someone who's crept within the shadows, gathering intel on a device to then share it on a media platform, she's doing phenomenal.

I step away and lower to whisper in her ear. "I never did confirm whether the Tec9 was a myth or not."

Niki faces me and smooths her thumb over my lower lip, as if cleaning her lipstick off me. "Guess you'll never really know, rookie."

Oh, I'll find out. I wonder if Jason can read my mind after he clears his throat in my ear. That fucker seems to know what I'm thinking even before it crosses my mind. I realize now it may be due to his undeniable obsession and undying commitment to my cousin. He lost her once and is on a fucking mission to never let it happen again. I want to say he's pathetic, but one look at Niki and I know I'd do worse. I don't want to exist without her.

I hear the engine of a car and one of the men raises the tarp, guiding us outside where an SUV waits.

"Here the fuck we go," Niki whispers.

The Mansion is enormous inside and out. The premises are guarded by a forest for a fence. It sits in the middle of a ten-thousand acre stretch of nothing but trees. The connectivity sizzles in my ear and I pretend to scratch at my lobe.

I clear my throat. "The music is nice."

Niki faces me and glares. Her elbow bends and she pulls at the leash. The collar around my neck hugs my skin and my Adam's apple bobs uncomfortably. "You will only speak when spoken to," she hisses.

My eyes are about to roll and my fingers stretch to smack her ass when Olivia pulls her slightly away from me and shoots me a look that would have any other man eight feet underground.

Liv curls her fingers around Niki's arm and leans in. "The static is part of the song, but I hope it doesn't continue. It ruins the music."

"Our connection is clear. I'm sending a drone to check out the perimeter," Jason explains, and the women nod a sigh of relief at one another.

Niki moves her wrist and tugs at my collar gently. I smother the snarl that wants to slip out. She'll pay for this.

We move deeper into the enormous dance hall. I scan the room and spot at least four security guards at every exit. Male servers offer the guests hors d'oeuvres on silver platters and female servers provide guests with champagne glasses. A glittering glass chandelier hangs above us; it clashes with the entire premise of what this night entails.

I keep quiet while Niki, Olivia, and Jasmin keep a steady conversation about shit I don't care about. Instead of a meek mouse for a pet, I think I look like a massive watch dog. It's as if Niki brought Max instead of me. Olivia keeps shooting me looks that tell me to ease the fuck up. I roll my shoulders and crack my neck. Fuck. When thinking one of us was going to fuck the plan up, it never dawned on us that it would be me.

"You made it."

I've never proven myself more true until this very moment. A growl rips through my throat as the fucker I knocked out at Nym-Pho waltzes toward us. I should've killed him when I had the chance. My hands instinctively ball into fists at my sides.

Niki's jaw drops, but she recovers quickly and smiles at her admirer. I want to reach out, grab him by the collar, and crack his skull open.

"I was hoping you'd be part of the auction tonight." He kisses Niki's hand and then wiggles it in his grip, making the long chain swivel side to side. "What's this?"

"My pet." Niki waves a dismissive hand my way and smiles. She doesn't look at me—I think her facade would crumble—but he does.

"Quite the pet."

She hums in agreement. "I'd be careful. He's protective."

He drops her hand, and it's in this moment I realize I was practically standing in an attack stance. My shoulders are tense and leaning forward, my lip is quivering up in a snarl, and my hands are balled still.

"Bummer. Maybe I can offer you special seating for the auction. Right up front?"

"For me and my friends?"

The idiot looks at our group and nods in appreciation. "Of course."

If everything works out according to plan, there will be no auction.