Chapter 27

27

J en

“Are you sure we have to go?” I ask. “It’s the last thing I feel like right now.” I look down at my outfit: black, fitted pants and a silver sequined top with an open back. I’m in silver heels, and my hair is up.

“Roscoe wants us to attend this dinner, and right now, we are the puppets, and he is the one pulling the strings. He wants us at dinner, and so we’re going.”

“I can’t believe he’s still deciding whether or not to hand us in for the money.”

“I doubt he will,” Steel says. He’s wearing a pair of dark blue jeans and a white T-shirt. He looks pretty good with all of his tattoos out in their full glory.

He hasn’t shaved, so his face is stubbled, giving him a rugged look that works for him, especially since he has taken his brooding status to new levels.

“Are you sure I can’t just go to the palace and set the record straight about what happened last night?”

Steel arches his brows, giving me a look.

“No, I don’t remember anything after I was injected. So, I don’t actually know what happened, not for sure, but I do know, Steel.” My voice is laced with frustration. “You didn’t kill anyone. You saved me. They’ll believe me.”

“We don’t know anything for sure right now. Besides, Roscoe might turn us in, then there’s nothing to debate.”

“You just said he wouldn’t do it.”

Steel shrugs. “You never know. Roscoe is ultimately a businessman and a shrewd one, at that.”

I sigh. “We may as well go and find out. The sooner we know our fate, the better. Then we can start to plan our next move.”

Steels nods; he grabs my elbow as I start to walk to the door. “You should be prepared. The Pit is brutal. It’s bloody, and although the males don’t fight to the death, it—”

“I’ll be okay,” I tell him.

“You sure? We’re shifters. Humans are different. Not bad different, just different. It—”

“I’m sure. I was selected as a Tribute out of tens of thousands of people. I was shipped to an island where I was made to do a whole array of shitty things. Just when I thought I might actually get to go home, I was abducted in the middle of the night and brought here.”

Steel’s whole frame goes hard; his eyes blaze. “I knew the amnesia story was bullshit. I knew it was bad, but this is worse than I could ever have imagined. I’m going to kill the general. I’m assuming it was him who took you.”

I nod. “Yep, they abducted the wrong woman and then decided to use me as a political pawn. Point being, I think I can handle dinner with Roscoe and a couple of bloody fights.”

Steel looks me in the eye until I can hardly get any oxygen to go into my lungs. “Okay, then,” he finally says. “Let’s go.”

We leave the tiny apartment and go down a dimly lit corridor. Steel seems to know exactly where we’re going. We go through a door and down another corridor; this one is a little lighter. Then through a door that leads to—

The noise is deafening. We’re in a large glass room that seems to be suspended above a huge crowd and a cage.

So, this is The Pit.

Music blares and the crowd is noisy. Spectators shout and scream. The stands are filled with people. Every seat. Every spare space is taken. Everything surrounds an elevated steel cage. It’s an actual cage.

Roscoe stands as we walk in. He is the only person at a large round table. Before him is a bottle of whiskey and a single crystal tumbler, half filled with amber liquid.

“Welcome.” Roscoe beams. He is in a different suit. This one is gray. His button-down shirt is a light gray. Once again, he isn’t wearing a tie, and he’s left the top few buttons open, exposing his hairless chest. He’s built – even bigger than Steel. It’s clear that the guy works out. “How wonderful to see you, Jen. You look ravishing. Silver is most definitely your color.” He takes my hand and kisses me, his vivid green eyes never leaving mine.

“Roscoe,” Steel says by way of greeting.

The two men shake hands.

“Before we start the evening,” Roscoe says, “I wanted to assure you that I have no plans to turn you in for that bounty. I am a wealthy male. I am enjoying helping you both and sticking one to those asshole royals. You have my word that no one will hear from me that you are staying here…or from any of my staff.” He rubs his hands together.

I look over at Steel, who seems to relax. “Thank you. It means a lot.”

Roscoe laughs. “You will owe me, my lad.”

Steel rolls his eyes. “I didn’t doubt it for a second.” He gives a half-smile. “When do—”

The door opens, and a woman saunters in.

My jaw unhinges. She’s beautiful. Her hair is cut in an elegant bob that falls just short of touching her shoulders. It looks like it was cut today, it’s that sharp. She’s wearing high heels and a gold mesh dress that leaves very little to the imagination. It’s clear that she isn’t wearing underwear; there are these golden sparkly stones that cover her assets, but only just. Her breasts are high and bounce a little with every step she takes.

Her makeup is flawless. Her lips are a bright, fire-engine red. There are these big sparkling gold earrings on her ears. She’s easily the most beautiful woman I have ever seen.

“Oh, my god! Steel! It’s you.” She strides over to him and throws her arms around him, pressing herself against him. “Roscoe mentioned that you were back. He wouldn’t tell me why you left or where you had gone. We will have to have a long talk all about it.” She hasn’t let him go; in fact, she presses herself against him even more. Those stones must be digging into him.

Steel doesn’t hug her back, but neither does he push her away.

She finally lets him go but cups his jaw in both her hands. “Are you okay? What’s this mess you got yourself caught up in? You’ve had me worried.” She’s tall. I’d say at least six foot two. They look good together, which has something stabbing in my gut. It’s hard and raw and wholly unexpected.

“I’m okay, Natalia.” He takes her hands in his, pulling them from his face, but doesn’t let go immediately. Instead, he smiles. “You look well.”

Understatement of the century.

He lets her go. Natalia smiles and goes visibly weak at the knees. Even a woman as beautiful as this turns into a puddle when Steel smiles. I can’t say I blame her.

“Thank you.” She leans up and kisses him on the lips.

On the freaking mouth. It catches him off guard and he frowns, stepping back.

“I’ve missed you,” she says in a husky tone.

When Steel doesn’t say anything, she turns to me. “So, this must be the human.” Natalia looks at me with disdain for a moment before plastering a fake smile on her lips. “The cause of all the trouble.”

My first instinct is to say something snarky back, but I don’t. “Yep, that would be me. My name is Jen.”

Her facial features tighten for a moment before she schools her emotions. “I’ve ordered champagne. Do humans enjoy champagne, Jen?”

“That’s perfect.” I could do with a glass or two of champagne to calm myself down. I have this horrible feeling that Natalia is the woman Steel slept with. I can’t say I blame him since she’s drop-freaking-dead gorgeous. Unfortunately, I can’t help the jealousy raging through me. I want her to go away and to stop hitting on Steel. I want a lot of things that will probably never happen, either, so I suck it up.

Steel and I had sex once. We are not together. He isn’t mine. I need to get over it.

The door opens, and another woman walks in, carrying a tray in one hand.

“Finally.” Natalia claps her hands. “Our drinks have arrived.”

The waitress is wearing the same golden mesh dress as Natalia but without the stones covering the important bits. Her breasts are slightly smaller but no less perky; her nipples, too. I can tell that she likes to wax…all over.

My jaw has unhinged again.

“Hi, Steel.” She smiles, putting the tray on the table. Then she gives this cute wave in his direction.

“Hi, Lola,” Steel says.

The waitress giggles, taking an ice bucket and some flutes off the tray, followed by another tumbler. I can see her ass, and nobody bats an eye.

“Are you going to have a whiskey with me?” Roscoe asks Steel, who nods.

“Sure, why not?” He comes over to me, leaning in. “Are you okay?” he asks, almost in the shell of my ear.

Nudity is normal for dragons. I look out at the audience and see several naked men in the crowd. There are two ladies up on stage; they’re naked, too. Completely bare-ass naked. They’re wearing the same golden earrings as Natalia and Lola, and each is holding a sign that says “Round 1” on it. They must go to the same waxer as Lola because they’re completely devoid of hair.

“Fine,” I croak. “All good. Your friend seems…um…nice,” I say in a clearer voice.

What the hell should I say?

That I want to leave? That I’m jealous? That if that stupid Natalia touches him one more time, I might throw the bottle of champagne at her?

Of course, I don’t say any of that. I smile instead.

Roscoe pops the champagne; some of the liquid bubbles out, spilling onto the floor.

Natalia squeals and then laughs. It’s throaty and sexy. I decide right then that I hate her.

No, I don’t! It’s not her fault she’s beautiful and that she and Steel have a history.

Roscoe pours two glasses, handing one to Natalia and then another to me. “Come and sit next to me, Jen. What is it like living on the Mainland? Tell me everything.” He leads me to the other side of the table, gesturing for me to sit beside him.

Steel and Natalia are in what looks like a heated conversation. Their heads are bowed together, and they’re talking fast. Then she laughs.

“The Mainland,” Roscoe repeats. “What is it like?”

Crap! I haven’t answered him.

“Oh…um…yes.” I sound lame.

Then I down half the flute as Natalia leans in and whispers something into Steel’s ear. He smiles. It’s no easy feat getting Steel to smile. I wonder what she said.

Oh, shit!

Roscoe is still waiting for me to say something else. “What do you want to know?”

Steel says something to Natalia. She leans in closer. She laughs, throwing her head back.

What could be so funny?

“I have heard that it is big. Much bigger than our islands. That there are many humans. Millions of you.”

“Yes, that’s right.” I nod. “There are lots of humans. We live in great cities with skyscrapers. I mean, there are also smaller towns and rural areas.” I sound like an idiot. I’m going to put the poor guy to sleep soon. I can’t think of anything interesting to say. Not a single thing.

Unlike Natalia, who laughs yet again, rolling her eyes at something Steel says.

I drink down the other half of my flute. This is going to be a long night.

“Thirsty?” Roscoe asks, quirking a brow.

I smile. “I guess so.”

“Can I pour you another glass?” he asks.

“Yes, please.”

The ice chinks together as he pulls the bottle from the ice bucket, then he tops up my glass almost to the brim.

I thank Roscoe when he hands it to me. I vow to sip this one slowly, but only up until Steel sits across from us and Natalia sits right next to him, and as close as she can get. It looks like she has a hand on his thigh.