Reyna kept quiet as Beckham discussed work with his colleagues. She was halfway through her sandwich when the conversation shifted to her suddenly.
“So, are you excited for Friday night?” Rowland asked, staring straight at her.
“I…what? What happens then?”
Rowland looked from her to Beckham and back. “You know. Going to the Vault for the first time.”
She raised her eyebrows. “What is the Vault?”
“Beckham, were you going to surprise her with the party? Did I ruin everything?” Rowland asked. He sat back in his chair, laughing softly as if it were all some kind of joke.
“No,” Beckham said. He didn’t elaborate further, but he refused to look at her.
“Well, then do tell us why you’re keeping this juicy secret from your beautiful pet,” Rowland said. “Cassandra is bringing Felix. I’m bringing my Sophie. It’ll be a real party.”
“I’d planned to bring Penny,” Beckham said.
Reyna inhaled deeply. She didn’t even know what the Vault was, but she couldn’t believe he had been keeping it from her. If everyone else was going, wouldn’t it be weird that she wasn’t there? She suddenly felt sick to her stomach over the whole situation. Plus, he was taking Penelope. God, she was such an idiot. This whole thing was a mistake.
Cassandra giggled as she ran her finger up and down Felix’s neck. The image of her sinking her fangs into his neck made Reyna shudder all over again. “Pets are more fun, Beckham.”
“She’s right. Penelope can miss one such occasion for you to introduce Reyna to our world. It will be her first time after all. There won’t be another one for a while. She’ll want to see it, won’t you?” Rowland asked, directing his attention back to her again.
She swallowed, but answered truthfully. “Yes.”
Beckham scowled at her. “The plans are already in place.”
“Oh, break the plans. Little Reyna is so young and innocent. Don’t you think it will be positively delicious to see her reaction?”
“Delicious,” Cassandra purred against Felix’s throat.
“Plus, she wants to go.”
“I do,” Reyna agreed. Though she had no idea what she was agreeing to.
“I see,” Beckham said stiffly. “Then I’ll have to change my plans for the evening.” He gave her a look that said, You have no idea what you’re getting yourself into.
She just smiled back deviously.
Chapter 25
“What the hell is the Vault?” Reyna asked later when they were leaving the restaurant.
“You’ll see,” Beckham said.
“You’re not going to tell me?”
“No,” he said curtly.
Reyna bit her lip. The way they talked about it at lunch made it sound both exciting and scary. What was she about to walk into? And why the hell wouldn’t Beckham tell her where they were going?
Once they were finally back in the apartment and Beckham was halfway to his room, she spoke again. “Are you going to tell me anything about it? What I need to wear? Where we’re going? What we’re going to be doing?”
“You agreed to come. You plotted this whole thing so you would be there. You’ll have to deal with the consequences. Follow my instructions when I give them and do what I say. Everything else will be decided for you.”
“I can follow instructions. I can come on command.” She said that double entendre under her breath.
Beckham arched an eyebrow but otherwise didn’t respond to her. She was pretty much used to that, and all the more irritated with him. Beckham disappeared for the rest of the afternoon, leaving her to think about everything that had happened recently with him and wonder what they were going to do.
To try to clear her mind, she sent Everett a text message.
Want to do that thing this weekend? I have plans Friday, but maybe Saturday?
He answered back almost immediately.
I don’t think it’s a good idea. What if we get caught?
He had a fair point. She didn’t know what would happen if she got caught sneaking into a black market blood bank, but she didn’t exactly think it would be rainbows and butterflies.
Then let’s not get caught.
You make it sound so easy.
Last time, the room was unguarded when the crowd was in uproar. Maybe we just make something like that happen?
How exactly do you expect to do that?
That was a great question. She had no idea, but she knew that she wanted to get back in there and find out what they were up to.
I don’t know.
Maybe we can meet this weekend and figure it out.
Reyna shrugged. She didn’t have any plans except this Vault thing, so it sounded fine to her.
Saturday night?
See you after I get off work.
* * *
—
Time felt endlessly slow on Friday. She was cooped up in her room waiting for this Vault thing to go down. Waiting for something that she knew nothing about made her unbelievably anxious. When she tried to look up the Vault on the Internet, her search came back with a bunch of meaningless websites. Certainly nothing that would have the need for this level of secrecy.