Masked (23 page)

“And how do you propose we do that?” Roman asked. “Considering all our previous plans haven’t exactly panned out as we’d hoped.”

“We lure them to us this time,” Ludwig said, leaning back in his chair. “I’m sick of chasing them around like a cat chases a mouse. It’s time we set up a trap for those little bottom feeders.”

“And the cheese, if you will?” said Roman.

Ludwig looked at Bridgette and Roman already knew what he was thinking before he said it. “Our dearest Dinah, of course. We have what Douglas clearly wants, so let us dangle it in front of him and see if he bites. This time, though, we’ll be ready and waiting.”

Ludwig received a call, dismissing them with a wave of his hand. They’d gone to Roman’s room so he could change out of his clothes, though presently all he was doing was pacing from one wall to another. Bridgette sat on his bed, watching him.

“What are you so worked up about?” she asked.

Roman stopped, looking at her with such a horrified look she almost wanted to laugh. “Are you kidding me? He wants to use you as some sort of bait!”

Bridgette shrugged. “I’ve been a pawn in this game for a while now. I’m just going to be playing on a new square.”

He practically choked at her answer. “Damn it, Bridgette, take this seriously. We can’t let Ludwig offer you up. Who knows what your father is capable of doing?”

Bridgette got off the bed and walked over to him, draping her arms around his neck. It was becoming harder and harder to be in the same room as him, and not touch him in some way. He visibly relaxed a fraction, his hands resting loosely on her hips.

“I’m going to go out on a limb here and go so far as to say my father isn’t going to hurt me.”

“How can you be so sure?”

“Because he clearly wants me back, for whatever reason. I doubt I’ll do him much good dead. So,” she continued, rubbing the back of his neck, “should he somehow actually get me, even though there will be plenty of New World soldiers there watching, I don’t think I’ll be in any immediate danger.” She dropped a kiss to the dip of his collarbone. He sucked in a quick breath making her smile against the warmth of his skin. “With all your soldiers ready to intervene should he actually show up, how bad could it possibly get?”

“You do realize, just by saying that, it’s going to end up being a complete mess, right?”

She laughed. “You’re such a negative Nancy. Whatever Ludwig plans, I’m sure he’ll make sure I’m not going to get hurt in the process. You’re forgetting how much he cares for my sister’s well-being.”

“Yes, well, I care for
your
well-being, which means I don’t like you anywhere near your psychotic father,” he said.

Something warm and fuzzy spread through her chest at the open concern she read in his eyes. He wasn’t just saying the words, he actually meant them. Bridgette could see hints of a deeper emotion that immediately had her palms sweating. What were they doing, the two of them? How could they actually think this would work, considering they live such drastically different lives? Could she walk away after all this? That was the most worrisome question of them all. She was pretty sure she already knew the answer to it.

“We can still try to find your sister and get you away from all this,” Roman said, breaking into her thoughts.

Bridgette tried to school her face so her disappointment that he still wanted her gone wouldn’t show. She must not have done a good job of it though, because his expression instantly fell to one of regret. He cupped one side of her face, his thumb smoothing over her bottom lip in a ghost of a touch.

“Bridgette, we both know this is no place for you. No matter what happens between us, you still need to leave.”

“I know,” she said through the emotion in her throat.

Roman gently kissed her on her forehead. “It will kill me, you know that don’t you?”

She met his eyes, searching for something that would tell her he was telling her the truth. But what did she really know? How was she to judge whether or not his feelings ran deeper than just the physical? Bridgette’s did, she knew that, but as to how Roman really felt?

He leaned down so their eyes were level. “Trust in what I’m saying, Bridgette. It will ruin me. Walking away from you will be the hardest thing I’ve ever done. All I want to do is keep you here with me so I can make sure you’re safe, but this is exactly the place where you’re at risk the most. We need to get you out before anything else happens.”

Bridgette tried to smile, but didn’t think it worked out too well. Roman pulled her into his chest, resting his chin on the top of her head and she breathed in his scent, letting her eyes fall closed.

“Will we see each other after I leave?” she asked softly.

“We’ll try,” he answered. She could hear the false hope in his voice, and it made her want to burst out into tears, but she kept herself together.

“Have you heard anything about where they might be?” she said.

“No,” he replied, sighing. “Lottey is apparently quite good at keeping herself hidden.”

Bridgette snorted. “Don’t I know it,” she said.

Roman gave her a quick squeeze. “We’ll find them. We’ll figure this all out, Bridgette. I promise.”

Except they didn’t get a chance to by the time Ludwig called them back to his office and explained the next steps of his plan. Things were moving quicker than either of them wanted them to. It looked like Bridgette would be the lure they wanted her to be, unless, by some miracle, they found Charlotte and McKay before then. At the rate they were going, Bridgette highly doubted it.

The next couple of days were going to be the longest of her life. She just hoped her father didn’t rise to Ludwig’s bait, because even though she had no love for her paternal figure, she didn’t want to be the one responsible for his death either. It looked like only time would tell.

CHAPTER TWENTY

Charlotte paced the room for what felt like the hundredth time. She could feel Pete’s eyes on her movements as he sat on the couch she’d just recently vacated. The Archers were out doing whatever it was they did on the streets. Phoenix had made it clear that none of them were to leave the house. It was too risky, and apparently they stuck out like sore thumbs. It seemed the residents of the western ghetto were well acquainted with each and every person living there, so they’d recognize that Charlotte and the boys were new. Phoenix seemed to have a lot of faith in her people that they wouldn’t alert the soldiers, but she still didn’t want to take a chance.

That left them staying in the house – doing nothing. Charlotte hated doing nothing. She had too much pent up energy to simply sit inside a house all day. Michael would tell her to relax as he’d sip his tea and read a book, but Charlotte couldn’t manage to do the same. She’d picked up a book Missy had left out for her, but her eyes simply skimmed the pages, not really reading a single word. Pacing seemed to be the better option.

“I’m getting tired just watching her,” Seamus muttered.

“I like to count how many times she bites her nails,” Garrett said.

“I count how many times she looks at the front door,” Tyler added. “She’s at eighteen this round.”

“Leave her alone,” Pete said, throwing a pillow at his youngest brother.

“If there was enough room in the place, I’d be pacing right along with her,” Trent said, a similar sense of frustration as hers in his voice. At least someone understood, thought Charlotte.

“Why don’t we play cards?” Michael suggested, putting his latest read down.

“You cheat at cards, old man,” Garrett pointed out.

“So do you,” he replied.

“That’s because you’re the one who taught me how to play.”

Michael laughed, picking his book back up. “Fine,” he said, stretching out his legs in front of him, ankles crossed, “I was just trying to suggest something to take our minds off everything. But, if you’d rather sit here and stare at the walls all afternoon, so be it.”

“Beats having you steal our money, da,” Pete said, lying back on the couch.

Charlotte hadn’t stopped her pacing throughout this entire exchange, but she froze the second the front door opened. The five girls walked in, all seemingly talking at once. Their loud voices were a striking contrast to the heavy silence that had surrounded them all morning. Missy suddenly appeared at the kitchen doorway. Charlotte wondered where the quiet girl hid all day.

“Honeys, we’re home!” Sam called out. “Miss us?” She flopped down on the end of the couch Pete was lying on, her eyes glued to him. Charlotte would have been mad if she didn’t know that Pete had absolutely no interest in the girl.

“Not really,” Pete murmured.

Phoenix stood in the middle of the room, her eyes bright with excitement. She was a petite girl, but her personality was larger than all of theirs put together. It was probably why Trent couldn’t stand her, Charlotte thought. Where Trent was quiet and reserved, Phoenix was loud and in your face. She rather liked the girl.

“Who’s ready for a party?” she said, smiling big.

“Is it a tea party?” Seamus asked.

“I knew girls still played that, even when they got older,” Garrett said.

“We’re not doing each other’s hair,” Pete said.

Charlotte caught Lake’s eye and they both rolled their eyes.

“Are you about finished?” Phoenix said, her hands planted on her hips now.

“You’ve completely ruined the delivery of her announcement,” Lake said dryly.

“What a shame,” Trent said with a fake frown.

Phoenix sent him a death glare, before turning to look at the room.

“What’s this about a party then?” Michael asked.

“Not really the time for parties, don’t you think?” Charlotte added.

“There’s always time for parties, X,” Phoenix chided. “However, this isn’t one of
my
notorious parties.”

“Notorious with who, exactly? The law enforcement?” Trent said.

“Phoenix only thinks they’re notorious because she can hardly remember them the next day,” Vi said with a laugh.

“Not helping,” Phoenix said. “Anyway, if I may continue without being further interrupted, what I was going to tell you was that I’ve just heard news of a masked celebration being thrown by none other than Ludwig Tennebris himself.”

Charlotte gripped the back of the chair she was standing behind. A hand tapped gently on her own, making her look down. “Relax, sweetheart,” Michael said. She let go of his chair, forcing herself to do just that.

“What’s this for?” Pete asked, sitting up now.

“To honor and celebrate the visit of Ludwig’s close associates,” she answered.

“Sal,” Charlotte said, not bothering to hide her distaste for the man. He’d always rubbed her the wrong way whenever he visited. She had a pretty good feeling he was interested in her in a way that made her skin crawl.

“All the Uppers have been invited, and it’s being called the most anticipated event of the season,” Phoenix continued with exaggerated flourish.

“Everyone is to be masked for the event,” Lake added. “And all Uppers are mandated to attend.”

“Ludwig is bent on showing those nefarious rebels that their recent activities with certain explosives,” Phoenix said, sending a mischievous grin at Pixie, who bowed her head dramatically, “will not hold the Uppers back from reigning in this city. And what better way to do so then to throw a party? A man of my own style.”

“A room full of people, all wearing masks to cover their faces,” Vi said happily. “What better opportunity could there be?”

“We’ll have your sister back in no time, X.” Phoenix smiled at her.

“You think she’ll be at this?” Charlotte asked.

“Of course, everyone is meant to attend,” she answered.

“Even after her attempted kidnapping?” Pete countered.

“Trust me, she’ll be there. I have it on good authority that all Uppers have to attend. He’s trying to prove a point. Keeping his precious Weapon X hidden away would be the complete opposite. He’d be letting Douglas win. She’ll be there, and so will we.”

“I haven’t been to a party in ages,” Vi said wistfully.

“Not since that time we got drunk in the alley behind Bob’s, remember?” Sam said. “And Pixie ended up kicking over those trashcans where, like a million cats lived.”

“I wouldn’t really classify that as a party,” Lake said.

“Why do I have a feeling that these girls have crazier stories than we do?” said Seamus.

“You have no idea,” Sam replied.

“How will you know which one is Bridgette if everyone is masked?” Michael asked.

Phoenix’s smile slipped, a small pout forming on her bright red lips.

“She won’t be masked like the others,” Charlotte said.

“How can you be sure?” Trent asked.

“Because you’re forgetting that the entire population is not aware she’s a woman, which means she’s likely to still be dressed as she normally is. Roman will be too, for that matter. I’m guessing all the soldiers will be there in uniform. Only the regular Uppers will be dressed up.”

Phoenix clapped her hands. “There you go. Problem solved.”

“We’re not all going, are we?” Trent asked.

“You bet we are, hot shot,” replied Phoenix. “It’s time to hide that ugly mug of yours.”