Venom (Page 46)

I held my finger up, telling Owen that I’d be with him in a minute, then pulled my phone out of my purse and flipped it open. "What?"

"We’ve got a problem, Gin," Finn’s voice sounded in my ear. "Look who just stepped on board."

I turned my head to the right. Detective Bria Coolidge stood at the top of the gangplank. Bria wore a long, strapless, flowing gown made out of an ice blue silk. The color brought out her eyes and the rosy flush in her pale cheeks, and a matching wrap covered her bare arms. Bria’s blond hair had been swept up into a complicated bun. Her only adornments were her primrose rune necklace and the three rune-stamped rings on her left index finger. The silverstone medallion glinted as Bria turned her neck from side to side, scanning the crowd before her. She looked stunning, cold, regal, and beautiful all at once.

And she wasn’t alone.

Xavier was right by her side, dressed in a white tuxedo jacket. The giant’s bald head gleamed like polished ebony underneath the soft lights.

Bad to worse. That was definitely the theme of the evening.

"What are they doing here?" I muttered.

Beside me, Owen leaned forward so he could get a look at whom I was talking about. I didn’t bother to block his view. He was too smart for that. He studied Bria and Xavier a moment, then turned his attention back to me.

"Beats me," Finn replied. "Maybe they’re just crashing the party."

"You remember what the old man said about coincidences?"

Finn sighed. "That there are none."

"Exactly," I replied. "Those two are here for a reason. Keep an eye on them. I’ll be with you in a minute."

I hung up and turned back to Owen. "I’m sorry. I have to go."

"Then I’m going too," he said.

"This doesn’t involve you, Owen. Things have just taken a turn for the worse, and they’re probably going to get even uglier before the night is through. You should walk away while you still can."

A crooked smile stretched across his chiseled face. "And let you get away without telling me what the f**k is going on? I don’t think so, Gin. You owe me that, at least."

His violet eyes glittered with a hard, determined light, and I realized that I’d peaked the businessman’s curiosity even more with my mysterious words and furtive actions. Curiosity. Another double-edged sword that had cut me more than once in my life. Even now, the blade whistled toward my head. I just wondered which way it would slice tonight.

Still, Owen was right. He’d stood up to Mab Monroe for me in front of all the city’s movers and shakers. I did owe him something. What that was, I wasn’t sure. But if Owen wanted to come along for the bumpy ride tonight, that was his business. I had no doubt that he’d want to get off afterward. Donovan Caine certainly had.

"Fine," I said. "But follow my lead, and do what I tell you to when I tell you to do it. Understand?"

His smile deepened. "Yes, ma’am."

Owen and I left the bar. Finn spotted us moving through the crowd and discreetly waved us over. He’d moved from his perch at the slot machine to a shadowy spot where he could put his back against one of the walls that formed the interior dining room. I looked out over the crowd, but I didn’t see Bria or Xavier anywhere.

"Where’d they go, Finn?"

Instead of answering me, Finn raised his eyebrows in Owen’s direction.

"He’s with us for the remainder of the evening," I replied. "Just talk, Finn. We can sort out everything else later."

By everything, he knew that I meant Owen Grayson and whether we could afford to let the businessman keep breathing if things went bad. Something I was going to have to decide before the night was through. Because while Owen might want to sleep with me, he didn’t know what he was getting into tonight. And I didn’t know if he could keep his mouth shut about it. But it was a chance I had to take right now.

Finn nodded. "Bria’s over by the railing, sipping champagne and looking absolutely stunning."

Sure enough, my sister was doing exactly what Finn said she was. Since Bria seemed to be okay for the moment, I moved on to the other players in the game.

"Where’s Xavier?"

"Xavier said something to Bria a minute ago and left her standing there alone," Finn answered. "The giant walked into the dining room."

I frowned. "Why would he go in there? Dinner isn’t until later. All the action is still out here right now."

Finn cleared his throat. "I wondered that too-until I noticed that Roslyn’s conveniently disappeared as well. She’s gone, Gin."

My head snapped around to the blackjack table where the vampire had been. I’d been so busy with Mab Monroe and then Owen Grayson that I hadn’t kept track of Roslyn. Her chair was empty. Xavier’s sudden appearance started to make a little more sense to me.

"Roslyn," I muttered. "She must have told Xavier that she was coming here tonight with Elliot Slater."

"And Xavier couldn’t stand that and came to rescue her," Finn finished. "With or without her knowledge?"

"Doesn’t matter," I muttered. "Because if Slater sees them together, they’re both as good as dead."

Owen stood still and silent by my side, listening to everything Finn and I said. The businessman didn’t say anything, didn’t interrupt and ask what the hell was going on, or who we were talking about. He just listened and watched the crowd around us. Most people didn’t know enough to keep quiet. My respect for Owen ratcheted up a few more notches.

"What do you want to do, Gin?" Finn asked in a soft voice.

I stood there thinking, my eyes scanning over the crowd again, this time looking for three very specific people. I spotted them almost instantly.

Mab Monroe, Elliot Slater, and Jonah McAllister had moved to the right side of the riverboat and were deep in discussion about something. Slater’s giant guards stood close to them, focused on their boss, ready to jump when he gave the order. My gaze cut back to Roslyn’s empty chair at the blackjack table. It would only be a matter of time before Slater realized that she was missing and started looking for her. Only one thing to do.

I blew out a breath. "Finn, you stay out here and keep an eye on Bria. Call me if it looks like she’s going to get herself into trouble. Owen and I will find Roslyn and Xavier and get them off this boat."

Finn stayed where he was against the wall. I jerked my head at Owen.

"Come on," I said. "They’ve got to be inside somewhere."

He nodded and followed me through the open doors into the dining room. I stalked past the rows of tables. A few people had drifted inside to sit down, but none of them were Roslyn or Xavier, so I walked on. Owen moved quickly and quietly behind me. He didn’t ask questions or offer any input. He just followed me.