“I made her drive me to my girlfriend’s house,” Bex said.

Ryan blinked, and then scanned Bex from top to bottom. “Oh. I thought you were Jared.”

“Bex,” he said, offering his hand to Ryan. “Jared’s little brother.”

“Amazing, isn’t it?” I grinned.

“Well, I’m supposed to meet my partner. I’ll call you tonight, Nina.”

“Meet your partner?” I said, surprised.

“Yeah. Work stuff.”

Bex and I traded glances, and then Bex tugged on my coat. “Well…don’t want to keep Mandy waiting.”

Ryan smiled. “No man, you probably don’t. See you guys around.”

We walked at a forced pace until Ryan was out of sight, and then Bex pulled on me again. He was barely at a jog, while I was sprinting full speed until we reached the next block over, where Claire waited in the Lotus.

“It was a trap,” I said, breathless. “They were waiting for Ryan.”

“I know,” Claire said, her eyes focused and menacing.

She raced down the street, weaving in and out of traffic until we reached Brown University. “What about Ryan?” I said.

“I’ll take care of it. Bex will wait here until Jared’s finished. I have some things to wrap up.”

I nodded, and then watched from the curb as she sped away.

“Tell me,” I said, turning to Bex.

“I only heard a little as we were leaving to cut off Ryan, but Donovan sent those men to collect him. They were going to see what he knew about you…and us. Mainly Claire.”

“So now Ryan’s a target,” I said, unhappy.

“We’re all targets,” Bex said.

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fourteen

It's Your Funeral

“I was right,” I said, letting Jared take my coat. “It looks like Christmas threw up on the conference room.”

“You were right. And how ridiculous, when you’re decoration enough,” Jared said, kissing my cheek.

Loud, obnoxious music made it necessary to talk loudly to each other. Red, green and gold tinsel draped every surface in the room, and the employees, with their dates, loitered in a perfect half-moon around the DJ, careful not to cross the boundary of the dance floor.

“I’m going to tell the DJ to turn it down a notch or ten,” I said.

Jared nodded, watching with amusement as I walked with purpose across the wooden floor.

“Excuse me,” I said. The DJ bobbed his head, concentrating on the computer screen in front of him. “Excuse me!” I yelled, tapping him on the shoulder.

“What can I do for you?” he yelled back.

“Can you turn it down? I’d like for the guests to hear each other.”

The DJ frowned. “Ms. Bankovic asked that I keep it at party level.”

“Sasha?” I confirmed. “This is a business party, not a frat party,” I said over the music. “Turn it down.”