Chapter 498
Chapter 498:
A woman stepped out. She was tall, dark-haired, and radiating an aura of icy fury. She wore a white pantsuit that cost more than most people made in a decade.
Elena Graves. Lucian’s cousin and the cartel’s financial watchdog.
She didn’t look at Lucian. She looked straight at Skye.
“So,” Elena said, her voice like cracking ice. “This is the liability p>
Skye recognized the look in Elena’s eyes. It wasn’t just jealousy. It was business aggression. Skye was a walking, breathing deficit on Elena’s balance sheet.
Elena walked up to Skye. She looked at the red dress, Lucian’s choice. She looked at the bandaged hands.
“You’re wearing the dress he bought,” Elena said. “And you ruined my piano p>
“The piano was an accident,” Skye lied.
Elena didn’t speak. She slapped Skye.
It was a professional slap. Hard, precise, ringing. Skye’s head snapped to the side. She tasted blood.
Lucian stood there, lighting a cigarette. He looked bored. He looked entertained.
“She has spirit, doesn’t she?” Lucian asked Elena.
“She’s trash,” Elena spat. “Strip her p>
Skye froze. “What p>
“That dress,” Elena said, pointing at the red qipao. “It’s silk. It’s too nice for a thief. Strip her. Here. Now p>
The bodyguards looked uncomfortable.
“Elena,” Lucian warned. “We are in a parking garage p>
“I don’t care!” Elena screamed, losing her composure. “She humiliated me! She played my piano! She’s wearing your mark! I want her naked and bleeding on the concrete p>
She lunged at Skye, grabbing the neckline of the dress.
Skye reacted on instinct. She couldn’t let Elena rip the dress; the black card was hidden in the collar. If the dress came off, the card would fall. Skye shoved Elena back hard.
Elena stumbled in her heels and fell onto the hood of the limo.
“Enough!” Lucian barked.
𝘊o𝗺𝗉𝗅𝘦𝘁𝗲 𝗌t𝗈𝘳𝘪𝖾𝗌 o𝗻 𝖻e𝗅ո𝗈v𝖾𝘭𝘀.с𝗈𝗺
He stepped between them. “Elena, get in the car. We are going back to the villa. You can torture her there in private. Don’t make a scene in front of the staff p>
Elena glared at him, chest heaving. “Fine. But she rides in the trunk p>
“She rides with me,” Lucian said firmly.
He shoved Skye into the back of his SUV. Elena got into her limo.
The convoy started to move.
Skye looked at the clock on the dashboard. 11:35 PM. They were leaving the casino. They were driving away from Sub-Level 3.
She had twenty-five minutes to turn this car around.
Or jump out.
The convoy sped down the Strip, neon lights blurring into streaks of color. Skye sat beside Lucian, her mind working furiously.
She couldn’t go back to the villa. If she did, she’d miss the window. Alistair would be waiting at the elevator at midnight. If she wasn’t there…
She needed a reason to stop. A reason to turn back.
“My hands,” Skye moaned, clutching her bandaged left hand. “They’re burning p>
Lucian ignored her, staring out the window.
“Lucian, please,” Skye gasped, doubling over. “I think… I think the glass is still in there. It feels like it’s cutting the vein p>
“You’ll survive,” Lucian said coldly.