I leaned closer to Anna. “Do we have to congratulate Danilo? It’s his birthday party, after all.”
Anna shrugged. “I doubt anyone pays attention to etiquette here. Have you spotted him yet?”
“No.” I scanned the guests. Most of the men were sparsely costumed like Santino, but the women had gone all out. The back of one guy reminded me of Samuel and I quickly angled my body the other way. Samuel would kill me if he found out I was here.
Santino hovered close to us, arms crossed over his broad chest and his no-doubt pissed face covered by his skull mask.
The music was so loud that the floor seemed to vibrate under my heels. I had never been at a party before, and I doubted I’d ever be allowed to attend one officially. I gave Anna a wide-eyed look when a naked girl raced past us and dashed down the path to the lake. She smirked, giving me an I-told-you-so look. Santino’s expression on the other hand conveyed that he wanted to kill us.
I leaned over to Anna. “He looks pissed. Are you sure this is a good idea?”
She waved me off. “Don’t worry. I can handle him.”
I wondered what exactly Anna had used against him. Santino didn’t strike me as a man who would let a teenage girl tell him what to do. But Anna refused to tell me. Technically, she wasn’t breaking our pinky swear by keeping a secret because she wasn’t lying outright. I wished I’d thought of that when we’d made that promise many years ago. Then I’d have stipulated different terms. My curiosity was killing me.
I looked around, not sure what to do. Anna linked our fingers and dragged me over to the bar on the patio. I shivered from the cold. Anna handed me a drink. I sipped at it and grimaced. It was beer with a strange lemony note.
Another glance around confirmed Danilo wasn’t nearby. I touched my mask again. Still safely in place. Few people wore actual face masks. Even Danilo would recognize me without a mask though.
Anna nudged me, and I followed her gaze. My stomach sank. Danilo and his cousin Marco stood off to the side of the large wooden patio, talking to two girls. Naturally, Danilo was with a blonde—again. Always with blondes. Always with women who resembled Serafina but couldn’t hold a candle to her beauty. They were less, a copy of the original.
Less.
So was I. Not what Danilo wanted.
I was the consolation prize, would always be.
Indignation rose in me. He’d never given me a chance to show him I was more than second best, more than a consolation prize.
I shoved down those thoughts and nodded to show Anna that I’d spotted him. He was only talking to the girl, but I doubted that was where it would end. I took another sip from my drink, considering what to do. Was I brave enough to approach him? To play this out to the end?
Danilo was dressed in a SWAT uniform, no mask or makeup, which made him easy to spot. His cousin had opted for a Joker costume.
“This is your chance,” Anna shouted into my ear when the two girls headed back inside the house. “They’re probably taking a bathroom break, so you need to hurry.”
I nodded, suddenly overcome with nerves. I’d never flirted with anyone, unless my failed attempts to flirt with Danilo counted. “They could be returning soon, though, and what about Santino?”
He leaned against the bar next to us, glowering but keeping watch. He hadn’t touched any alcohol yet and probably wouldn’t.
Anna smiled coyly. “He can’t split himself in two, and I’m his priority. I’ll head to the restrooms. Maybe I can even chat up those girls and hold them up.”
“If people recognize you, you’re going to be in a whole world of trouble.”
“Don’t worry. I won’t get caught.”
Anna turned to Santino and nudged his arm. He leaned down so she could reach his ear. He glanced between me and her, his eyes hardening, then he gave a sharp nod. Before they left, he walked up to me. “Don’t move a fucking inch. If I don’t find you right in this spot when I return, there’ll be hell to pay.”
I swallowed and nodded. God, he was scary as hell. I didn’t know how Anna could enjoy teasing him so much.
Anna winked at me, then she and Santino went in search of the restrooms. I righted the blonde wig, then paused. I gathered my courage by taking another sip of my drink before sauntering over to Danilo. His cousin nudged him, and then Danilo’s eyes locked on me. I tensed, worried he would recognize me. I didn’t even want to imagine the amount of trouble I’d be in. I had some difficulty walking elegantly with my high heels on the wooden boards of the patio and hoped I wouldn’t faceplant.
His posture changed, becoming alert and almost eager. Without my brown hair, my resemblance to Serafina was even stronger. I wasn’t quite as tall, and my facial features were a bit different. The copy. Not the original. Always the copy. But I knew I’d be close enough to her looks to attract Danilo. The use of Fina’s old perfume would only add to the illusion.
I swayed my hips as I moved through the crowd. I didn’t even feel the cold anymore. My blood was pumping through my veins, making me feel hot all over.
Danilo wasn’t the only man checking me out, and I couldn’t deny that it boosted my ego.
When I stopped in front of him, my heart was thundering. Danilo scanned my tight leather pants and corset that shoved my breasts up. Since he hadn’t really looked at them, he’d hardly recognize them now. I almost laughed at the thought. He definitely didn’t recognize me. He’d never undressed me with his eyes like that. Hell, he
