Calore Dance Academy// Red Queen AU

Chapter 72

Hey y'all! This chapter is PACKED. A big thanks to Sarah and Sami for helping me out with editing this chapter. My life is pretty hectic right now with senior year coming up, so I thank you all for sticking with me through my sporadic update schedule. Hope everybody is doing well! 

As always, enjoy! ;)

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Tucked behind the staircase is a set of big windows.

They're positioned rather awkwardly, considering how one would have to climb over the banister to get situated on their sill. One would have to pull back their heavy grey curtains, careful not to snag their dress or twist their ankle as they make the little jump to the sill.

Cool glass presses against my shoulder, and Central Park stares back at me through the window.

The sill is accommodating. I can sit down and stretch my legs out across it, rest my tired feet. The curtains are too heavy to capture my silhouette.

A quiet click of a door has me turning my head away from Central Park and towards the curtain. It doesn't accomplish much. I could have my eyes closed as it is. My little hiding place is nothing more than shadows and faraway lights, offering me no indication of what goes on in the sitting room.

"It's a wonderful party down there, Tibe."

The first footstep falls a moment later, followed by others. They're heavier than my own. Slower, as though they have all of the time in the world.

"It always is, Jon," Mister Calore's voice returns. I hear it with his steps, drifting closer. I hear Mister Calore's body settle down in one of the chairs by the fireplace.

"I'm finding it rather boring, actually," another voice chimes in.

"That's because you've been too busy deciding which woman you'll invite to your hotel room this evening, Volo." Orrec Cygnet's voice echoes through the room this time, carrying humor with it.

"And I still haven't decided," Volo returns. "Maybe I'll take two or three."

I clench my teeth, somehow finding more reason to hate Volo Samos. So much for having a wife.

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The men talk and talk and talk.

Tibe, Volo, Orrec, and Mayor Jon aren't the only men in the room. The quiet, measured voice of Dane Davidson arises every so often. Some other men from Wall Street inhabit the sitting room along with Mister Calore's lackeys.

I hear about all of the dirty things that happen on Wall Street. There's a special ring of men in this city that controls the whole damn thing. They play the rest of Wall Street's denizens like puppets on strings. They rip everything from anyone who shows the slightest sign of weakness, ruining businesses and sending stocks up and down. Disgust creeps up my throat.

Mayor Jon and Mister Calore might as well be in bed together. Maven's father just recently bought Mayor Jon a very nice vacation home in Los Angeles and gave him a nice raise to do his job. In return, Jon cuts Mister Calore's taxes and gives him dibs on whatever properties he wants in the city.

Dane Davidson turns a blind eye to it all. He lets things and people disappear when they need to, when they know too much.

And in all honesty, these men talk like it's a run-of-the-mill conversation.

Mister Calore has his eyes set on a new development only a couple of buildings down from the Calore penthouse on Billionaires' Row. It'll be taller than his, and that just won't do. So Mayor Jon will pull the rights from the contractor and hand them over to Tibe, who'll pay a pretty penny for it.