THE NIGHT HAD ALREADY BEGUN. He could already hear the sound of the electric guitar coming from downstairs and the excited shouts of the crowd.
He hastily sprayed on his neck some of the Sauvage Dior perfume he found in the bathroom and moistened his curls with water before crossing the long hallway. He was still folding up the sleeves of the white shirt Will had lent him as he went down the stairs and immediately found the room nearly full.
Eddie and his band occupied the stage, while groups of friends and couples moved to the music on the improvised dance floor, which was basically a giant red carpet. Tables and chairs were now lined up against the walls.
The guys behind the bar were frantically making margaritas and fancy cocktails and pulling Heineken's out of the small freezer.
He searched for a familiar face among the strangers until he finally found the red-haired beauty sitting on the high stools in front of the bar, sipping champagne and chatting happily with her new friend. She was wearing a tight, shiny silver dress that fit her graceful body like a glove.
He descended the remaining steps and dove into the crowd to meet her.
. . .
JANE TRIED TO INTRODUCE Max to the other members of the Hellfire Club as they appeared. They all seemed like good people and treated them as warmly as if they were old friends.
They were also well received in the clubs in California and in all the pubs they visited, but here the intimacy was different.
Dustin had already come to talk to them, so she already knew him. She also saw Mike and Will dancing together on the dance floor, and although Jane didn't say anything, Max could tell that they loved each other just by how close they were and the looks they exchanged.
Jane also told her about Erica, and the physical similarities to Lucas made her wonder if she was that Erica. But she quickly dismissed that theory when she saw her accomplice appear in her field of vision among the people. She took a few seconds to slowly study him from head to toe.
