Evil with a D

Chapter 26

Stacy stood examining herself in the bathroom mirror of the suite in the Gramercy Park Hotel in New York. Her make-up and hair stylists had left moments earlier. Her skin practically glowed with the light natural colors the woman had used. Slade, her hair stylist, had curled her hair into loose ringlets and left them down around her face and down her back.

Earlier when Lucas had first brought them to the room she'd found a gorgeous turquoise gown made of silk, chiffon and lace with little bead work accents of flowers and leaves with vines covering the bodice waiting on the bed. Next to it a necklace of white gold molded into matching flower petals and leaves with black stones rested in a store travel case. Round black quartz hung from the centered flower, diamonds encasing its setting.

Stacy reached out, fingering the necklace lightly as she stopped next to the bed. She knew Lucas was waiting for her in the living room of the suite, having already dressed while her stylists fussed over her. Stacy slipped the dress on, not in the least surprised to find it fit like a glove. She shifted as she tried to reach the zipper down the back. "Need help?" Stacy turned at Lucas' voice, smiling at the sight of him. He wore a European style five piece suit, the steel grey looked great on him; for once forgoing his usual pinstripe twenties style.

"Yes, please." she turned to give him access to the zipper. "You look great. Very handsome." she pulled her hair over her shoulder, a shiver raking her body when Lucas brushed his fingers over her back to raise her zipper.

"And you look very pretty," he leaned in, kissing the base of her neck. "Beautiful." he whispered as he slipped his hands down her arms slowly.

Stacy's eyes closed, her breath leaving her. "Lucas, we need to leave." she whispered back, smiling as she started to step away from him slowly. Reluctantly. "We'll already be late at this rate."

Lucas sighed, nodding as he crouched down to help her into her strappy black heels while she put on her matching earrings. Lucas took the necklace before she could, smiling as he stepped behind her to slip the necklace around her neck. "We'll be fine love. The meeting is here in the hotel," Lucas took her hand. "We're not the only ones staying here either. Sometimes we hold the meetings below, but more often than not they're in a hotel."

"Oh." Stacy whispered with a small frown.

"Sorry to disappoint if you wanted to go down."

Stacy shook her head, smiling as she took his head. "I guess this is safer. Are you ready?"

"Shall we?" Lucas asked as he lifted her hand to kiss her knuckles.

"Yes, let's go." Lucas nodded at her words, turning to lead her from the suite. On a floor two up from their own they stepped out into a lobby area, turning to the left to head down a hall. At the end Lucas opened the door to a long room that looked as if it could be split into two sections. A small plaque on the door named the section they were entering the Foyer. The divider though had been removed leaving the room open completely. A group of twenty or so people mingled, every set of eyes turning to stare at them as they stepped into the room. Stacy froze, unconsciously shifting closer to Lucas as he reached out to place a hand on her lower back.

"Evening." He said, keeping his head high as he stepped further into the room, urging Stacy forward though she dragged her feet a little. Slowly the others started to turn away as conversation started up again, though she knew by the glances they were talking about them. "Stay here, I'll see if I can find something to drink. Don't leave this spot and be careful who you talk to." Lucas whispered to her. He seemed to hesitate before he stepped away from her and turned to walk to a man standing on the other side of the room. The man was tall, skinny and appeared jittery; ready to jump out of his skin at any second.