𝐒𝐮𝐠𝐚𝐫 ✓ [𝐁𝐎𝐎𝐊 𝐎𝐍𝐄]

✎chapter eight × speak easy to me

ᴘᴀʀɪs, ғʀᴀɴᴄᴇ
sᴇᴠᴇɴ ᴛᴡᴇɴᴛʏ ᴛᴡᴏ ᴘᴍ
━─━────༺༻────━─━

    "I'm sorry why exactly did we need to fly to another country for a party?" I ask, trying not to let my heels scrap against the asphalt of the landing strip.

  A car is waiting a few yards away.

"I like a comfortable ride. And unfortunately going by train wasn't an option seeing as I don't own one of those." Angelo replies, opening the door of the car for me.

  I struggle not to roll my eyes into the back of my head at Angelo's pretentiousness as I climb in, carefully manuevering my dress so I don't step on it.

   "Where exactly is this cotillion?" I ask.

"Somewhere in Paris, I suppose?"

  "Wait, you don't know where we're going?"

"No. But, he does." Angelo nods towards the driver, who gives me a wink in the rearview.

  "Things like this are very exclusive. The times, dates and locations are disclosed bit by bit only hours and minutes before they begin. We were lucky to already be so close." 

  Angelo settles into the seat next to me and the driver starts off. 

  "Then why does anyone come? Why make the trip if, let's say, the party's in Sydney and you're in Toronto?" I ask.

  "Trust me, it's worth it." 

  "Our definitions of 'worth it' might be different. If we get there and I don't see at least one white tiger on a leash, I'm downing the first bottle of absinthe I see and booking the next flight back to London."

   I can see Angelo visibly struggle not to laugh. "I guess you'll be getting that absinthe. There was quite a debacle last time we had a big cat on the premises. Don't ask anyone about Sicily."

  "What the hell happened in Sicily?"

"I told you, don't ask. It was technically illegal." He shakes his head as if he's been reminded of some fond memory. Then his expression gets a bit more serious.

  "This is your first event. Try not to be too inquisitive or you'll look suspicious. At the same time, don't reveal too much about yourself. They'll think you're actually trying to win them over and that's even more suspicious."

  "Who's 'they' anyway?" I feel myself getting nervous, unconsciously picking at my nails.

  "They? Well, anyone from dignitaries to drug lords, but you can't be sure."

  I try not to be shocked. Angelo is obviously involved in crime, I knew that from the get-go and he said it himself.

  But, I don't know exactly what he meant. I assumed it was something common; embezzlement, money laundering.