Chapter Nineteen
It was easy enough to convince Evie to come with her to Merlin’s. After all, she hadn’t spent a lot of time with her best friend lately. They arrived at the club about fifteen minutes before she was supposed to meet Alexis and Katrina (which meant she actually had about forty-five minutes, since her stepsisters never showed up on time and loved making people wait). It gave her enough time to warn Uncle Lucien.
“You know, I could turn them away,” the warlock said. “Then you wouldn’t have to suffer their company. Correction, I wouldn’t have to suffer their company.”
Selena frowned. “Please, Uncle Lucien, just indulge them for now.” If Alexis and Katrina didn’t get their way, they’d make it her fault and then she’d be the one punished.
Lucien let out a long, suffering sigh. “Fine. You are my favorite niece after all. Someday, when you’re ready to stand up for yourself, I’ll have your back.” He tipped up her chin. “My dear Selena, what would it take for you to believe you are worth a hundred of them?” His inky black eyes suddenly sparkled with mischief. “Or perhaps it’s not a what, but a who?”
His words struck her deep. Selena wished her mother hadn’t died and her father had never remarried. Then she wouldn’t have this problem. Or, if she had been born with even a smidgen of magic, then no one in her coven would give her those awful pitying looks. But if wishes were horses, then well … she would have a lot of horses. “I should go and see if they’re here,” Selena said glumly. “Thank you, Uncle Lucien.”
“Of course, dear.”
She had left Evie backstage. Her friend was talking to the dancers, making some last minute adjustments to the show so Selena went out to the front of the house. It was already starting to get packed. Obviously, the new, classier format of the show seemed to attract more people to the club. Merlin was still experimenting with the show, doing it only once a week and keeping the usual strip shows on other days. She made her way to the front of the house, waving to the two bouncers at the door. As soon as she got out, she immediately spotted her stepsisters.
“There you are,” Alexis said in her grating voice.
“We’ve been waiting for ages,” Katrina whined. Both of them were dressed up in skimpy outfits that showed off long legs and cleavage that left little to the imagination, plus enough makeup to cover a whole troupe of clowns.
“Sorry, I had to secure our table,” Selena answered.
“Oh, did you get us a good one?” Alexis asked, flipping her long blond locks over one shoulder.
“Of course.”
“Good.” Katrina’s eyes raked over her. “Ugh, you need to find better clothes, Selena.”
Selena looked down at her little black dress, which she thought was sexy in an understated way. It certainly wasn’t as flashy her stepsisters’ outfits, but it was classy and didn’t show off every bit of her skin. “It was the only clean thing I had,” she said with a shrug.
“You should think about getting a Brazilian blowout to straighten that bird’s nest you call hair,” Alexis added.
Selena bit her lip to keep from making a retort about their hair extensions. “C’mon, let’s go inside.”
She led them inside to the table Uncle Lucien had reserved for them—up front, one of the best in the house.
“Ugh, did Uncle Lucien stick us in the loser’s section?” Katrina sneered as she looked around them.
Selena curled her hands into fists under the table. “Katrina,” she said in an even voice. “We’re right in front with no obstructions. And Uncle Lucien gave us this table without the usual fee.”
Alexis laughed. “Well, he should. We are his nieces.”
“I’m his niece,” Selena muttered under her breath.
“Why are we up here with these old farts?” Katrina whined.
“These ‘old farts’ are Merlin’s best customers and came all the way here to watch the new show,” Selena said in an exasperated tone. The witches and warlocks around them were not old at all, but definitely more established. They were the ones who had the money to be able to afford a table.
“Yeah, well, who cares about the show?” Alexis said. “I’m only here for the alcohol.”
Katrina eyed a passing waiter who was shirtless and had a well-toned chest. “Oh, do you think we can get to the VIP room in the back?”
“I’m sure Selena could manage that, right?” Alexis winked at her.
“I’ll see what I can do.” Selena groaned inwardly. Why was she such a pushover when it came to Katrina and Alexis? Maybe because they could make her life miserable, as they had almost all her life. They somehow had the power to manipulate everyone around them to make them appear the victims and Selena the oppressor. She had learned over the years it was better to let them have their way, rather than face their wrath.
As they were waiting for the show to begin, Katrina and Alexis chatted about gossip from the coven and whatever spell they were working on that week. Selena knew they did this on purpose—not only to rub her nose in the fact that she didn’t have any power, but also that she wasn’t in the coven’s inner circle. Normally, their conversation would make her feel bad about her lack of talent, but, tonight, all she felt was impatience.
Checking her watch, she tapped it, wondering if it was running slow. She could bring Katrina and Alexis to the VIP room backstage where Uncle Lucien had set up a meet-and-greet of sorts for his best clients. It was a chance to mingle with the performers, plus there was a spread of champagne and hors d'oeuvres. She’d hand them some bubbly and then slip out and get back to the loft, maybe even before Quinn got home, if she was lucky.
***
By the time Quinn reached Merlin’s, there was no line outside and the main door was shut. Connor was standing outside, leaning against the brick wall.
“Are they not letting anyone in or is it just us?” Quinn asked.
“Full capacity. Plus, they didn’t want anyone interrupting the show once it started.” Connor’s tone was acrid, though his face remained stony.
“The girls are in there?”
He nodded. “They arrived before the show started, then Selena came out for a while and went back in with two blondes.”
“Women?”
“Witches, probably.”
Selena didn’t mention meeting any other friends. Strange. Although, Merlin’s was a witch hang out, so it would make sense if she bumped into some friends.
“Are we gonna wait out here all night?”
Quinn shook his head. “Nah, let’s go in and say hi to the girls.”
“No way we're going to get in there,” Connor pointed out. “Not after last time.”
“Who said we were going to go through the front door? C’mon.” Quinn gestured to the back of the building. “I know how we can get in.”
They walked to the rear of the building to a dark alley. At first glance, it didn’t seem like it was part of the club, but that was probably because of the magical protections around it. However, since Quinn had already been here, the spell didn’t work on him.
“Are you sure we’re in the right place?”
“Yeah, this is where all the dancers take their smoke break. Daric showed me this exit. Said it might be useful one day to know it.” Quinn didn’t realize it would be handy tonight. He supposed he should have gone back to the loft and waited for Selena to come home, but something felt off. Like Selena was hiding something from him. The feeling just didn’t sit right with him. Even Wolf was pacing, urging him to see her and make sure everything was okay.
They walked down the darkened alley as a strange sensation crawled over his skin, reminding Quinn of their last battle with the mages in Norway. It was probably the magic spells all around them. Even Connor seemed more on edge than usual. But he pressed on, knowing what was at the end. There was a metal door, which, much to his relief, was unlocked. They entered and soon found themselves inside the backstage area of Merlin’s.
“Now what?”
“We go check on the girls, and then maybe Selena and I can finally go home, and I can put this day behind me.” He hadn’t told anyone about what he had discovered. Tomorrow, he would tell Connor and Killian, but tonight, all he wanted was to hold Selena in bed and lose himself in her.
Quinn had only spent one night as an entertainer in Merlin’s, but the backstage area was small enough that he didn’t get lost. Hmmmm … where to begin searching? Quinn frowned. There were way too many attractive men back here. Attractive and half-naked men, he thought as two dancers wearing nothing but red Speedos passed by them in the hallway. Why the hell he agreed to let Selena come here in the first place, he didn’t know. Well, actually, he did know. Lucien Merlin was her family, after all, so it wasn’t like he could object to her spending time here. He wasn’t some controlling asshole boyfriend.
“Where the hell are they?”
A familiar feminine laugh approaching them answered Connor’s question. It wasn’t Selena though, but Evie. And she wasn’t alone.
“Jack, you were awesome,” Evie said to her companion.
“Well, I had a great director and choreographer,” Jack replied, nudging her with his shoulder. He was wearing the same costume Quinn had seen him in during the rehearsal—black briefs, top hat, and leather boots, but his sparkly red jacket was slung over his shoulder.
“I like that extra move you did at the end with the—Quinn? Connor?” Evie’s eyes went wide as saucers as her gaze landed on them. “What are you guys doing here? I thought Selena said you were working late.”
Quinn felt the air thicken around them, and he sent Connor a warning look. Not that his brother paid him any mind as he continued to glare at Evie and Jack. “I finished up early. Where is she?”
“She’s probably in the VIP room with Lucien and her stepsisters,” Evie said.
“Her what?” Selena never mentioned she had stepsisters or that they were coming tonight. Did Selena keep this from him? Were they the reason she thought to come here? That feeling that didn’t sit right with him? It was suddenly growing.
“I’m gonna go say hi then.” Quinn straightened his shoulders and walked toward the VIP room, leaving Evie to deal with Connor.