One More Time

The world spins and sways, sparkling stain dresses and black suits. Champagne circles round. I grab a flute of the liquid gold and swing it back. The ballroom is a chessboard. My eyes follow the pieces sweep to and fro with the Russian Waltz rendition of Briteny Spears' “Baby, One More Time”. Desereè is one of the pawns. I spot the head of auburn hair and the pink rose dress. A breath escapes my lungs.

“Darcy, don’t,” Ambrose yells in my ear. “We’re not there yet,” Luke continues. I slip the earbud in the champagne, leaving my friends behind. I can’t do this with them to distract me. The target is on sight. I need to get Desereè out of here before she disappears again.

I slowly make my way around the room. Mercenaries and smugglers mix with civilians and millionaires. Maurice is always in the shadows. If I know him well enough, he isn’t here. Instead, he’s behind the cameras watching from a thousand miles away while his right-hand man Kasim deals with Orbis’ clients. Had I not changed my appearance, Orbis’ people would’ve stopped me before I reached the front door.

Desereè dances with one of the clients. Maurice has been using her to charm his business partners while keeping her captive. I borrow another champagne flute before approaching her. The waltz ends as a slow tango begins, and I cut in with only a look. I almost faint when our eyes meet. Her hand tethers to mine. I push her away and pull her back.

“I knew you’d come,” she whispers in my ear. Her leg wraps around me. I dip her. We speak in low tones to avoid attracting suspicion. “I missed you.” Her lips near my mouth.

“I’m here to get you out.”

“Darcy, I can’t follow you.”

I swing her close to my chest. “Why?” I drink in the violet of her irises.

“Because he knew you’d come too.”

I shut my eyes for a moment. We glide across the room. “What did Maurice say?”

“He gave me a message for you.” She looked up into my eyes.

“What did he say, Desereè?” My tone becomes more urgent.

“That if I go with you, he won’t keep you alive anymore. And I can’t let that happen, Darcy.”

“I can take care of myself. Trust me.”

“I do. I always have.”

I swing her up into the air. The chandeliers glow against her warm umber skin. Her hair flows down on her shoulders. “We’ll take Maurice down. Let me bring you home with me.”

“I can’t. I can’t put you in danger.” She kissed me, and I returned it, possessing her mouth. I would’ve given anything to live in that moment forever. Anyone would. She broke the kiss with a sadness in her eyes. Her thumb caressed my cheek. The tango draws to a close.

“You don’t want to try.”

“I don’t want to risk your life.”

I look up as I feel a prick in my eyes. “I am so sorry.”

“You have made my life mean something. Don’t ever be sorry for that.” Her fingers brush my hand as she walks away from me. I sniffle. My hands rake through my hair. Even if I make her follow through with the plan, she would fight back. Maurice has already gotten to her. He’s let me find her to tease me and use love against me. It’s clever. And I walk outside after taking down a few security guards who figured out I’m not who I said I was. Luke and Ambrose arrive out front, but it’s too late.

“Darcy, what happened?”

“She didn’t want to go. He threatened her…using me.” I quirked my lips sadly.

Luke sighed. “Darce, I’m sorry.”

“If I ever doubted how much she loves me, I don’t know. She’s willing to let me go.”

“So what now?”

“Now nothing. I can’t make a move against Maurice, or my uncle kill her. Desereè won’t risk my life to save hers. Unless we find another way, I believe it is checkmate.” My heart became numb. “At least I got to see her again.”

“No. No, this is not it. Ambrose has something up his sleeve. He can make Maurice let her go.”

“How?” I hoarsed. “What does my brother have against the world’s most powerful criminal?”

“Your dad. You suspected that he's the man Maurice is afraid of, the person sabotaging Maurice’s operations in the shadows.”

“Would we could contact him. But we’ve tried everything.”

“Your brother found a way. If he contacts your dad, Claude can get Maurice to back off. He must have some leverage on Maurice.”

“It’s a long shot.”

“But it’s the best we have.”

I nodded. “Okay. Let’s call my estranged father and make him blackmail my criminally insane uncle to give me back the love of my life.” I took a deep breath and sunk into the back seat. Luke gave me an earnest look.

“We'll get her back, Devereux.”

“I hope so.”