They had piled into a blacked-out Escalade. Aria took the front passenger seat. In the back, Damien sat like a king, radiating menace in his harness and leather pants. Beside him, Kai was taking selfies, the flash illuminating his glittery abs. Julian was huddled in the corner, trying to hide his face from the passing streetlights.
And Ken... poor Ken was lying across the very back row like a plank of wood, unable to bend his knees in the vinyl trousers.
"We're here," Aria announced as the car pulled up to a sleek, glass-fronted building.
The Velvet Room wasn't a seedy club with red lights and velvet ropes. It was a corporate fortress. The lobby was all beige stone, abstract art, and hushed efficiency. It looked like a hedge fund, or perhaps a very expensive clinic for people with too much money and not enough morals.
"Game faces," Aria commanded. She checked her reflection in the rearview mirror, adjusting her oversized sunglasses. "Remember: I am the shark. You are the bait."
