16. Hayden

“You’re early,” Lana accused harshly as she opened the door to us with an unwelcome frown.

So I smiled and shot back, “That’s because we just couldn’t wait for the pleasure of your company.”

While my mother scowled over my obvious sarcasm, I grasped Gabby’s hand in a show of solidarity with her, ignoring the twitch of surprise in her fingers over the contact, and smiled even more tightly to our host as I stepped into her apartment.

She wore all white and nearly blended into the room around her. If it weren’t for the aura of evil emanating off her, I might’ve missed her completely.

Next to me, Gabby shifted uneasily closer, saying nothing.

I gripped her fingers more firmly, hoping to reassure her.

“Well, dinner isn’t ready yet,” Lana announced irritably. “We’re going to have to wait.”

I shrugged. “That’s fine. It’ll give us plenty of opportunity for you to tell us why we were blackmailed into coming tonight.”

Choking out a sound of surprise, Gabby glanced up at me as if I’d lost