Page 110 of The King Contract
Sofia and I turn to see Callum approaching, with Sam and Toby in tow.
“I don’t brawl,” Sofia says dryly. “Plus, we’d never do that to Sam and Toby. Right, Noah?”
“Right.” I smile as I make room for our additional guests. “My brawling days are behind me.”
Sam and Toby chuckle and greet Sofia with familiarity. It’s not surprising. She probably met them for the first time half an hour ago, but that’s Sofia. She has a way of connecting with everyone in a matter of seconds.
“We’re invited to the unofficial afterparty.” Callum winks at me before sitting down.
“You’re having an afterparty for your party?” Sofia asks.
Sam grins. “Of course.”
She looks thoughtful. “Where is it?”
“A speakeasy in Burleigh Heads,” Toby replies. “A friend of ours owns it and is letting us have a private event. You guys in?”
I glance at my watch. Millie’s show has started. “When are you guys heading there?”
“Soon. Our PR guy told us to stay here max three hours.” Toby shrugs. “I don’t get the rules, but those are our orders. Anyway, you guys should come.” Toby turns to me and slaps me on the shoulder. “We’d love to chat with you properly about your plans for this year.”
Hope swells in my chest. This couldn’t have gone any better if I tried. I can go to the afterparty, have a chat for half an hour and should be able to make it back for the end of Millie’s show.
“We’re down.” I look to Callum for confirmation, who’s already accepting an alcoholic beverage from Sam. “Hey, I thought we said no drinking?”
Callum holds his arms out in surrender. “I’m only going to have a couple. I’m not the one who needs to keep his fitness up.”
I roll my eyes. “I’m counting your drinks.”
Callum grins and downs his beer, sighing with satisfaction after he takes a big swig. “Delicious.”
We arrive at the speakeasy as the darkest storm clouds of the season blanket the southeastern coast. Thick droplets fall as we exit the shuttle bus which drove us from the warehouse to the afterparty.
As we huddle inside the foyer, I fish out my phone to fire another text to Millie.
Me
Hope it’s going well. The set-up looks great. Having a chat with the boys from Salt Skin but will be there before it finishes (and hopefully in time for your amazing speech) x
Millie
I’m not doing a speech.
Me
We’ll see.
Millie
Got to go. People keep showing up?? And what did the boys from Salt Skin say? I knew you could do it.
“No phones.”
I lift my gaze to see a giant, brick shithouse of a man standing in front of me. A woman donning a black corset, smiles at me as she snatches my phone out of my hand and locks it in a security box.
“I was messaging somebody,” I grit out.
“You can collect these when you leave,” she tells me, handing me a slip of paper. “Don’t lose your ticket.”
