A few minutes later, I stepped into the changing room.
Wardrobes lined the golden walls, and rails of clothes filled the centre of the room.
I passed a full-length mirror and scanned the space carefully. Just then, I heard the door open and close behind me.
A girl in a peacock mask, who looked like a member of staff, walked straight towards me. Her behaviour was… suspicious as hell. Without a word, she moved past me, opened the golden wardrobe beside me, pulled out a garment bag, and quickly thrust it into my hands.
I stared thoughtfully into her light brown eyes, then glanced down at the bag, hesitation prickling at the back of my neck.
Right on cue, Severin's voice slid into my ear.
"Don't worry. She's mine. Give her your dress and get changed."
I let my gaze wander around the room and muttered under my breath, my voice dripping with sarcasm,
"You can't actually see me, can you?"
I heard his mocking laugh. The fact that it reminded me of the Joker did not help my nerves.
The girl handed me the dress and dipped her head in a little bow before striding out of the room.
As the door clicked shut, Severin's voice came again.
"That room doesn't have any cameras. And even if it did, I wouldn't be watching you, kid. I only go full psycho stalker for my own girlfriend."
The corner of my mouth twitched. I yanked the zip of the garment bag down and smirked at the black satin dress inside.
"Hmm. Now we're talking."
⸻
A short while later, with the special card in my hand, I stood in front of the mirror and drew in a deep breath.
I gave my bright grey eyes a crooked little smile.
My dress was a strapless satin number, cut low at the back all the way to the small of my spine, with only delicate silver chains draped across my waist.
I'd swapped my shoes for leather stiletto ankle boots, and when I bent down to zip them up, I realised the dress was surprisingly flexible. Good. Fighting in it wouldn't be complete hell.
I ran a hand through my wig, tore my gaze away from my own eyes, and strode out of the room with long, steady steps.
As I left, two young women chattering away in Chinese slipped past me and went inside.
I ignored them and hurried towards the staircase at the end of the corridor.
One floor up, I stepped out of the stairwell and headed straight for the white, gold-trimmed door at the far end of the hallway.
Golden chandeliers hung from the ceiling, and exquisite statues stood in the corners like silent guards.
I dragged my gaze away from the statue of the woman holding a bunch of grapes, her blank white eyes fixed on me, and focused on the guards at the end of the corridor.
Without a word, I sauntered towards them, hips loose, and tucked my hair behind my ear in a deliberately flirtatious gesture before coming to a stop in front of them.
Both men were massive, brows drawn together, eyes locked directly on mine.
I held the black card between my index and middle fingers and, keeping my cool, tapped it against the handle.
The small light beneath the handle flashed green and the lock released with a soft click.
The bigger of the two, with a shaved head and a thicker build, moved aside and pulled the door open for me. His expression stayed hard and cold.
I tore my gaze away from them and stepped inside as if I owned the place.
The sharp knock of my heels echoed around the quiet, almost empty hall beyond.
It looked like this was where they kept the rest of the auction pieces—and where they'd gone overboard with the security cameras.
I stopped on the golden velvet carpet and slowly turned, letting my gaze sweep over the room.
Glass cases were scattered around the hall, each one filled with priceless items.
In the dead centre stood a huge statue of a man whose lower half was a horse—half human, half beast.
Hesitantly, I took a step towards the glass case on my right, eyes searching for the painting. But there was no sign of it.
A cold sweat slid down my back.
The painting was supposed to be here. I needed it here so I could grab it and Severin could put my escape plan into motion.
I stared up at the cameras dotted around the room and whispered, throat tight,
"Severin?"
Nothing.
I blinked, stunned, and stopped in front of one of the glass displays, my gaze locking on a golden clock on the table.
Damn it. Severin wasn't answering. My bloody painting wasn't in this room, and the Union's people would probably be here any minute.
I looked towards the far end of the hall. A massive metal door was set into the wall there.
I narrowed my eyes at it.
High-security. No way that stupid little card in my hand was opening that.
The painting was probably inside that vault—a vault the size of a small room, three by four at least. And right now, there was absolutely no way in.