“Let’s do this.” I licked my lips nervously and inhaled and exhaled a few times. “I’m ready.”

“Just let me know if you’re uncomfortable.”

“I will.” I nodded.

“This will be not be what you’re expecting…” His voice trailed off and he looked nervous.

“How do you know what I’m expecting?”

“I didn’t tell you everything.” He closed his eyes. “Look Lola, there’s—”

“Xavier. Lola.” Casper’s voice boomed as he interrupted Xavier and walked toward us. “I’m surprised to see you both here.”

“Why?” I offered him a superior smile and tried to hide my distaste as I gazed at his handsome face. How could someone who looked so handsome and pure be as disgusting as he was? I didn’t understand how my body could warm as I stared into his blue eyes, even when I knew how undeniably evil and callous he was.

“I’m glad that you’re both here.” He kissed both of my cheeks and pulled away. “It’s always good to see you, Lola. So beautiful and pure, like a breath of fresh air.”

“I wish I could say the same,” I muttered as I glared at him. I was already feeling uncomfortable and I hoped this would be the first and last that I’d see of Casper tonight.

“Casper, there you are.” Violeta appeared out of nowhere and walked up to us with an angelic smile on her beautiful face.

“Violeta.” Xavier nodded and I scowled at the woman who had tried to make me leave Xavier with a lie.

“Darling, you look even more handsome than the last time we were here,” Violeta said sweetly and stepped her right leg forward so that we could see the long expanse of her naked leg through the high slit in her silky midnight-blue dress.

“Is that possible?” Xavier raised an eyebrow at her.

“I didn’t think so.” Violeta reached over and brushed something off of his jacket, her perfectly manicured fingernails tapping against his chest lightly. “But then I’ve been known to be wrong.”

“We all make mistakes.” Xavier nodded and I was fuming. Did he seriously think that Violeta had made a mistake by saying that he was the father of the baby she’d given up? How could he be so chummy with her already? It infuriated me that this bitch was being treated with anything other than scorn.

“But everything comes right in the end,” Casper said with a smirk on his face. “I am surprised to see you here, Xavier, but quite pleased.”

“I’m sure you are.”

“May the best man win,” Casper said as he bowed his head and then looked at me. “To the victor go the spoils.”

“You know, there is a painting by Rembrandt called Night Watch,” Xavier said softly and deliberately as he held my hand.

“And?” Casper looked bored.

“It’s called Night Watch because it depicts a city guard moving his troops out of the city,” Xavier said and paused, smiling at everyone as he spoke. It was almost like he was in class again and talking about paintings to his students.

“Sounds boring.” Casper yawned, but his eyes narrowed as he waited for Xavier to continue.

“The painting was covered with a dark varnish and that is why it had been called Night Watch,” Xavier continued. “However, that varnish was removed and art collectors realized that the scene wasn’t depicted at night at all.” Xavier smiled. “So what was once seen as a guard leaving a city at night with his tail between his legs was really not accurate. The fact of the matter is that Night Watch wasn’t a night watch at all.” He looked at me then and I felt as if his words were directed at me only. “What we think we know and see is not always correct. And the winner isn’t always the one that speaks the loudest or the most aggressively.”

“I understand.” I nodded at him and I could see Violeta frowning bitterly.

“Nice educational fable,” Casper said and chuckled. “It’s a pity that life isn’t as simplistic as pictures, isn’t it?”

“Paintings.” Xavier frowned.

“Whatever.” Casper shrugged and grabbed Violeta’s hand. “Let’s go back inside. The event is about to start.”

“Let us go.” She nodded and squared her shoulders back. “I’m ready.”

“Good luck, my brother.” Casper nodded at Xavier. “Here’s to another successful Society of Brothers event.”

“Yes, here’s to another successful event,” Xavier said, and I watched as Casper and Violeta went back inside. I turned to Xavier and gazed at his face with a question.

“What’s going on here, Xavier?” I touched his shoulder. “I don’t understand what’s going on.”

“To be a leader, one must have control.” His voice was tight. “One must have control and command over everything.”

“What does that mean?”

“We can’t talk now.” He shook his head. “We need to go inside. Come, we can’t miss the beginning.” He grabbed my hand and escorted me down the hallways into a huge ballroom. I gasped at the crystal chandeliers hanging in the middle of the elegant room. There were about forty other couples there. The men were all dressed in tuxedos and the women were all in ball gowns. Each ball gown looked sexier than the last one and I no longer felt self-conscious in my skin-tight black gown, with the wide V-neck at the chest. The V was so low that the tops and sides of my breasts were exposed and pushed up. The material covering my nipples felt flimsy, and I’d been uncomfortable leaving the palace with Xavier in the dress, but now I felt conservative. Breasts seemed to be on display everywhere. Many of the dresses were so flimsy that they did nothing to cover the assets of most of the women in the room. I stood there feeling awkward as I looked around, and was about to say something to Xavier when the lights dimmed.