Code Blue

Lexi vs. The Mansion

I spent the entire ride staring out the window because I didn't want to miss a thing. It wasn't every day that I got invited to a fancy party held in the mansion of a notorious crime lord. And it wasn't every day that my date to said party was the crime lord's son and possible replacement.

If I was being completely honest with myself, I had to admit that the fact that this ball could decide Max's future, and thereby mine as well, was mildly terrifying. My suspicion was that Daniel would use the opportunity to announce to announce to the other party goers – who just happened to be his investors and co-conspirators – that if anything should happen to him, it would be Max who would take over Stafford Incorporated's operations.

On one hand, this was good for my operation because being the girlfriend of heir to the crime syndicate meant I got instant access to the inner circle and might even be able to convince Max to let me in on some of the inner workings. But on the other hand, Max becoming his father's second in command meant that when all was said and done, I'd be forced to put him behind bars as well. And as much as I kept telling Evan that I had my emotions under control, the truth was that my heart would break just a little if it came to that.

Careful not to lean my face too close to the window in fear of smudging my makeup, I paid special attention when the car left the familiar campus surroundings and continued along the winding outer roads, lined with sky high trees. I'd never been to this part of town before, so I soaked in the lush forested areas and the grassy meadows filled with wildflowers, until we turned onto a wide gravel road, which would its way through the forest before opening into large clearing, in the middle of which sat a sprawling pillared red brick mansion with ivy climbing its walls to add to its old world charm.

It was exactly the kind of home I'd expect the head of a crime family to live in and I was so engrossed in imagining what it must have been like to grow up in a house like that, I didn't notice that the driver hadn't taken the path to the front entrance once we'd been granted access to the main gate.

"Where are we going?" I called out through the partition I hadn't closed.

The driver didn't turn around as he responded. "I was instructed to take you around back, Miss."

I gulped instead of replying, a little terrified at the implication of being taken to a special entrance. Was this where it all ended? Was I going to be met by a couple of surly bodyguards who silence me forever because the Stafford family couldn't risk an outsider becoming a part of their ranks? Maybe they'd take pity on me and at least allow me to be buried with all of my shoes.

But my thoughts were proved to be paranoid when the car slowed at the mansion's back entrance and I found that the person who was sent to greet me wasn't threatening in the slightest. He looked to be about eighty years old, judging by his hunched posture and sparse white hair, but he helped me from the backseat of the car nonetheless, sticking out his hand to pull me upwards and nodding politely, but never smiling. "Miss Dupont. I'm Lester, Mr. Stafford the senior's valet. I've been sent to escort you to Master Max so that the two of you can enter the festivities together."

"Oh," I blinked, following as he turned to walk towards the nearest door. "Okay. Thanks."

To be honest, this situation didn't seem much better. At least if I arrived by myself, I'd have time to scope out the mansion and observe any key players from afar before alerting Max and his family to my presence. But entering the party alongside Max meant that I would automatically be the center of attention and that was intimidating as hell, considering the identities of the other party goers.

Taking a deep breath to calm my nerves, I stayed in step with Lester as he guided me along the narrow hallways which passed the kitchen and various study rooms and dens before we reached what looked to be the main foyer and my breath caught in my throat.