“Try me bitch.”
I hear a mumbled fuck and then some rustling before she comes back to the phone.
“Tell me where it is and I’ll bring him toCirque,” she growls, mad to be giving any concessions in what she expected to be a one-sided negotiation.
“Suspender buckle, right side,” I answer, knowing she’s running out of time to get out of there before Wade catches up to them. “And Tessa? If you’ve hurt him, I’m going to string you up and watch you bleed out.” I let the words sink it before I end the call.
Sadie stares at the phone for a beat.
“All right,” I say, standing up and straightening my suit jacket. “Let’s get ready for a show.”
I hearthe beep of the door before the metal creaks as it’s pushed open.
“Harper!” Tessa booms through the space as she walks intoCirque.
“I’m here,” I call back, making her meet me on the stage,not willing to risk having to navigate around tables and chairs if she tries to make a run for it. Next to me are the wrapped bricks of white powder, out in the open so she can’t miss them.
She’s cast in darkness as she weaves through the tables, pushing a stumbling form next to her. It isn’t until she walks the step to the stage that the spotlight shines on her…and the person she is half dragging.
“I’m going to fucking kill you.” I take a step towards her, hands clenching as if I can already feel the softness of her neck beneath my fingers.
“No, no,” she sings, holding up a gun to Colton’s side. “You stay right there. You’ve caused me enough fucking problems today.”
His suspenders hang loosely at his sides, frayed and torn where Tessa cut off the buckles. I’ll have to find a new place for the tracker in the future. His once white shirt is coated in blood around the collar, the blond ends of his hair matted where the wound has continued to bleed. The side of his head is no better. He has a jagged line that stretches down his hairline, the surrounding area already swelling with a mottled black and blue hue.
I’m going to tie each of her limbs to a different aerial silk andpull.
Tessa stops them about ten feet away. Colton sags against her, looking ready to collapse at any moment.
“Bring them over here,” she orders, thinking this is suddenly her show.
I lean down and grab the first brick, then another, tossing them into the space between us. Like Hell am I going to make this easier for her. She scoffs as if I’m being childish, but I know in order for her to carry out what she came for, she needs to let go of Colton.
“How do you see this playing out, Tessa?” I ask her, putting my hands in my pockets, letting her know I’m no threat. At leastnot right now. She lifts the gun in my direction, letting Colton melt to the floor as she takes a tentative step forward, eyeing me warily as she gets closer to where the bricks are scattered between us on stage. I don’t know how she even got him here. His chest is still moving up and down, but it’s shallow and labored.
“Well, I was thinking a murder-suicide situation fit best. Everyone knows you two are together, and it’s not like anyone would have trouble believing you killed him if he ever tried to leave you.” She laughs to herself as she shifts a bag from her back with one arm, shoving the brick inside while she keeps her eyes on me. The other holds the gun, hands steady and comfortable with her finger firm against the trigger.
“I’ll probably have to kill Sadie and Wade now too, which is a shame. He’s hot. Your sister on the other hand I’m happy to get rid of, never been my biggest fan to be honest. You probably should have listened to her. Or, better yet, just keep your nose out of my business. But noooooo, had to go and insert yourself didn’t you.” She rolls her eyes as she shuffles over to the second wrapped brick, which rolled a little further than the first.
“Yes, because this is clearly my fault,” I laugh, knowing the less I panic, the more under her skin I get. She grabs the second brick and stands to shove it into the bag. I might be getting under her skin a little too much.
“Yes, you dumb,selfishcunt. You have everything and you don’t deserve it. All you think about is yourself. Do you know how much business we could be bringing in if you just let up on your stupid rules? This shit,” she holds the bag up, “is good quality product, and itsells. You have no fucking morals, but this is your line. You’re a joke, and you’re holding this place back.” She spits at me. “So yes, Harper, this is entirely your fault. I counted on that selfish black heart of yours to be your downfall. Did you know that if you had justthankedyour sister for the new laptop the minute I switched them, none of thiswould have even been possible? But Iknowyou, Harper, and you didn’t disappoint. Sitting on your fucking throne pretending like you aren’t scared of anything, but I found something for you to fear.” She gestures behind her to where Colton lies, chest barely moving.
“So, you think you can do this better than me? That you watched me for a few years and know all the tricks of the trade?” I nod, pursing my lips as I think about it. “You did well, Tessa, honestly, you did. You were thorough, you were smart, and you played me.” I shrug, taking a step towards her as she follows my lead, taking a step back, as I knew she would. I smile. “You did make a mistake though,” I lift a finger, tapping it against my mouth as I take another step forward, pushing her back once again. “I’m scared of lots of things,” I say, eyes darkening as I scan her from head to toe, lingering on where she stands. “I’m just not scared of you.”
I hear the lever flip, and there is a moment where the whole stage feels frozen. Tessa’s mouth opens, recognizing the sound. With no time to turn and run, the floor beneath her drops, and her eyes lock onto mine for a split second before she falls.
And falls.
And falls.
There is a crash below as she finally lets the hard ground catch her descent to the space below the stage. It’s not a far enough drop for her to be seriously injured, which is why I hear Jame’s voice a second later, reading Tessa her rights as she groans.
Good, I want her alive to play with.
I run around the opening to drop to Colton’s side, turning him over and cradling his head, a poor attempt to put pressure on the wound.
His eyelids flutter but don’t fully open, as Sadie comes to me, already on the phone giving the address to the person on the other line, asking for an ambulance.
