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Her earrings sway a little with the force of her anger. She reaches up and tucks a curl of dark hair back into her yellow headscarf.

“Got it.”

“Well, all right then.” She turns and lifts a pot into the middle of the fire. “I’ll make tea, you two make a plan.”

My nose wrinkles involuntarily at the thought of Rev’s tea. We all hate it. Yet she forces it on us anyway because it’s ‘good for us’.

“We need a new AMA contact and quickly,” Nico says. “If we can get Annalise the intel she needs about the scepter, she won’t give a flying fuck about whether Paul’s dead, and you’ll be off the hook.”

“Right, and where do we find one of those? Especially one high up enough to have the location of the scepter?”

Nico brushes his fingers through his hair again. “I might know a guy. A contact I’d been working on. He might help. But it means going to…” He breathes in and his neck twitches.

“Going where?”

“To Spine.” Nico sighs heavily. “And I haven’t been back there since…”

“Fuck.” I stand up and, despite the pain in my leg, pace back and forth. “Last time I was there, Nova and I bought Sam back from Madame.”

“Last time I was there, I was playing about in the fire play room while my brother was tortured on stage.” Nico glances at Rev. “I never even knew it was him. Walked straight past.”

“You didn’t know he existed, Nico, you can’t blame yourself for that.”

“But I can blame myself for all the other sketchy shit I did in that club.” Nico wraps his arm around Rev’s waist. “I swear, if I go back, none of that⁠—”

She stops him with a wave of her hand. “Hush. I didn’t think it would.”

I check my phone for the time. Somehow, it survived my inferno back at the warehouse and is still functioning. “Well then we better hurry. If this is our plan, Spine opens in a few hours. We should make a move.”

“Oh no, you’re not going anywhere.” Rev puts her hands on her hips. “Look at the state of you.”

She turns to Nico. “Or you. No way. I’ll go.”

“Absolutely not.”

“The Bureau will be looking for both of you. They’re not looking for me. I can drive into Red Rock, go to the club, find your guy, and be back by sunrise.”

“He won’t talk to you,” Nico says.

“Yes he fucking will.” Rev strides closer to Nico, and he looks both turned on and intimidated as she squares up to him. “Give me what you have on him, and tell me how to get him to listen. I’ll do the rest.”

14

REV

Last time I dressed like this, I was living a different life. The leather, and the boots, and the makeup. And, fuck, it feels good. Under any other circumstances, I’d be excited about what the evening was going to bring. But tonight isn’t about having a good time.

It’s not about browsing the rooms at the club for a man who’ll let me use him the way I need to.

It’s about saving Luther’s ass, and keeping Nico safe.

So, if any of my old friends are here and recognize me, I’ll have to wish them a pleasant evening and stay on course.

Adjusting my corset, I smile at the way it makes my breasts look hell damned incredible, then stride out of the bathroom. Picking up the phone, I video call Nico.

One look at the screen, and his cheeks start to blush. His mouth drops open a little. “You’re going dressed like that?” He asks.

I nod and angle the phone so he can get a better view of the entire outfit. “Need to fit in, baby.”