Page 50 of They Break Beauty

Hell Spawn: It’s a decoy hard drive.

I jolted.

Brianna: You’re lying.

Hell Spawn: Nope. You’re not the first to try something like this.

“Shit,” I ground out.

Hell Spawn: In your haste to get at me, you didn’t protect yourself either. You’ve given me the means to redirect your attack and wipe out your entire system. Fortunately, I’m in a good mood and not looking to do permanent damage to all that impressive work of yours—all those next-gen apps you’ve so painstakingly created. So we’ll just chalk this up to a lesson you’ve learned. That lesson being that you can’t usurp me. You can’t stop me. You’re just wasting energy trying to prevent the inevitable. You and me, Wildflower.

“Argh!” I yelled, slamming my fist down on the kitchen table, my laptop rocking from the force of it.

In the midst of my fit of rage, another text came in.

Colton: Please consider finishing the duet with me. It can be away from Lev. Just need a few more hours. I’m at Nirvana tonight bartending. Come by and we can arrange a time, talk.

I frowned. And not just because of the jarring difference in temperaments and approaches between him and Levi.

Brianna: Thought you just performed there.

Colton: That’s because you spent most of the summer working your sweet little ass off in your apartment on those apps.

Brianna: You think I have a sweet ass?

Colton: Damn, you’re actually flirting with me, cutie.

Brianna: I am.

Colton: Keep it coming, I’m all for it.

Brianna: I’ll be at the bar in a few. See you.

Colton: You still drinking those Strawberry Chocolate Martinis? Or was that just a one-off for that karaoke night with your friend?

Brianna: They’re my go-to.

Colton: I’ll start mixing it now then.

Brianna: Thanks.

Colton: Looking forward to seeing you.

I scoffed as I put my phone down and rose to my feet. I bet he was. But not out of actually wanting to see me, nor even because of the duet, but because of whatever plan he and Levi had cooked up now.

Levi coming at me harshly and Colton coming at me so nicely… it was an obvious play they’d concocted to try to throw me off base. Maybe like before having Colton lull me into a false sense of security before Levi struck hard.

They really took me for a fool if they thought I was going to fall for that again.

The first time, I’d only allowed it because of my intent to head into the lion’s den to get Levi off my scent without causing a whole thing.

That option was over and done with now.

No more nice and polite approach.

They’d already fired the first shot.

I wasn’t going to let them get a second one in.

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