Page 97 of Snitches and Serpents

I don’t.

“No, I don’t know what kind of risks you’ve taken,” I reply instead. “But you are the one who approached me. I didn’t force you into this. You offered, and I accepted. And now, I’m ending it.”

Sudden joy and strength pulse through me like glittering light. God, it feels incredible to just say no to something I don’t want to do. To not put someone else’s wants above my own. To say what I actually want to say, for once.

“That’s not—” he begins, but I cut him off.

“Thank you for what you have done to help me, and good luck with whatever it is that you’re trying to do.”

Then, before he can press out more than a few stammered words, I hang up.

Energy courses through me.

I feel like I could run a marathon right now.

Shooting up from the bed, I stretch my arms over my head and grin at the white wall across from me. God, that felt so good. It felt so incredibly good to end that arrangement. I never wanted to spy on Tristan in the first place, and now I no longer have to.

The energy inside me keeps bouncing around until I can no longer contain it. Grabbing my keys, I head out the door and start walking.

My mind churns as I walk. It feels as if a whole future full of possibilities has just opened up before me. Bright as a new horizon.

But first, there is one thing that I need an answer to.

A flash of nervousness ripples through me as I take a left and walk right up to Tristan’s door. Part of me is worried that he is going to break the truce if I show up like this. But the other side of me can’t stop thinking about the expression on his face when that other guy was threatening me in the gym.

Raising my hand, I gently ring the doorbell.

“Get it!” someone calls from inside.

“You get it,” another voice replies. “I got it last time.”

“I’m gaming.”

“So? Pause it.”

“You can’t pause an online game, dipshit.”

“Just shut the fuck up and open the door,” Tristan’s voice suddenly bellows from what sounds like upstairs.

Footsteps sound on the other side of the door. Then the lock clicks and the door is shoved open. Since I have come to expect that kind of aggressive way of opening doors in this house, I was already standing a safe distance away, so I don’t get hit by it.

Paul’s pale eyes blink down at me from across the threshold once the door is open.

“Elle,” he says, sounding surprised.

“Paul,” I reply.

For a few seconds, he just stares back at me with those surprised eyes. Then he reaches up and scratches the back of his neck, looking a little self-conscious. “Sorry for drugging you back then.”

I arch an eyebrow. “Are you?”

He chuckles awkwardly. “Maybe? Look, when Tristan asks for a favor, I can’t really say no. You know? I mean, have you met the guy? He could probably take on an entire army on his own and win. Plus he’s smart too. Bad person to make an enemy of, you know?”

I blow out something between a sigh and a huff of amusement. “Trust me, I know.” I nod towards the stairs visible over his shoulder. “Anyway, I’m here for him, so are you going to let me in or what?”

He flashes me an apologetic smile but doesn’t step aside. Instead, he twists and calls over his shoulder, “Tristan! It’s Elle.”

Only silence answers him. My heart beats erratically in my chest. This might not have been such a good idea after all.

---