Page 30 of Ghosts of Halloween

“You can keep yours, but I’ll show her my face,” he sneers at Jack. “As we all agreed. It’s time.”

“We agreed we’d wait until morning,” Jack answers, clutching his mask. “And I can wear it if I want. It’s not like it will change much.”

Silas’s laugh is sharp as he sits down again, long legs sprawled before him.

“You’re right. It won’t change anything, because she will see me and Caden. But even if she didn’t… Do you think she’s stupid? I saw her checking you out with that cute little frown on her face. She’ll figure it out. Hmm, I wonder how she’ll take it. You don’t suppose she’ll spread her legs again when she knows who you are?”

There’s a mean smirk on his face, and for a moment, I feel sorry for Jack. She’s his first and only love, and while he’s never told us that, we know. Jack’s in love.

But once she realizes who he is, she’ll hate him. Now that he’s had her, he must be terrified of her reaction. I know I’d be.

Not to mention all that other baggage. How conflicted he must be, knowing she was the one who got us into this mess. I even struggle with it now, and Harlow was never important to me. Not like she’s to him.

“Fine!”

Jack throws his mask on top of ours and paces the room, his fists clenched. Silas rolls his eyes and waits, but I’m not so patient. Jack’s unstable right now. I know the power pussy has over men, because I’ve been there, and I fucking know. He’s too far gone.

She will hate him, and he will still choose her over us.

We can’t let it happen.

“You might want to sacrifice yourself and let her go despite what she did,” I tell him quietly. “But this affects all of us. It’s not just you on the line, Jack. So fucking get over it, whatever this is. And I get it, I really do. You pinedafter the girl for years. Hell, I see the appeal myself. She even got through to Silas, for fuck’s sake.”

Silas clenches his jaw, his eyes flashing, but he doesn’t contradict me.

“But you have to see the big picture, man,” I tell Jack when he stops in front of me, braced for a fight. “What happens a year from now? Five years? Twenty? This has been going on for just two, and I don’t know about you, but I’m going crazy here.”

Jack’s shoulders slump, and he looks defeated before his eyes fire up again, this time not with anger. He’s determined.

“What if there’s another way?” he asks, chin raised in defiance. “What if I figure out how to solve this so everyone is happy?”

Silas sighs, and for the first time tonight, his armor falls away and I see how tired he is. I want to hold him, but I know better. No touching when he’s vulnerable.

“Be my guest,” he says, voice deep and weary. “If you figure something out before morning, I’ll be happy to do it… If only to have more time to make her pay. But if you don’t, I’m going through with the original plan. I’m not staying here, that’s for sure. And Jack? She’s not worth it. Nobody is.”

I wince, because I don’t feel the same way. Seeing my reaction, Silas gives me an apologetic look but doesn’t amend his words. I don’t expect him to. I know him too well.

It still hurts like hell. But it also means he’ll stay the course.

Jack already fell off the wagon, and I might hesitate, but Silas will get us through this. He’s ruthless and effective.

Harlow doesn’t stand a chance.

Jack’s eyes reflect the candle’s flame when he nods, and I sigh, looking at the ceiling when I hear a thud above. She’s probably trying to ram the front door open.

“But until you figure it out,” Silas says, a sick smile twisting his mouth, “we’re going through with the plan. And I want to see you give it your all,Jack. I will consider other options, but only if you do as we agreed. I need this. I may feel sorry for her, but that doesn’t wipe out what she did.”

I expect Jack to fight him on this, but instead, his mouth twists in an answering grin.

“You don’t have to tell me twice,” he says, looking up when another desperate thud filters in from above. “She likes being scared. And since she’ll know who I am… Yeah, it’s better this way. I’ll be happy to spice things up as long as I have your word.”

He looks at Silas, who gives him a nod, and then at me.

And fuck, if he can really do this? Figure out a way for all four of us to get out of this? I’m game.

Before, we were so consumed by our rage and hate for Harlow, we didn’t really consider other ways. Messing with her, designing this game, was all we could think about. Our rage fueled it.

But now that she’s here in the flesh, I don’t really hate her. She’s a victim, just like us. And yet, if it’s either her or me, I will pick myself.

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