Page 39 of Dirty Tricks

Then Finn comes to, screaming.

CHAPTERTWELVE

LEXA

The piercing crymakes me jerk, bumping my head against the door. A rush of pure hatred floods my body. How dare that worthless piece of human wreckage interrupt our heartfelt moment?

I pull the gun from my blazer pocket.

This is the last time Finn gets to influence what I do.

Xander takes my arm, pulling me back, and I turn to him, disappointment flooding my mouth at the thought he’s controlling me, just like all the others. But when he raises the chainsaw, unhooking the strap, I relax.

He’s offering me a better option. He’s falling in with my plans, following where I lead, and the trust in his eyes is all I ever hoped for.

“Thank you,” I murmur, swapping weapons, surprised by the lightness of the machine.

My eyes scan the housing, reading the labels for the controls, running my fingers over them while Finn wails louder. Even though his cries should be music to my ears, I still find them grating.

Everything about him rubs me the wrong way.

Xander steps back, not interfering, not wrenching the chainsaw away to mansplain the instructions, giving me the time and space to figure it out on my own. Once I understand the layout, I move over to Finn, staring into his face, his pretty, pretty face that hides such an ugly soul underneath. A mask as disguising as anything he could have worn tonight.

“No,” he calls out, raising his hands. “Please help me, Lexa. I promise if you take me to hospital, I won’t say a thing.”

I frown at him, not considering his offer but thinking through other scenarios.

Ten minutes ago, I willingly risked my life rather than let this boy treat me how he’s always felt entitled to treat me.

I’m still standing. I’m still alive. With the renewed surge of hope that Xander gives me, my brain thinks in terms of the future. Of what might happen next and where my choices could lead.

“Get to your feet, then,” I order him. “If you want to go to hospital, you’ll need to walk. I’m not lifting you down all those stairs.”

“I can,” he blurts, trying and instantly curling into a ball, cradling his savaged genitals and sobbing.

“Doesn’t look like you can.” I glance at Xander who returns my gaze calmly. He doesn’t know where I’m going with this but he’s happy to wait until I reach the destination.

Joy fills me to overflowing until happy tears leak down my face.

“Just… I can… just give me—”

“We’re not giving you anything,” I snap. “Get to your feet now. I’m done playing. Even if I don’t chop your head off, you’ve got a torn artery. It’s small so it might take a while, but you’ll eventually bleed to death.”

“Oh, we should get that on video,” Xander says with a laugh, pulling out his phone. “I’ve never seen a eunuch bleed out before.”

His casual tone makes me smile.

“I’m trying!” Finn says, getting to all fours, panting heavily at the effort. “I can do it,” he proclaims again while I roll my eyes.

When I move behind the pillory, his eyes beseech me to help but I just give an amused snort, and gather all the pinkie fingers, tucking them into my kilt pocket.

“There’s a bin over here if you want to throw them away,” Xander offers but I shake my head.

“I’m gonna burn the flesh off then make a necklace to remember the worthless appendages they used to be attached to.”

He laughs in appreciation, nodding his head and moving to stand over Todd’s sprawled body, nudging it with his toe. “Why did you shoot him?”

For a second, I think he’s asking me, but his gaze falls on Finn. “Wasn’t he meant to be your friend?”

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