Page 28 of The Devil's Secret

“Oh, I see you’ve seen Paulina already.” Faro’s voice is a sharp bite and I immediately look back at him, dread swirling inside me.

He sits where I first found him, sipping on his drink, the light of the day splitting through the curtains on his left. “Paulina was telling me some interesting things about you.” He glances at her, but she stares at me instead, a calloused grin growing on her face.

I remain still, like an immobilized statue, praying no one takes a hammer and shatters me into fragments too broken to be put back together.

“That man who came to the dressing room. Who is he?” Faro interrupts the scary thoughts zapping through my mind.

“He’s no one.” I keep my tone even, unaffected by her glare poking holes into me. If I don’t react, he may buy it. “He’s just a guy who pays for dances. Typical Paulina.” I roll my eyes. “Always finding trouble where there is none.”

“She’s a liar, Faro! That’s what she does. She lies,” Paulina screams. “You had to be there. You had to see how—”

He raises a hand to silence her.

“Who’s the liar, Joelle? Hmm? You or Paulina? You know what happens to the motherfuckers who cross me, don’t you?”

“I wouldn’t do that, Faro. Paulina is jealous. She hates me. That’s what this is.” I take a confident step toward him, a smile tugging on my lips. “Some of these men get possessive, that’s all this is.” I let the grin widen, hoping to sway him with its flirtatious edge.

Paulina growls, rising to her feet, running for me before I see her coming. With her palm centered to my chest, she pushes me down onto the floor.

In a flash, I prop myself onto my elbows, a snarl forming over my mouth, my breathing pummeling out of me as we stare each other down. While she’s too busy looking tough, I swipe out a foot, kicking her knee, causing her to fall flat onto her back.

I pounce, punching her gut. I would’ve left a nice mark on her face, but Faro would murder me for that. She doesn’t need her legs to fuck.

“Should we stop it, boss?” one of the men asks from somewhere. I can’t see him.

“If I wanted you to, I would’ve said so. You have a brain in there or somethin’?”

“Sorry, boss.”

“I’m gonna kill you!” Paulina shouts as I clutch her small, delicate neck in my palm.

“Try me, bitch,” I pant. “You don’t know what I’m capable of when I’m shoved into a corner.”

I pretend to be weak when it allows me and my son to survive, but mess with our lives and that person will see a side of me they won’t like.

I could kill her right here, right now if I wanted to. I could choke the life out of her for the betrayal. We’re supposed to stick together againstthem, but she went and fucked Faro and gave him info on me. For what? To get ahead? To be favored?

What did that ever fucking get me other than more abuse, more rapes. Is that what she fucking wants? Women like her disgust me. This is my life. My son’s life!

Before I have a chance to stop her, she raises her head up and throws it against my forehead. We both groan as we connect hard, and she finds the opportunity to get away, climbing back up.

I fight through the pain, rolling away as she tries to kick me in the face.

Jumping to my feet, I run, shoving her hard with both palms until she flies across the room…right into a large coral vase, cracking it into thick pieces of glass.

Oh no!

I stand there, chest heaving, waiting for her to rise, to fight me.

“Come on, Paulina. Don’t give up now.” Silence envelops the room. “Paulina?” My stomach dips as I release a stuttered gasp. Why isn’t she doing anything? “Get up!” I call, tiptoeing, the trudging of my sneakers adding to the inching of fear sliding up my body. “Paulina?” I murmur, my eyes darting to Faro, a sneer on his face as he sips on his liquor, like he’s watching a theatrical performance.

I continue the path to her, my breathing shallow. And when I finally reach her…

No.

My body shakes with a tremor, my knees bucking as I stumble, almost falling on top of her. But a hand holds me up.

His hand.

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