Page 28 of The Trick

“You heard me, Lily,” I sneer. “You asked me what I wanted to eat. I saidher.”

She straightens, taking two steps back from the bar top, crossing her hands in front of her body. “Listen here you crass piece of shit, my name is Glinda, first off. Kudos for recognizing my costume, lord knows no one else did. I got so many Elvira’s. Which is absurd, Elvira’s sleeves flare at the wrist, they don’t drape like this.” She stops, moving her hand to emphasize the very distinct Lily Munster sleeves. “I was so close to punching someone earlier because of it and I’ll punch you if need be. Got it?”

I nod.

“Draft or bottle?”

I move closer to the edge of the bar, leaning my tall frame over, watching all that feistiness begin to wither.

She flinches when I extend my hand.

“I come in peace.”For now. “Bottle, please. Now hurry, I don’t want to miss a second of watching my prize dance.”

Confusion stirs within her. “Your prize? You didn’t participate in the contest,” she reminds me, placing the amber bottle of Miller in my hand. I push my chin in the direction of the cash I gave her just moments before. As she goes to reach for it, I lean forward, angling the neck of the beer bottle down, and pour its contents into the small drain beneath the tap. The drink foams as I empty the amber bottle of the beer.

With the wad of cash still in hand, she slams her fist down on the counter.

“What the…” she begins.

But I click my tongue, stopping her. “Calm down, the amount of cash in your hand includes the beer also.” I place the empty bottle of Miller near where her hand rests.

“Also?” she asks, confused.

“Yes, that,” I tip the beer bottle so the bottom grazes her hand, “is my bid, and this,” I pause, lifting the bottle upward. “Is in case anyone has a problem with it.”

Her eyes widen. “I won’t have none of that here. I don’t know who you think you are…”

A ghost from Ms. Van Tassel’s past, ready to resurrect all those demons she tries to keep hidden. That’s fucking who.

She continues to go on about something, but I tune her out. I’m too preoccupied with the fact that Blair will be gracing the stage as this year’s Katrina any second now.

“Alright, your call, but I figured a beer bottle upside the head would be preferable to a knife in the gut,” I beam with sarcasm.

She shakes her head in disgust. “Watch it,” she warns. “I’ll have to call Mr. Moretti to confirm–”

My hand lifts to stop her. “Already done. Like I said that cash more than covers the fee for Ms. Van Tassel this evening. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have a debt to collect.”

The barbells that line my cock feel like magnets, all being pulled in the direction of where she’s about to take the stage.

Ready or not, daddy’s coming for you little hellcat.

CHAPTERELEVEN

“I can’t believe you took my knife,” I whisper to Delilah through a tense jaw, though she doesn’t respond. Her gaze is laser focused on the sliver of space at the center of the drawn curtain that separates the crowd from where we stand backstage.

“I needed that, you know,” I add, bringing my hand to her shoulder, tapping it in an effort to wake her from the daze she is in, but it’s useless. “Hello? Earth to Delilah.”

Finally, her torso twists in my direction, breaking the brief hold I had on her. “Blair, you can’t keep doing this,” she reprimands, seemingly dumbfounded as to how I have a knack for runningintotrouble instead of away from it.

“Doing what?” I deflect.

“This!” she exclaims, throwing both hands up in the air for emphasis. “Haven’t you gotten into enough trouble with knives?”

I bat my lashes at her before my lip falls into a pout. Swinging my hips forward, I close the space between us. My index finger brushes against her forearm. Playfully, I drag my finger up and down, stroking her skin. I can tell by the way she is biting her bottom lip that she’s trying her hardest to keep a stern front with me. “D, can I have my knife back? Pretty please,” I plead with a pouted lip.

My hold on her begins to shift as she crosses her arms tight above her abdomen. “Don’t you even try to butter me up,” she clicks her tongue. Shesinks deep into one hip before unfolding her arms and wagging her finger at me. “I’m your best friend–”

“Exactly. So, you out of anyone should know why I need my knife.”

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