Page 91 of Blind Luck

“Just come back to bed, would you? Although it does feel weird doing all this in a room decorated for an eight-year-old.”

“You want to go to the master suite?”

“Ugh, no. Mav’s bed probably has sex cooties.”

Anyhow, I’d promised Rusty I was okay, but that didn’t stop him from checking every two minutes, and I was looking forward to the photo shoot because then he’d have to stop apologising for a blessed moment.

Months ago, Ari had told me “not all men,” but I thought she was talking bullcrap. Now I couldn’t believe what I’d been missing out on for so many years. If Rustycould work that magic while he was asleep, what could he manage when he was awake? I’d have to do some stretches and drink a protein shake before I went to bed.

The sound of breaking glass came from the hallway. A grim-faced lady had dropped a bunch of props off in a courier van earlier, stuff we could smash up to make the scene look realistic.

“We’re ready for the blood now,” the make-up lady announced.

I watched in fascination as she added fake wounds on top of the silicone mask and blended them into the “skin.” Fresh red bruises blossomed on swollen flesh. When Rusty lay on the floor with a small pool of blood spreading from his mouth and more splattered around him, my chest tightened even though I knew it was fake. Sin splashed extra blood on the walls. Apparently, they’d repaint those afterward.

“Have we gotten rid of any reflective surfaces?” Sin asked.

Ari checked again. “All gone or covered.”

“Okay, groan a bit.”

We cleared out of the way while Sin pulled out a burner phone and recorded Rusty groaning and rocking back and forth. The mask moved with his face, and he managed a convincing terrified expression. If the hockey thing didn’t work out, he could always try Hollywood.

Sin motioned with a hand for him to crawl away.

Rusty obliged, leaving blood trails on the rug as he tried to escape his mystery assailant. Half a day of work for a minute of footage, but it was worth it. Now it was a question of waiting. Watching and waiting. We’d thought Jace and Selene might go out to the show on Friday, but there had been no sign of them. Was he too busy googling paternity tests and child support? Kelsey’s fishing hadn’t gotten us any further yet, but she’d only had one moremeeting with Jace during the week, and Selene had brought drinks before hurrying away. Kelsey reported that the left side of her face looked slightly swollen.

“That’s a wrap,” Sin announced. “Thanks, everyone.”

I helped Rusty to strip out of his bloody clothes and stuff them into a trash bag while the others began putting the house back the way we’d found it. On impulse, I leaned in to kiss him softly on the lips.

“Thank you for helping with this. I know it isn’t what you signed up for.”

“It sort of is. I came here to make sure Silas Armstrong didn’t get his heart broken, and his happiness is intrinsically linked to Kelsey’s.” He lowered his voice and embraced me with strong arms. “And I’ve discovered that my happiness is intrinsically linked to yours.”

“Aw, that’s so?—”

A pair of pants smacked against our heads, thrown by Sin. “Nobody wants to see your tighty-whities, buddy.”

“They’re actually black,” I pointed out.

“Whatever.”

“And I’m good with seeing them.”

She just rolled her eyes.

Okay, probably everyone shouldn’t be looking at my boyfriend’s underwear. Myboyfriend. Huh.

“Put the pants on,” I whispered.

Now we’d go back to Mav’s place, and while we slept, Alexa would doctor the video and upload it to the dark web. And then we’d wait. Wait for Ace to view our handiwork, and wait for the right moment to spring Selene from her luxury prison.

And while we waited, I’d have Rusty by my side and a fullness in my chest I’d never experienced before.

CHAPTER 31

RUSTY

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