Page 40 of Scattered Glitter

I shrug, forcing myself to hold his gaze even though every part of me wants to look away. “It’s not that I want to die.” The fight leaves me as I exhale. “I’m just not keen on living.”

Levi’s hands on my hips tighten, his fingers pressing into my skin, not enough to hurt, but enough to still me. “Howabout you keep living in case something good happens? At least that’s what I do.”

My body stills beneath his touch, the warmth of his fingers so different from the cold feeling creeping up inside me. I glance at him. His playful demeanor has faded, replaced with something more serious. It almost makes me want to laugh—almost—but instead, I stare at him, wondering how I ended up here, tangled between these two men who seem to read me better than I can read myself.

This is fucking ridiculous.TheyaretheLane brothers, celebrities. Here because I stole shit from them, not for a fucking therapy session. I was afraid of them getting me locked in jail, but it seems, thanks to Koen’s little hypnosis act, the possibility of getting locked up in a mental health facility is getting higher by the second.

“What was your dream once?” Koen asks when I don’t say anything.

I take a breath, memories creeping in before I can block them out, and I hate Koen for the fact that he pulls me back to when I was happy, or at least the happiest I’ve ever been. “A villa in Tuscany. Driving a Mustang.”

Koen exchanges a glance with Levi, something unspoken passing between them. Levi shrugs casually and says, “We need you to steal something for us.”

I blink, trying to catch up.Steal?That is not where I thought this was going.

“If you give back the watch and help us with this…” Koen offers, “… we won’t call the police.”

“Fuck that.” I pull back, but Levi’s hands tighten on my hips, keeping me from bolting from his lap. “Call the police. You can’t fucking blackmail me.”

“We’re not blackmailing you,” Levi promises, but Koen’s smirk sharpens.

“You know who we are, right?”

“Of course I do.Everybodydoes.”

“Then you know we could buy you that villa and Mustang,” Levi says smoothly. “And give you enough to live happily ever after in Italy.”

The promises swirl in my mind, dangerous and glittering like broken glass.

I don’t trust them. But God, some part of me wants to.

I could start over.

I have nothing left here. Annabelle is off to a better life, and I fucked things up with my favorite club. And let’s be honest, I can’t strip forever.I’m so tired of this life. But as quickly as it comes, it’s gone, extinguished by the weight of reality.

What would I even do there alone?

I snort, shaking my head. “What could possibly be so important for you to offer me all that?”

“We’ll tell you…” Koen says as he studies me. “When you’ve proven you’re good enough to help.”

I raise a brow as tension coils through my body. “So, what? I have to pass some kind of test first?”

The twins share another glance, and then Levi grins. “Good idea.” His fingers press lightly into my hips as he lifts me off his lap and stands. “You know about our building?”

“The Lane Building?” I scoff.

It’s practically a Vegas landmark, right on the Strip with its black exterior and neon blue lights that demand attention, even amidst the towering five-star hotels flanking it. People come from all over the world to see it, where they can see the magic shows and visit the magic museum all in one stop.

Before they took their break after their uncle died three months ago, tourists lined up daily for the chance to see the show, and the museum houses everything from Houdini’sold props to custom-made, high-tech illusions created by the Lane family themselves.

It’s almost untouchable.

“Exactly,” Levi grins. “Be there tomorrow at two p.m.”

“Bring the watch. And come sober,” Koen adds, giving me a look that lets me know he’s fully aware I’m not right now.

“And what if I don’t?” I ask, raising my chin.

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