Page 119 of Scattered Glitter

I bite back my response, and my teeth grind together with the effort. It’s as if I’m on a tightrope, and one wrongmove could send me plummeting. Levi’s frustration only adds weight to the already impossible balancing act.

“Chill, man,” Sylus interjects, leaning casually against the table. “You chose her to do it, so let her do it her way.”

I glance at Sylus, a flicker of gratitude softening the edges of my frustration just enough for my hands to unclench.

“Fine.” Levi glares at Sylus, then back at me. “This has to work out, you hear me? When this all blows up in our faces, we could end up in jail or worse. All of us.For years. And I’m too fucking pretty for jail.”

Sylus chuckles, but I can see the real fear in Levi’s eyes. He isn’t exaggerating this time, and that sends a cold shiver down my spine. The stakes are higher than I realized, and if I fail, it’s not only me who pays the price.

And that feels way too familiar.

Koen’s face is dark as he comes to stand beside us. He leans in close, his voice a sharp hiss in my ear. “How can you be sostupid?”

My hands fist again, and my anger flares as I meet his glare with one of my own. “Stupid?”

Koen’s jaw clenches. “Whatever you said to Belmont, you made him goferalfor you. I thought I’d have to get in there and pull him off you.”

“That’s why you ran off like a fucking sprinter?” Sylus asks, his brows furrowed. “I would have gone, dickhead.”

Koen came for me?

Because he was scared for me?

Or because he wants to make sure I’m going to be successful?

I square my shoulders. “I got him off me, thank you very much.”

“He touched you?” Sylus and Koen demand in unison, their eyes narrowing.

Rubbing my wrist, which is still throbbing, I shudder, thinking of how I deal with assholes like him every night at the club.

I’ll be okay.

“Relax. It’s all part of the plan.” I wave them both off, trying to inject confidence into my words.It so wasn’t part of the plan.“I have the card, okay? And Nicholas talked to me. It’s going well.”

Koen’s eyes bore into mine, clearly skeptical. “So Belmont was all according to plan?”

I nod. “Sure.” I ignore the cold sweat that breaks out along my spine.

Belmont could fuck shit up for me if he doesn’t leave me alone.

Koen groans, his eyes darkening as he murmurs, “Lying, Little Thief.”

“Anyway,” I snap, unable to keep the bitterness out of my voice. “You said I needed Nicholas hooked, that he has to want to see me again, right?”

That part already irked me when he said it in the car.

Why did they mention me seeing him again if it’s only for tonight?

Levi and Koen exchange a glance, and I can almost see the unspoken conversation between them. Koen’s expression softens the slightest bit, but there’s still tension in his jaw. “We need him to trust you.”

“And he won’t trust me in one night,” I point out, my eyes searching his. “No matter how I play it.”

Levi sighs, rubbing a hand over his mouth. “Probably not.”

Anger turns to a heavy weight in my chest. “This won’t be over after tonight, will it?”

They’ve been stringing me along, and I fucking knew it.

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