Page 146 of Scattered Glitter

“Oh,” I whisper. “I’m bait.”

If something goes wrong, I’ll be right at the heart of the enemy’s lair.

And then what?

Would they come for me?

“No.” Koen cuts through my fears. “You’renotbait. You’re part of this team. We need you, and we’ll protect you. You’re one of us now.”

His words settle around me, comforting and suffocating at the same time.

One of us.

The idea makes my chest ache. Am I truly part of this? Or am I a pawn to play in a game that’s much bigger than me?

That’s all they’ve done so far.

Sylus’s hand finds mine, squeezing gently. “It’s your choice,” he assures me as he sweeps his thumb over my knuckles. “We won’t force you. But we need you. And…” He hesitates, then pulls me into his body as his eyes search mine. “I swear, baby, we’ll do everything to keep you safe.” He interlaces our fingers as he reiterates, “Iwill keep you safe.”

Reckless sincerity pours from his gaze, and when a figure shifts beside us, I glance at Levi, who’s watching me with an almost shy hope. They’re so messy and complicated, bound by grief and a thirst for justice.

Do I want to be part of this?

I’m tired of running from life while being at a total standstill and constantly feeling like I’m only halfway alive.If I keep walking away from this chance to truly start living because of fear, will I ever truly live again?

“I’m in,” I say, my voice gaining strength as my gaze lands and stays on Koen. “But I need to know exactly what I’m walking into. No more surprises. If I find out you’ve kept anything else from me, I’m gone.”

Koen’s gaze drifts to Ezra, and they exchange a long look—one of those silent conversations that only people who’ve known each other forever can have passing between them.

Before I can even try to decipher it, Levi speaks up. “All right, we’ll tell you everything about the plan,” he agrees, but the way he nervously fidgets with the fringe on his leather vest betrays him. “Honestly… it might be safer if we keep some details back until after you’re successful. That way, if you get caught, there’s nothing they could force out of you.”

Right.Fuck. I release Sylus’s hand, swallowing hard as the reality of what I’ve agreed to settles like a lead weight in my stomach. “So, what’s the plan if all goes to shit?” I cross my arms over my chest and volley the question at Ezra, knowing he’s going to be straight with me.

“You run,” he says simply. “You disappear. Get out, go dark, and contact us when it’s safe.”

Run, go dark,contact us if you’re alive.Because I see it in his eyes, there is no possibility of simply getting caught.

I do my best not to let my unease show, crossing my arms tighter against me, but there’s no sugar-coating it. This is dangerous.

“It won’t go wrong.” Sylus turns me toward him by my elbow, his lips curving into that familiar, cocky grin. “You’re too damn good.”

“This is our chance to end this, to take Veronica down for good,” Koen adds, pulling my attention. His gaze softens a fraction as our eyes meet, something warm and encouragingflickering there. “We can’t do it without you.” He lets the words hang between us for a moment, then adds, “And if the fact that she killed our uncle, who’s a stranger to you, isn’t enough, think about what good you’ll do for Vegas… for everyone here. It’s not only that she’s destroyed our family, she’s poisoned this entire city. Everything she does, every crime she’s orchestrated, it’s all tangled up in her web. This is bigger than us. Bigger than revenge.”

Fuck.

I’m in way over my head. The more I think about what this all means, the more fear creeps in. I push it away, grasping at the one thing that feels solid. “And there’s still Italy, right?”

Koen’s expression softens, his eyes losing some of their edge. He gives me a small smile. “Yeah, Little Thief. When this is over, we’ll take you to Italy.”

I lean subtly into Sylus and take another deep breath, nodding slowly. This plan is a thousand kinds of terrifying.

As I survey all their faces one more time, plainly seeing the hope and trust they’re placing in me, a spark of determination starts to steadily burn inside me.

I have something to fight for now. Something real.

Even if it’s notmysomething.

“All right,” I agree.

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