Page 57 of Scattered Glitter

I step toward her, assessing her. She tries not to flinch under my scrutiny, but it’s a visible effort. She’s rattled too. And then something clicks in my mind, and I reach out to grab her chin. My fingers are firm, but I’m careful not to cause pain as I tilt her head up, making her look at me. She freezes, her confusion obvious, and I lean in. Close. Closer than before. Close enough that I can smell her breath.

Whiskey.

“You’re tipsy,” I accuse flatly, the calm in my voice masking my disappointment. “Even though I told you to come sober.” Her eyes widen, and I can see the realization hit. She knows she messed up.

She opens her mouth, and I can practically see her scrambling for an excuse. She probably wishes she could only whistle now, but it doesn’t matter.

I straighten my posture as I release her chin but keep my gaze locked on hers. “I need you sober when you’re working with us. I don’t have time for slip-ups, and neither do you.”

Before she can say a word in protest, I reach for her wrist. My other hand lifts to her forehead, the same as before.

“Sleep,”I murmur, and like a puppet, she falls under again. “Listen carefully. You will never be able to tell anyone what you just saw. And from now on, you won’t be able to drink alcohol as long as you work for us. You’ll feel sick if you even try. I need you sober,always.”

Her body tenses as her mind feebly tries to resist, but it’s no use. My control over her is absolute. At least, that’s what I want her to believe.

The truth is, hypnosis isn’t some magic spell. It’s neither foolproof nor permanent. You can’t plant a command in someone’s mind and expect it to hold for weeks. People usehypnosis as therapy to help them quit smoking, stop drinking, or break other habits. Like any therapy, it takes effort, repetition, and the person’s willingness to make it stick.

Without that,it’s just words.

Words that can be powerful, can push someone to do things against their will at that moment, sure. But after a while?

Just words.

Glitter doesn’t know that, and tipsy Glitter knows even less, and that’s what I’m counting on. If she believes it, if she’s convinced she’s under my influence, which she already told me as much, then maybe it’ll be enough. The placebo effect is powerful, and she’s pliable enough to believe she truly feels it.

She might bristle at the commands, hating them,hating mefor them, but I can take it. If she truly believes she can’t drink or talk, then that belief alone will keep her in line.

“Wake up.”

Her eyes flutter open, and I’ve already taken a step back and blanked my expression as if I didn’t force her under again, as though I didn’t just take away a piece of her freedom. Her jaw tightens, but she doesn’t protest.

Interesting.

“You all right there, Glitter?” Levi’s voice breaks through the tension, his usual carefree grin still plastered on his face, but his eyes are wary as if he’s expecting her to blow up at any moment.

It would be deserved. What I did was awful, something I’ve never done to anyone.

Tough times and all that shit.

There are real stakes here beyond the possibility of her exposing my vulnerability.

She meets my brother’s gaze for a second before drifting back over to me and then briefly to my ear. The guilt is stillgnawing at her, overriding what must be a myriad of other emotions.

Ah, that’s why.She’s still battling her demons.

Well, same, and I’m so over it.

“Mentalist lesson’s over for today,” I announce as I give her my back to walk over to Levi, allowing myself some deep breaths as I go. “Your turn. Let’s see what she’s got.”

Levi’s grin widens in excitement. He’s always eager for a show. I ignore the lingering tension between Glitter and me. What matters more is seeing what she’s truly capable of. I need to determine if all of this has been worth it, if she’s someone we can use and trust, if only temporarily.

She takes a breath, and I watch as she shakes off the tension. It’s almost mesmerizing the way she draws in a deep breath, her eyes flickering shut for a brief second before she opens them again, shaking off her stress.

She smiles as she crosses her arms over her chest, her body language shifting effortlessly into something more playful, more controlled. “All right…” she shrugs confidently, “… let’s have some fun.”

It’s like watching her put on a mask, slipping seamlessly into a persona. She wraps herself in allure and confidence that fool people into thinking they’re seeing all of her when they see nothing at all.

It’s her own disappearing act.

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