Page 180 of Gathered Sparkle

“Nico.” I step closer, lowering my voice to that calm, even tone I use on stage. “Breathe.”

The sound of the door opening behind me makes me turn, and I watch as Sylus, Alaric, Levi, Ezra, and Novalee step out of the mansion and down to us on the driveway.

“Is everything okay?” Novalee asks, coming to a stand beside me. “We heard the honking.”

Nicholas is already strung so tight I can practicallyfeelthe snap waiting to happen.

I hand the wire to Sylus and the sticky note to Alaric without a word. Sylus raises a brow but takes the wire without question. Alaric’s eyes scan the words once, twice. Then his entire body tenses as he hands the note to Ezra. “Fuck.”

Ezra takes the note. “What thefuck?”

“What is it?” Levi reaches out, but Ezra holds it out of reach for a second too long, almost as if he’s deciding whether Levi can handle it.

Ezra’s hesitation only makes Levi more determined. He grabs the note, his eyes skimming the words. His face drains of color as if the weight of those few words punches the air out of his lungs. “Holy shit,” he mutters before he looks up at me and then over at Nicholas. “She…” He clears his throat and tries again. “She actually admitted it? In writing?”

Nicholas lets out a sharp, humorless laugh. “You think that’s the craziest part?She gave it to me.Like it was some goddamn party favor.”

Alaric takes a step forward, his eyes narrowed. “Why?”

“She wanted me to feel… included, I guess. Like we’re on the same side.” Nicholas runs a hand through his hair, tugging hard. “Like it proves she’shonestwith me now.”

Sylus whistles low. “That’s… insane.”

Novalee’s fingers twitch at her sides like she doesn’t know whether to reach out to comfort Nicholas or not.

“She handed you a murder confession like it wasfucking nothing?” Ezra runs a hand down his face, his usual calm slipping further than I’ve ever seen it. “Jesus Christ, Harrington…”

Levi’s jaw works, anger bubbling beneath the surface. “What kind of sick game is she playing?”

“She’s not playing.” She wouldn’t, not like that. Oscar always said her only weak spot was Nicholas. I never believed him. Butthis only proves again that Oscar understood people more than I ever could.

“We have her, Koen.” Alaric looks at me, his eyes burning with rage, grief, maybe both. “This… this is what we need.”

Levi’s hands are balled into fists at his sides. “If we don’t make this count, she’ll bury us all.”

“She won’t,” I say firmly, meeting Levi’s eyes. “Not this time.” Then I turn to Nicholas, who’s still trembling.

I don’t need him unraveling right here, not in front of everyone.

“Get back in the Mercedes.”

His eyes go wide, flicking across my face, searching for something, reassurance, maybe? Then, hurt seeps in.

I can practicallyseethe thoughts forming, the betrayal he’s been conditioned to expect. But he doesn’t give me a chance to tell him that he’s wrong before he laughs bitterly. “Right,” he mutters. “Of course. You played me again, didn’t you? Becauseshecouldn’t do it.” He points at Novalee. “You mademedo it. And I was so fucking stupid I did it.” His eyes blaze as his words tumble faster and faster. “And now that you’ve got what you need…” he gestures wildly toward the sticky note, “… you’re cutting me off again.”

“Yeah, why the hell not?” Levi scoffs from behind me. “Why shouldn’t we let you go down with your mother? When all the Harringtons are in jail, this city might finally have some damn peace.”

Nicholas flinches like the words physically hit him. His face twists, not in anger, but worse.Hurt.

And something inside me snaps.

I move before I think, cutting between them and turning to face my twin, jabbing a finger toward Levi’s chest. “Shut the fuck up.”

Levi’s eyes widen, stunned. He looks at me as though he doesn’t recognize who I am. “Ko—”

“Don’t you fucking dare.” I snarl. “Don’t talk to him like that. He isnothis mother. He’s part of this. He chose our side. He’s helping us. He’s risking everything to stand against her!”

Levi’s jaw tightens. “He’s aHarrington.”

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