Page 25 of Gathered Sparkle

“You fucking asshole,” I mutter, adjusting my grip on him. “This is karma. You ruined my life twice now, and here I am, saving yours. I hope it fucking haunts you forever.”

In the same way, her words will haunt me.

Veronica killed Oscar.

The thought slams into me like a fist to the gut, and I stumble. A sharp ache claws up my ribs, threatening to rip me open,but I shove it down.I can’t think about that now.I need tokeep moving.

One step after the other.

I avoid the main hallways, the ones bustling with employees, guests, and Veronica’s ever-present security. Instead, I take the quieter routes, the hallways that lead to the fire exit—a smaller door to the side of the building. The kind of exit no one pays attention to unless there’s an emergency.

I push open the door, blinking as the sunlight hits me. In the far corner of the lot, I see Koen’s Bronco. I wave, catching his attention, and his eyes narrow, confusion etched across his face. Then, when he spots Levi slung over my shoulders, the confusion turns to shock. The engine roars to life, and Koen maneuvers the Bronco toward me, the tires rolling over the asphalt with a crunch.

I only hope we’re far enough from the main entrance that no one near the employee door notices us.

Koen halts the car, jumps out, and comes to my side, his eyes moving between Levi and me. “Is he okay?” he asks as we maneuver Levi into the back seat.

“I have no fucking clue,” I reply. “He’s been unconscious since Rosie handed him to me.”

“She did?” Koen’s eyes widen, surprise flickering across his face. “Where is she?”

“No idea,” I answer truthfully, stepping back and adjusting my shoulders. I’m ready to turn and head back inside when Koen circles the Bronco again, making his way to the driver’s seat. He pauses, looking at me over the hood of the car. “Get in.”

“Forget it.” There’s no way I’m going anywhere with him.

“You think Veronica’s gonna take it lightly when she checks the CCTV and sees you helping Levi escape?”

Fuck.

I can’t go back in there, not after what I’ve just done.

That’s what I get for helping the woman who betrayed me.

“Get the fuck in, Snickers.”

That nickname, which I haven’t heard in over a decade, cuts through me. It brings back memories of a time when Koen was the most important person in my life, back before everything shattered. The pain in my chest gets worse, and I feel too weak to argue.

He’s right, anyway. I can either get in the car with him or walk back into that hotel and wait for my mother’s wrath to come crashing down on me.

I swallow the bitterness and slide into the passenger seat. Koen starts driving without another word. The car is silent, except for Levi’s ragged breathing in the back.

“Why are you helping us?” Koen glances over at me, his expression guarded.

I stare ahead for a moment, then let my gaze shift to Levi in the back. “She said you guys think Veronica killed Oscar.”

“We don’t think, we know.” Koen’s eyes flicker toward me briefly, and I can almost feel him analyzing me in that split second before his focus returns to the road. “But we need evidence.”

“That’s what she said.”

Koen’s hands tighten on the wheel. “And that’s why you’re helping us?”

“You know I loved Oscar,” I whisper.

Oscar was like a father to me in my teens, the one person in my life who has ever made me think I could be more than Veronica’s puppet.

“I know.” Koen nods almost imperceptibly. “I was wondering if that had changed. Like everything else has.”

“Sure.” A bitter laugh escapes me. “BecauseI’mthe asshole here.”

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