Page 76 of Noel
I’m close.
“Sublevel.West corridor,” I snarl to Kai and Ego.“If you see anyone down here, they don’t fucking belong.Take them out.I don’t care if they’re wearing a damn chef’s hat.”
A door slams down the hall.
Then a scream—muffled.Weak.
Tinsel.
I growl under my breath, heart pounding like a war drum.
“Hold on, Tinsel.Just hold on.”
Chapter26
Holly
My head throbs as I come to, vision swimming.The air smells like bleach and cardboard—storage room.
My wrists are zip-tied behind me, ankles bound, but it’s the gun that really wakes me up.
Not in my hand.
Hers.
Darlene.
Standing five feet away, fingers shaking as she grips a small black pistol like it weighs a hundred pounds.
“What—” My voice cracks.“What the hell are you doing?”
Her eyes are wild, smeared mascara framing pupils blown wide.Her glossy red lips are trembling.
“I wasn’t supposed to be the assistant forever,” she hisses.“You think you’re so perfect, don’t you?With your little planner and your ballerina handwriting and yourconnections.”
“What are you talking about?”I croak.“We’re on the same team, Darlene?—”
“You don’tdeservethe gala,” she snaps, cutting me off.“You don’t deserveStargazer.Or Carly’s praise.Or Noel fucking Kane playing your bodyguard boyfriend.”
Her voice cracks.
“You came in three years ago and goteverything.And me?I’ve been here for ten fucking years!I’m stuck with baby showers and middle-class weddings andcheese cubes on toothpicks.”
I stare at her, heart pounding so loud I can barely hear myself think.
“You think this is abouttoothpicks?”I whisper.“I didn’taskfor any of this, Darlene.I worked for it.I built my reputation.I built myclient list.”
Her lips curl.
“Right.Because you’re just so talented.Tell me, did you have to get him drunk to get him to fuck a fat bitch like you?”
That stings.But I lift my chin.
“I’m not talking about Noel with you, Darlene.But what is any of this going to prove?Think.Please just think about your endgame and tell me what you want.”
She takes a step closer.The barrel of the gun wavers, unsteady.Her breathing is ragged, erratic.
“You think you’re hot shit, don’t you?Well, you don’t tell me what to do,Miss Winters.You only got the big gigs because you havefriends in high places.Because rich peoplelikeyou.Because of Clementine.Because of Drew’s House.You got handed the golden fucking ladder, and now you’re climbing it like youearnedit?Bull shit.You probably sucked off her husband the way you sucked off your bodyguard to get ahead!”
