Page 27 of Slay Me

“Can you blame her?”

“No,” he replies. “I know what I did even if I cannot recall what led me into Valentina’s bed.”

“Either way, there was no excuse for it. Do it again and I’ll make sure no one intervenes as she cuts your dick off.”

I turn to start across the tent when Harriss clears his throat.

“You’re going to be faced with a choice soon, Liv. And I, for one, hope you choose the right one.”

I whirl on him. “What choice?”

He shrugs as though he just told me what his favorite cookie is. “That will reveal itself soon enough.” After offering me a wave, he turns away from the main performance ring and heads down the narrow hall that will take him toward the exit where he’ll slip outside and set up in the carnival as the people come out.

“You’re going to be faced with a choice soon.”What the hell does that even mean? Fucking djinn.

Maybe the same thing Fiona just warned me about? As to whether or not I’ll step in to save Apollo when he inevitably takes things too far with the Ringmaster? My freedom is the only thing I care about, but Apollo is a key to gaining it. Honestly, if he wasn’t, I wouldn’t have stepped in. Getting involved in other people’s bad decisions is not something I need to be doing. My luck is shit enough as it is.

Without him, though, I can’t escape because he’s the only one with the ability to literally fly us both away from here. In fact, if I was sure he’d say yes, I’d go and ask him now.

But that’s something I only get one shot at, and if he turns me down…he could very easily turn on me and confess my entire plan to the Ringmaster. Which means I either need to keep him alive or find a new way to escape.

Since that could take another decade or more, I gather my courage and march toward the edge of the courtyard where I can slip into the apartments. I still have an hour before final curtain call, and if I’m not back in time—well—they won’t exactly miss me.

I’m nearly out when someone clears his throat and says, “Where are you going?”

I stiffen and turn to face Killian. He crosses his muscled arms and studies me curiously. The man is massive, one of three who follow the Ringmaster around nearly constantly. Of the trio, he’s the only one with visible piercings, though I’ve heard rumors the snake bite hoops on his lower lip are hardly his only ones.

Forcing myself to stand a little straighter, I say, “I need to see the Ringmaster.”

“Oh?” A smile toys at the edge of his lips. “As far as I know, your performance with him isn’t scheduled until this evening.”

Arrogant bastard.“I’m done for the night. At least until final curtain call. Please, I need to talk to him.”

He cocks his head to the side. “Fine. Go.”

“Thank you. He’s in his apartment?”

Killian nods once, so I turn and jog into the building. The air is warm here, stale even though we open the windows every chance we get. I take the stairs two at a time, running until I’m near breathless when I reach his door.

I half expect Bracken or the other one—Duncan, I believe—to be standing guard outside, but they’re nowhere to be seen. I raise my hand to knock, rapping three times.

Something clatters to the ground, and a man mutters a curse.

Taking that as he might need my help, I shove the door open. The Ringmaster sits on the ground across from me, chest bare, his breathing heavy. I’m struck mute for a moment, unable to tear my gaze from muscles I’ve spent the last twelve years tryingnotto think about. But, shit, even my imagination wouldn’t have done him justice.

The Ringmaster’s body ismagnificent.As in, carved from fucking stone. And I can only see his upper torso. What might the rest look like?

“What the fuck do you want?” he snarls, ripping me from ‘Imagination Station’ and back to the reality of ‘I’m supposed to hate him’.

I slam the door behind me and rush forward. “What the hell happened to you?”

“Do. Not. Fucking. Touch. Me.”

“Fine.” I stop in my tracks and cross my arms. His face is flushed, eyes shimmering with energy, unlike anything I’ve ever seen before. As though there’s a storm brewing within him and he’s prepared to bring the entire building down around us. “What’s wrong with you?”

“What the fuck does it look like? The gryffin pissed me off.”

“So you’re having a temper tantrum?” I shouldn’t have said it, but the words leave my lips before I can stop myself.I’m going to pay for that one later.

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