Page 53 of Slay Me

“The Ringmaster is busy tonight,” I tell him. “He’s gone. Which means this might be our only shot.” I speak so damn fast that even I’m having trouble keeping up with it. My chest aches at the thought of never seeing him again, but I’m already in too deep. Staying much longer means completely losing myself to whatever the hell is between us.

Apollo’s gaze narrows. “You’re sure you want to do this? It’s risky, Liv. If he finds us—”

“He won’t because we won’t let him.” Hope burns brightly even as a sliver of guilt settles in my chest. I’ll be breaking my word to someone who entrusted me with information he’s never told anyone.

But then I remind myself of the massive asshole Dante is, and that guilt nearly vanishes.“Did you truly believe that would change?”He said so himself; nothing between us has changed. So why should my plans?

“You’re serious,” he surmises. “As in, ready to leave.”

No.“Were you not?” I take a step closer and reach out to take his hands. It’s a low blow, using his affection against him, but one I’m willing to make. “If you don’t want to go with me, I understand.” Putting distance between me and the Ringmaster will free me from whatever this attraction is.

It has to. Because being obsessed with the man who put me here? That’s too dark even for me.

“No. I always want to be with you,” he replies with a grin. “I just want to make sure we’re being smart. Careful.”

“Tonight is the night. Not once in twelve years has he canceled a performance with me. Which means whatever is keeping him is going to last a while.”

Apollo considers my words for a few moments, all while my heart pounds. Is this really happening? Finally, he nods. “Great. Go grab whatever you need from your room, and let’s get the fuck out of this place. Five minutes, Liv.”

Beaming, I lift up onto my tiptoes and press my lips to his cheek before turning and sprinting down the hall to my room.

I shut the door behind me and head straight for my bed. I retrieve my grandmother’s necklace and then grab the vials I’ve collected over the years. They’re the only valuables I have. The only things I need.

“Hi, Ringmaster’s pet.”

Freezing in place, I give myself a moment to mask my expression before turning to face Valentina.

She’s changed from her performance outfit and now wears grey shorts and a white tank top. Her blonde hair is loose around her face, her wings glamoured and out of sight.

“I’m busy, Valentina,” I say, not at all in the mood to deal with her shit tonight. If all goes well, I’ll never have to see her again.

“Always dismissing me like you’re so much better.”

I turn to face her. “What the hell do you want?”

She moves farther into my apartment, closing the door behind her and flipping the lock. My stomach churns. “Just wanted some girl talk,” she replies. “I feel like you and I have never really gotten to know each other.”

Alarm bells ringing in my ears, I summon what little magic I have. It remains at the ready, but I know all too well that it will only buy me a few seconds.“Get out of my apartment. I won’t say it again.”

She continues to close the distance between us. Stalking toward me as a predator might stalk their prey. “And what are you going to do about it? Mess my hair up?”

I swallow hard. Our apartments are completely soundproof. Warded so no one can hear what’s going on inside. That particular security feature failed Thomas and Jenny last night, and now it looks like it might be failing me, too. “Did you kill Thomas and Jenny?”

She snorts. “As if. I didn’t give two shits about those two, so why would I kill them?”

“You seem rather suspect at the moment, considering you won’t leave my apartment.” Knowing I have very little time, I move forward and shove past her. “If you’ll excuse me, I have shit to do.”

“Fuck off.”

I turn to face her and end up catching her fist to my jaw. Pain explodes along the side of my face, and I stumble backward, barely managing to catch myself on the frame of my bed. “What the fuck, Valentina!”

“Quiet little Liv. Strong enough to survive my poison but you sure as hell can’t take a punch though, can you?”

I tighten my hands into fists and charge. Her wings spring out, and she flies away from me, laughing uncontrollably. I clench my hands into fists and let the rest of my power bubble to the surface. “You poisoned me?”

“I did.” She hisses through her teeth. “Had to use a handy little charm to keep that particular secret to myself. Turns out youcanbuy honesty.”

I throw my hands up and send her slamming against the wall. She tumbles down, hitting the floor with a hardthud. “Little more than messing your hair up, isn’t it, bitch?” I wipe the blood from my lip with the back of my hand.

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