Page 83 of Slay Me

Being with him has been a dream in the best kind of way, and even though I’ve had to keep it a secret from everyone—including Fiona—I’ve never been happier.

I finish dusting my hands and then reach up to grab my lyra. I’m the only person in the Big Top this morning, so I’ve opted for no music. Dante is off doing whatever it is he does during the day with Bracken and Duncan while Killian waits just outside, my constant shadow.

According to Dante, there have been no more attempts to get in, but he’s unwilling to take a risk when it comes to me. I smile absently.So this is what love feels like.For so long I thought of love as a myth. I’d believed obsession was more the correct term, and obsession is what I had with Ernesto.

More so what he had with me.

Someone opens the door, and I glance over as Apollo strolls in. “I didn’t realize we were practicing today,” he says, tone cool.

“We’re not,” I reply. He’s been distant the past couple of weeks, ever since I asked him to leave with me and then chose not to go. I can’t blame him. I’d be pissed too, but there’s not a force in this world that could remove me from Dante now.

He’s a part of me. The air I breathe, the blood in my veins.

Apollo comes to a stop beside the lyra and crosses his arms. “You haven’t been in your apartment.”

“I’ve been crashing with Fi,” I lie. Something she will undoubtedly agree with should he ask her. “Ever since my apartment was ransacked. When I’m not with her, I’m practicing or trying to decompress.”

“Hmm.” Apollo moves further into the room, so I take a seat on my lyra.

I cock my head to the side to study him. He’s always been overly friendly. To the point of it making me uncomfortable. “You okay?”

“Fine.”

But he seems distracted. Off, and every hair on the back of my neck stands on end.

“Are you okay?” he questions.

“Better than,” I answer honestly even as the pit in my stomach grows.

“Still not wanting a change of scenery?”

“No.” I force a smile. “Do you want to get some practice in? I was just going to work on my technique, but since you’re here—”

“Sounds great.” He smiles, but it looks forced. Apollo claps his hands together then rubs his palms against one another. “I actually had a new routine in mind if you’d be up for it. Our last one went so well.”

“I don’t know,” I reply honestly. “The Ringmaster wasn’t too keen on the last one we—”

“The Ringmaster will approve of this one since it doesn’t require you to plunge to your death,” Apollo replies with a laugh. “Trust me. He’s going to eat it up. So will the crowd.”

I look toward the door Apollo just came through.

“Don’t worry,” my partner laughs. “Your security detail is right outside if something goes wrong.”

Killian is just outside. So, I force a smile. After all, Apollo is my partner. Keeping the peace with him is just smart. “Sure. Sounds good.”

“Great.” He grins and grips the lyra, spinning it slowly. “Stay right where you are.” He moves behind me, and I obey.

Something covers my mouth and nose, a potent stench that has my head swimming before I can even raise an arm to fight him off. I squirm, trying desperately to cling to consciousness as my body goes completely rigid, my vision fading to black.

* * *

The crackof a palm against my cheek brings me back. I blink rapidly at a bright light shining in my face. I try to move my hands, but they’re bound behind my back. The ropes bite into the flesh of my wrists, but I don’t stop.

I have to get free. Have to get back to—

A man laughs, and I freeze.

“You always did like to sleep in, Liv.”

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