I tuck a strand of golden hair behind her ear, trying not to flinch as I touch her. “As much as I very much want to continue, Nero’s going to come looking for me. And we probably shouldn’t be caught in here today.”
She pulls back, her eyelashes aflutter. She trails a finger across my jaw and down the center of my chest, leaving a line of fever in her wake. “Sure thing. We can finish this at home later.”
“You bet.” I fold my lapel back over the holster and give her a peck on the cheek. Do it, Noah’s voice echoes in my head.Take her out. We’ll deal with the fallout later. She’s too dangerous to walk out of here alive.
As soon as I escort Mackenzie outside and shut the door behind her, a wave of nausea slams into me. I double over and throw up.
“You okay?” Livvie rushes over. She rubs circles on my back as I cough and spit acidic bile. “You don’t look so good.”
I rest my spinning head in my hand. “I think I ate something bad.”
Ain’t that the truth.
“Go home. You’re in no state to work, let alone deal with Nero.”
I don’t go home. I peel out of the parking lot and head deep into the old industrial district of Tartarus Oaks. The acid taste burns in my mouth, but it can’t disguise the violet and bubblegum scent that clings to my skin.
I burst into Colosseum just as Noah and Antony begin a practice bout. They circle each other, their steps wary, before Noah throws an exploratory punch and Antony bursts into action. Within minutes, he has Noah in a headlock. From the gangplank above the arena, Claws cheers and calls down advice like an overbearing soccer mom.
“Hook your leg around him, Noah… no, not like that… argh, sure, that’s right, lie down and play dead, that will help… Eli? I thought you were at Nero’s—” Claudia’s face crumples when she sees me. “What’s wrong? What did that bastard do now?”
“Not him. Mackenzie.” I collapse into an empty table beside the stage, my head in my hands. “Mackenzie came to see me.”
“What?” Claudia’s screech could break windows.
“She didwhat?”Antony drops Noah, who lands on his face.
“What the fuck?” Noah cups his nose, which is pissing blood.
Claudia races off the gangplank and plonks down beside me. She pries my hand from my face. “Eli, look at me. I need you to tell me everything. Is she working with Nero? We have to figure out what they’re planning. I’ll get George to sort you out with some hidden microphones and—”
“No.” The word comes out harsh. I need… I need to get the words out before I go insane. I grip Claudia’s hand so hard she winces. “She didn’t come to see Nero. She came to—to ask me to the Valentine’s dance.”
“I don’t understand.”
I swallow. “I thought she was you at first. She was pretending to be you. But when we kissed, Iknew—”
“Hang on, you kissed her?” Murder burns in Claudia’s eyes.
“She kissedme. We were hiding in one of the private rooms because I didn’t want Nero to overhear our conversation. I thought you – she – came to tell me about the duke, but instead—”
“Wait, what about the duke?” Antony demands. He unscrews the cap on his water bottle and dumps the contents over his head. Noah limps over to our table and takes the chair opposite, pinching his nose and tilting his head back in an attempt to staunch the bleeding.
I take a deep breath and explain everything, even the bit about how I couldn’t bring myself to shoot Mackenzie. By the time I’m done, all three of them are staring at me like I grew a third arm. I brace myself to be berated for cowardice, but that’s not what happens.
“This is next level insane, even for Mackenzie,” Noah says.
“You can say that again,” Antony growls. He paces between the tables, his hands in fists at his sides, the vein above his right eye throbbing. “What thefuckis she playing at?”
“She must’ve known we’d figure this out,” Claws says. “Eli would get home and quite quickly figure out we’d never had that conversation at Vault. She’s taunting us, making it clear that she could be anywhere in this city at any time, pretending to be me, fucking up my plans. That I’m only holding on to my crown by her pleasure. One word to Nero from her and I’m toast.”
“What do we do?” I ask. “There’s no counter to this move.”
“Leave it to me,” Antony says. “I’ve had a lead on where she might be hiding. I’ll take the boys in before Lupercalia and sort her out.”
“Count me in,” Noah growls.
“Thank you.” Claws squeezes my hand back. Her shoulders sag with relief, but her eyes betray her unease.
