Cedar shrugged. “I told you. She’s already a liability. Someone has to take the fall for this fuck up. Who better than her? The person who fucks everything up anyway.”
Vesper faltered. She definitely had never told Cedar that Bellamy ruined all their assignments. Their contract would be terminated. Their employers would have the kill order as soon as they learned of the failure Nowhere was safe for them. And Bel…
“I can’t leave her,” Vesper whispered. It was so quiet, she barely heard herself. She didn’t hate Bel enough for that—didn’t want her to die, not really. Sure, she’d idly thought about it before—what life would be like if she’d killed her. But she didn’t actually want that. As much as she hated to admit it, there was still a part of Vesper that cared for Bellamy.
A muscle ticked in Cedar’s jaw. She circled around the table until she was right in front of Vesper.
“You hate her,” Cedar said. No doubt, in her mind that was true. She watched Vesper intently. “You don’t need her for anything. You have me.”
Cedar saw the hesitation in Vesper’s face, the minuscule tell that gave her away, and she laughed. “Seriously? She’d leave you, you know. If I made her this offer, she’d take it in a heartbeat. There’s no world in which Bellamy would save you, and you know it.”
Vesper opened her mouth to respond, but she didn’t know what to say. Truthfully, she didn’t know if Bellamy would save her. When she closed her mouth again, Cedar’s smirk spread.
“You know what, let’s see if she would, since you’re so concerned about her. Come, let’s get you away from the door first.”
Cedar grabbed Vesper’s hand and pulled away from the door. The guard, who’d been cautiously holding her since she elbowed him, released his grip easily. Apparently Cedar thought herself immune to Vesper’s wrath. Though, with Bellamy out of sight and this whole situation unknown, it wasn’t the worst gamble.
Perhaps Cedar just knew Vesper wouldn’t do anything until she knew Bel was safe… until she heard Bel’s answer for herself.
“V, be a dear and keep your mouth shut while I talk to her, okay? Trust that I won’t let anything happen until her decision is made.”
Oh, Vesper didn’t trust shit anymore. The only thing she trusted was that Bellamy could protect herself if Cedar tried anything.
Cedar grasped Vesper’s arm in a protective hold and nodded to the guard to open the door.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
Bellamy
Why the fuck did Vesper shut the door?Seriously? She wasthatpissed that Bellamy hadn’t told her the disposal plan? Not that she needed to think of one. Something bad was happening on this assignment—something that Bellamy suspected would make cleanup take a back seat.
Don’t save her.
She still didn’t know what that would end up looking like. Fuck that, though. Bellamy was not letting anything happen to Vesper. She’d blow up the whole damn building before she let anyone take Vesper from her.
Bellamy tried the door handle. Locked. Her heartbeat started to quicken. Vesper would never have locked her out.
“You lost, kid?” A deep, gravelly voice sounded behind her, and she jumped, whirling around before instinctively plastering on a fake smile. Despite what Vesper said, she didn’t actually want to fuck up all their assignments. She’d still try to cover her ass.
“Oh, you startled me!” She giggled, her voice high-pitched and foreign-sounding.
The hulking man in front of her gave her a tight smile. “Sorry about that. You lost?”
Bellamy tried not to roll her eyes.Go away. “I’m right whereI’m supposed to be, just nervous for my big meeting.” She smiled demurely and hoped the lie was sufficient to avoid further questioning.
The man nodded, and the other two hulking figures behind him did the same. “Good luck.”
Bellamy turned around and tried to inconspicuously jiggle the doorknob. It wouldn’t budge. She’d have to wait for these assholes to get out of the hall before she could pick the lock. Why the fuck weren’t they moving?
If Vesper came out covered in blood before these guys took off, they’d have to kill them. That would be so tedious. Bellamy already had to take care of eight bodies, she didn’t want to add three more to that.
But then again, they could describe her now. They’d seen her, spoken to her.Fuck. No witnesses. Bellamy groaned. That was so fucking annoying. Eleven bodies—she might just set the room on fire, regardless of what Vesper said.
Before she turned back, an arm slid across her neck, constricting her airway and holding her firm.
“Vesper!” she yelled, kicking the door hard and shoving them back. The man stumbled a few steps but, presumably, the other two men caught him. She’d known they were going to be fucking annoying, she just didn’t realize they might be able to fight too.
Her magic sparked to her hands, and she slapped hot sparks onto the arm around her neck. The horrid smell of burning flesh penetrated her nose before the asshole let go. He cried out in pain and scrambled back, giving her enough time to mold her sparks into a twisted, knife-like form and throw two of them.
