Shit. Shit, shit, shit.
There’s blood on my face too.
I scrambled, pulling the nasty shower curtain closed to hide Romanov’s body, and then shut the door behind me in a panic.The mask. I need the mask.I pulled the drawer open on the vanity and grabbed it, pressing it on my face and fitting the loops over my ears. Another knock.
“One second!”
I flipped the pillows over and pulled the red comforter over the bed, sitting myself down on a clearlywetspot that was a tad bit darker than my covers. I’ll let the guy in and kill him before he has a chance to blow the whistle on me. It’s the only plan I’ve got, but—my knives are in the fuckingbathroom.
Oh, God…oh, no…think Bridget.
The door opened and a guy I’ve come to understand goes by‘Rex’, popped his head into my room. “You ready? Boss says he’s not letting you off the hook tonight. Need one on the roster if you want dinner.”
“Yeah, he told me. I’m good. Just had to freshen up.”
Rex smiled like a deviant. “He make you scream, yes? Think twice before you fuck with his money.”
“Just let them in. I’m hungry.”
I hope I get to watch this one die. Or at least see what he bleeds like afterwards.
I didn’t even look up as I straightened the mask and adjusted the straps of my gown. I heard footsteps and Rex mention that dude only gets an hour, and then…a choking sound before the slam of my door.
“The office.Where.”
My head shot up, and I think my heart gave out.
“Idi na hui…Americanpig.”A masked figure held Rex by the throat, slamming him against the wall next to the door and raising his feet slightly off the floor. I sprang up while the little fucker scraped at my savior’s sleeves.
“Where’s his laptop? Don’t fuckin’ make me ask again.”
Chest heaving, I stepped forward. “I—I know where it is.”
That head turned and I saw acid-green contacts. I think I cried a little, but I’ll never say so. “Oh…good.” A huge knife was pulled out of his waistband and immediately plunged into Rex’s gut, shoved at an upward angle until the steel of the blade disappeared, and then he turned it until the bitch stoppedmoving and his arms dropped. Rex thudded to the floor and Dec turned towards me, slowly.
“You’re a long way from Witherle, Little Doe.”
“Thought I told you not to come looking for me,” I breathed, half weeping as we stood about a foot apart. He studied every inch of me, looking for anything that would fuel his rage a little more. A bruise. A scratch. Any sign of mistreatment.
“No…you toldDeclan…not to come looking for you. You didn’t say shit aboutBatman.”
I’m caught between beating the brakes off of him, laughing, and bursting into tears. So, naturally…I just stood there like the epitome of this weird fucking pet name he thinks is gonna stick.
“Did they hurt you?”
Yes. No. Mostly just my pride.
I raised my shaking hands and slowly slipped my mask off. His eyes zeroed in on the blood still on my face.“Nope,”I smirked, popping the ‘P’. I stepped to the side, pulling the covers back and showed him what was underneath.
“Where’s he at, Bridget?”
I didn’t consider how hard it would be to look him in the eyes after what I had to do. Dead, or not…Mikhail did take something from me. And it’ll never be the same. I tried not to let it show that I was about to crack…but Dec’s smart. Really smart. And he sees right through me.
“In Hell where he fuckin’ belongs. Please tell me Seven gave you my message before you rode in here on your white horse.”
His eyes raised in the corners, and I knew the devious smile that was hidden under that mask. “I see you, and I raise you…thirtygrand.” I felt the demon tear out of the cage and wore its smile while I stalked to the shitty wardrobe in the cornerand started slipping out of my dress. “What are you doing? We need to leave.”
I saved the outfit they’d taken me in, stiff with blood, forthismoment. “I’ve had to be somebody else the entire time I’ve been here. I won’t leave as anybody but me. When this place goes up in smoke…I want them to know whoreallyowned them.”
