Page 169 of Unsuitable

Fuck.

I swallow fearfully, trying to hold myself together.

I see Damien’s eyes go to the bottle of champagne on the floor by my feet.

He nods at it. “Celebrating something?”

Fists clenched by my sides, I shake my head. “No.”

“Drink champagne every day, do you?”

My eyes meet with his. “Yeah. I live a champagne lifestyle nowadays, didn’t you know? I mean, with all that money I got from the jewelry heist—oh, wait. No, that was you.” I’m pushing it. I know I shouldn’t, but my anger is getting the better of me.

He laughs. The sound scrapes through me like rough nails over soft skin.

“Hmm, I think I’ll have that champagne for myself when I’m done here. Do a little celebrating myself.”

“Done here.”

Fuck.

“And…what are you doing here?”

“Cleaning up a mess.”

I just had to ask, didn’t I?

Fear twists my gut into knots. It takes everything in me not to cry. I bite the inside of my mouth—hard.

I have to get us out of here. I can’t just let him kill us.

I need a plan.

What would Kas do?

Kill him. Without a second thought.

God, Kas, where are you? I need you.

But he’s not coming. There’s only me.

I need to keep Damien talking until I can figure out how to get us out of here.

My eyes move to Cece. Tears are swimming in her eyes. She looks so afraid. I silently try to convey to her that everything’s going to be okay.

Then, I force myself to look at Damien, and I bolster myself with false bravado. “I’m really good at cleaning up messes. Did you know that?” I tell him. “Maybe I can help you with your mess.”

He chuckles. “Honey, you are my mess.” He lifts his gun and scratches his temple with the barrel of it.

I silently wish for it to go off.

No such luck.

He lowers the gun and rests it on Cece’s shoulder, making her flinch and me dig my nails into my palm.

“This has nothing to do with Cece,” I grit out. “It’s between you and me. Let her go and—”

“You don’t get to make demands. Hello? I’m the one holding the gun here.” He waves the gun around, laughing.