The Arrangement 13 (8 page)

I remain on the floor, like I was throwing fake money over my head. This is it—this is the madman that’s been shooting at me, the person who hired the
pilot to kill me. This deranged nutjob wants me dead and I have no idea why. My skin covers in gooseflesh as the knob turns. I don’t move, I don’t hide. This is it. One of us is leaving this room in a body bag and it won’t be me.

Nausea washes over me as the door is pushed open.

Breathe, Avery. Just breathe.

When the door moves my heart shudders and stops. A slender woman, dressed in black, is flanked by two men. Her face is devoid of emotion, but her eyes are lethal and shooting daggers at me.

I stammer, “Miss Black.”

She steps into the room with the men. “Close the door,” she directs in that chillingly cold voice of hers. “I have things to discuss with Avery. Gabe, check the room. You, stay by the door.” Miss Black snaps her fingers and both men do as she asks.

I wonder if Gabe will say anything when he finds Sean. He checks the entire room and for a moment, no one breathes. He looks in Amber’s closet and moves on, not making any indication that Sean is inside.

Miss Black snaps her fingers at me. “Sit.” She points to my bed before folding her arms across her chest and tapping her foot.

I don’t know what Sean is doing, so I move slowly, asking questions. “When did you get a key?”

She smirks. “Dear Avery, I’ve had a key this entire time. Do you really think I wouldn’t? What if you didn’t show up one morning? What if you suddenly disappeared off the face of the earth? How else would I find out if you were dead in your room?” Her voice drops an octave when she says the last sentence.

I sit stiffly on the edge of my mattress and try not to look at Gabe or the place
where Sean is hiding. “Are you threatening me?”

She laughs. The woman actually presses her tapered fingers to her red lips and chortles. “I’m capable of so many things. It’s nice to see you on your toes, isn’t it Mr. Ferro?” My eyes remain locked on Black. I’m afraid that I’ve looked at the closet too many times, but I haven’t. A moment later, Sean steps out, knife in hand. It’s the kind hunters use to gut things. It has a sharp blade and a thick hilt. “Charming, but not necessary.”

“I’ll decide what’s necessary,” Sean replies.

She smiles, but it’s the grin of a carnivore prior to devouring its prey. She steps towards Sean in her fuck-me high heels. Miss Black stops in front of Sean and presses her finger to the tip of the blade, nicking her skin. A bead of scarlet forms on her fingertip. Her dark eyes watch it for a second before saying, “Your preferences are peculiar Mr. Ferro, even for me.” She takes a white handkerchief
from her coat pocket and dabs her finger before continuing. “But for the girl who will do anything with anyone, well...” She ends the thought with a wink and turns toward me.

Sean is tense, standing before her with his jaw locked tight. “I wonder if Miss Stanz knows the complexities of your desires.”

I don’t like this. Something feels way the butt off. “Just shoot me if that’s what you came for.”

Miss Black arches a perfectly plucked eyebrow at me like I’m an idiot. “Who bites the hand that feeds them? I mean, really, Avery. You should be ashamed of yourself. I gave you your life back and offered you so much more and this is how you repay me?” She reaches for my hand and looks at my engagement ring, before rolling her eyes. “How many of these have you handed out now, Mr. Ferro. Tell me, do you get a baker’s dozen discount from the jeweler?”

I glance between Sean and Black, catching her meaning right away. I expect Sean to deny it, but he’s silently clutching the gleaming blade in his hand. I don’t know if he’s frozen with fear or if he’s plotting his next move. Either way, I don’t like it.

“More fiancées?” I murmur.

“Yes, of course. You didn’t think you were his one and only. I mean, why would you when there’s information right at your fingertips? Oh, that’s right. You have this juvenile notion of trust. Well, here, Avery dear, let me spell it out for you.” Miss Black steps next to me and laces her arm over my shoulder and points at Sean with her other hand. “Mr. Ferro currently has two fiancées—you and the woman in California. That one got the better deal if you ask me. She’s in that posh mansion while you’re stuck in this hell hole.” She glances around my dorm room and sneers.

I shake her off and step toward Sean, not believing a word of it. “She’s lying, right? Tell me it isn’t true.” But as I stand
there and look into his eyes, I can see that it is. “Sean.” I gasp his name as if it were a stake through my heart. I can’t breathe. Sean doesn’t deny the accusation, nor does he explain himself. “Say something. How could you?”

I want to walk over and pound my fists into his chest. Has he really been playing me this whole time? Sean ignores my questions and directs his statement at Black. “Your man is dead.”

Black’s smile turns to a sneer. “I suppose you’d do something like that.” Sean doesn’t answer. “Quite reactionary.” She shakes her head as she examines her nails. When she glances up at Sean, she adds, “Miss Stanz is leaving with me. Pay the rest of your balance in the morning. Thank you for babysitting her while I sorted things out.”

“Sean?” I gulp air, trying to breathe. “What is she saying?”

“Just go with them. Walk out the door and don’t look back. You’ll be fine.” Sean
says it like I should trust him, like I should just go, but I can’t. Gabe places a hand on my arm and starts to pull me toward the door, but I slip out of his grip.

“No! Someone tell me what the fuck is going on!”

Miss Black pinches the bridge of her nose and sighs. “Everything always has to be the hard way with you. Fine. So be it.” Black snaps her fingers and before I know what happened, I’m shoved backward. I expect to fall and hit the floor, but I land in the box. Packaging peanuts go flying as the wind is knocked out of me. Before I can react, someone stabs me with a syringe. The room spins and tips as I try to keep my eyes open, but I can’t.

My eyes lock on Sean’s as the lid is closed and the shadows swallow me whole.

THE ARRANGEMENT VOL 14

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