Page 101 of Once A Villain

I pullinto the Pavilion’s parking lot and check the clock—early, perfect. That gives me some time to check out the new aerial set Dom had installed. The heights are insane, and I can’t wait to push my limits. Flying through the air, testing boundaries—that’s where I come alive.

As I kill the engine, my phone buzzes with a new text.

Axe: If you deviate from the route back home, I’ll know.

Me: Wtf. Are you tracking me?

Axe: Don’t break the rules, little siren.

Me: You’re insane.

Axe: Behave.

I roll my eyes, sighing as I toss the phone into my bag. Unbelievable. As if driving around in a damn armored vehicle isn’t ridiculous enough, now he’s tracking my every move. Just perfect.

Shaking my head, I grab my water bottle, swing open the door, and step out, locking the SUV behind me with a click.

Rehearsal progresses smoothly, the new routines coming together after a few solid runs. By the time we break for lunch, my muscles are screaming for a break, and my mind’s not far behind.

I trail after the girls, eager for a few minutes to unwind in my dressing room.

Just as I’m about to slip inside, Alicia’s shrill voice slices through the air, stopping me dead in my tracks. “Rory!”

I turn, already regretting it.

“What?” I bite back, eyeing her up. Her manicure is perfect, as always, and her dark hair falls in glossy waves, but the Botox has her looking frozen.

“Delighted to see you survived your little Hamptons escapade,” she drawls, her smile dripping with fake concern. “Must’ve been...lovely. That Hawthorne, quite the intriguing man,” she adds, her eyes sweeping over me with disdain.

I keep my arms crossed, refusing to let her see me flinch. “Well, here I am, in one piece,” I say, matching her icy tone with a tight smile. “So, you can relax.”

“Oh, of course,” she purrs, her smile widening. “As your stepmother, I’m just thrilled you’re safe.”

“You’re not my stepmother.”

“But I am. Anyway, Olivia’s been working hard on her new routines. Almost as good as you. She’s got so much potential. Maybe she’ll even replace you as the lead Siren.”

I bite down hard on my tongue, fighting the urge to slap that smug grin off her face. She’s not worth it. Dad would lose his mind.

“And she and Dom?” Alicia’s voice drops, her gaze locking onto mine. “They’ve gotten quite close.”

“Is there a point to this?”

“No,” she says with a careless shrug, as if her words were nothing. “Just thought you’d want to know.” Smirking, she struts away.

What a bitch.

She’s always had a thing for wanting what’s mine. I’ve stopped wasting my breath arguing with Dad; he refuses to see how she tries to pit him against Spencer and me. But Olivia? She’ll never replace me as the lead Siren. She doesn’t have the grit, the skill, or the commitment.

Just another spoiled little princess who probably only made the cut because she—or more likely, Alicia—gave Bradley a special performance.

Dom’s not an idiot. He’s a perfectionist, obsessed with every detail. There’s no way he’d risk his precious routines by shoving someone like Olivia into the spotlight. Alicia is just trying to get under my skin.

I let out a slow breath, releasing the anger with it.

Practice picks back up, and Dom doesn’t hold back. He pushes us until we’re drenched in sweat, muscles screaming. But we need to be perfect—the show’s just a week away.

Every time Dom calls out Olivia’s mistakes, I can’t help but smirk. She’s floundering, and it’s painfully obvious.

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