Page 96 of Protect Your Queen

Killing a man had drummed up a shit ton of business. I was requested at several high-profile, public events. I was turning into a fucking spectacle, like a monkey at the zoo. But I didn’t have the amount of power they had, because I couldn’t fling shit at the bottleneckers who wanted to get their eyes on the man who killed a shamed music executive.

My picture was showing up everywhere, and I now had a fucking fan club.

Old videos of me at Carnegie Hall and playing at the Boston Opera House resurfaced and got millions of views.

A fashion magazine asked me to come in and model a new line of utility suits, made for the “man of business”. I got offered a fucking deal with a luxury watch company that offered to pay me if I wore their wares while I was at work. Of course, Caledonia would have forbidden that kind of thing while on the job, but it didn’t stop my colleagues from ribbing me.

People asked my sister if I was single! I made sure she told everyone no, even though I wasn’t sure if I was or not. Songbird hadn’t contacted me even though she knew where I worked.

I stared at the phone, half tempted to call her now. Just to see if she was okay. But I wanted to wait. I wantedherto come to me.

“Please, I don’t want to talk about it anymore.” I rubbed my temples, looking down at my desk in complete dismay.

When had everything turned into such shit?

“No, I think I know plenty about it.” Jareth materialized at the door. “I’m here to see you,hero.”

I winced. The way he said “hero”definitely made it sound like he was saying “asshole”.

“Here to finish what you started?” I got up to my feet and walked around my desk, clasping my hands behind my back. “Alright, you get one free hit. Any more, and I’m taking you down.”

I jutted out my jaw, ready for him to lay me out. The guy might not have hit me in the hospital, but it wasn’t for lack of ability.

I had played this over and over again in my head. If Jareth confronted me again, what would I do? What was he owed? If my sister was in Jestiny’s place, what would I want? I concluded that he probably needed one shot at me. Just one. I could give him that.

“How plebeian of you,” Jareth said with complete scorn. “And wholly unnecessary.”

He walked right past me, and dropped two pieces of cardboard on my desk. I didn’t look to see what they were. I just waited, in case he wanted to take a shot at me after all. But he didn’t. He just stood in front of me, in his expensive suit - a Cesare Attolini, in a steel gray wool linen - and assessed me from head to toe.

“You haven’t been seen with anyone since you left the hospital,” he said, as if it was some kind of accusation. “You live quite a boring life. Work, home, and a single phone call, always to your own sister.”

“Sorry I bored your spies.” I had seen people outside my flat. I had seen an oddly parked car near my gym. I had reported it to my bosses, and they said it wasn’t malicious. Lea and Callum had burst out laughing, as they told me that the Barkadas were keeping an eye on me.

But in that, there was hope. If they were watching me, then she still cared. I still had a chance.

Plus, I couldn’t get too mad. I had my own spies watching Jestiny, too. Though, my spies were there to tell me that she was safe. I was fulfilling my promise to her. That was all.

“I don’t think you are sorry,help.”He crossed his arms in front of his chest and leaned against the door frame. “You’re not good enough for her.”

He knew, and I knew, that no one was good enough forher.The Prince of Wales wasn’t good enough. Neither was the Prince of Monaco, no doubt. Or, indeed, any philanthropic billionaire, with a heart of gold, and titles to match.

Christopher Ambrose from the Ohio suburbs didn’t stand a chance either.

“I agree.” There was no shame in admitting it. “The only thing that makes me good enough is if shechoosesto let me be.”

Jareth grunted, as if my answer annoyed him, as he headed for the door. Obviously, he was done with me. Then he added, “Just remember that I will happily dispose of your body, should you ever disappoint her.”

He walked out the door, slamming it behind him, and I couldn’t help but laugh. He was an asshole to the last, but he had given me a glimmer of golden hope that my Songbird was out there, somewhere, singing and waiting for me.

I looked down at the cards he had left, with two Black Birds stamped on the front. They were tickets. Why were there two? I don’t know. Maybe he thought I’d bring a date, and then he’dreallyhave a chance to punch the daylights out of me.

Incidentally, I did have a date in mind…

Which was how I ended up escorting my sister down the Santa Monica streets in the middle of a harsh Santa Anas. Brush fire season, they call it. The hot, dry winds from the American Southwest builds and pushes into the California coast. A warm, powerful wind that reminded me of my Songbird.

“No one ever told me this place would be so windy.” Elyse wobbled in her chunky, kitten heel as she tried to push down the ends of her skirt.

Elyse wore a cocktail dress that had some very Roaring 20’s vibes. She asked me what Jes’s favorite colors were, and I wasn’t sure.

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