Page 85 of Two For the Show
Matteo has the hardest job of the three of us tonight. It’s a lot of pressure, but he’s risen to the occasion in every rehearsal.
“I’ve never been one to shy away from hard things,” Alex says suggestively from the center of the ring. “But sharp ones? There’s a reason why I’m not a surgeon.”
Jude chuckles, and it booms around the tent. “It’s lucky for the audience that this next act doesn’t share your hesitancy, isn’t it?”
She squeals a little and turns to face him with excitement. “Oh, does that mean-”
“It does. Welcome to the ring, Quick Cut and Maestro!”
Jude and Alex both spread their arms wide and create a path between them for Matteo to stalk into the ring.
“Maestro?” Alex asks tentatively. “Where is Quick Cut?”
He snags the back of her neck and pulls her close as Jude backs out of the ring. He looks delicious in his vest, with his bare chest, and tight leather trousers. Their bodies pressed together is a sin that I am dying to commit.
“Oh, he’s giving me a moment with my Omega.”
The crowd makes a happy little squeal. Not every Omega claims a Beta, but Matteo is a crowd favorite, and I’m sure they’re delighted to know he’s a part of her pack.
“You’re making me nervous, Maestro,” she says through a breathy laugh. “I’m not supposed to be a part of this act.”
He walks around her slowly but not taking his hand off her neck. His eyes drag up and down her body, and he’s practically purring when he says, “Did you think you could escape me?”
From the wings, I can nearly see the goosebumps that erupt on her skin. She doesn’t answer him. But that’s okay.
She’s not supposed to.
Music turns on to one of the hottest songs I’ve ever heard. It’s toxic and dirty, and it’s perfect for the act.
When the chorus kicks on, he pulls her back against his front, dragging his hands across her body as she melts into him. As soon as the singer mentions tearing each other apart, he drops one of his arms, and she nearly falls to the floor. He doesn’t let her hit, of course, but the move is so sudden that it seems like she may.
He grabs her hair, and she reaches up, hands around his wrist to relieve the pressure and create the illusion he’s dragging her by it to the target. As he straps her into it, she whines, and every Alpha in the audience must perk up at the noise. A few even growl.
She gives an exaggerated wink to the audience to letthem know she’s okay as Matteo takes a few steps back and unrolls the strip of leather that holds his knives. The target starts to spin, and Alex squeezes her eyes shut. No matter how many times we practiced, she couldn’t keep them open, which is fair. It’s nerve-wracking watching the blade fly right at you.
After a few warm-up throws, the lights begin to flash, strobes making the two of them appear to be moving in jerky, uncoordinated motions.
And then the lights cut out.
A scream.
The music stops.
“What happened?” Jude’s terrified voice shouts. “Get her out, get her out.”
The audience is murmuring, terrified, and wondering what happened to the pretty Omega.
She’s having a hard time holding back her laughter as I unhook her from the target. I feel a little bad for Jude. We didn’t warn him about this part of the act. Maybe that’s unfair, but we needed his panic and ultimate relief to be real. The showrunner sets the tone for the audience, after all.
My Omega closes the metal restraints over my wrists and ankles before giving me a soft kiss and sneaking away.
The lights finally come up, and Matteo is holding back Jude from charging the target.
“Quick Cut!” Matteo yells, pushing Jude away and stalking forward. Jude stumbles backward, looking dumbfounded. “What did you do with my Omega?”
I run my tongue over my teeth. “You mean my Omega?”
He fumes, taking several steps backward before turning the target onto full speed. It’s not so fast that I’m a blur oranything, but it’s a little uncomfortable to move this quickly.
