Page 24 of Dramatic AF
“The person who hired me to hex you sent me this.” His eyes blazed with a ring of crimson as he flipped his phone around to show me a picture of my own face.
The exact same photo that had been on Elijah’s lock screen.
nine
~ Trick ~
Istoodattheedgeof the stage, just beyond the curtains, and scanned the audience that filled the theater.
With the glare of the stage lights, I couldn’t see much beyond the first few rows behind the orchestra pit, but finding a better vantage point meant leaving Jayden unprotected. Remembering Elijah’s parting shot about looking forward to the performance, my priority right then had to be my mate.
No matter how much I wanted to hunt down the slimy little bastard and peel his skin off, layer by layer.
The stage manager had tried to usher me to my seat, but a single, steely look had been enough to send her on her way. I wouldn’t disrupt the play or cause a scene, but if things went sideways, I needed to be close enough to act.
Not that I considered Elijah an actual threat.
He was manipulative, self-absorbed, and exceedingly entitled, but I wouldn’t consider him particularly bright. The lie about“accidentally” showing up at Jayden’s apartment after a night of drinking had been laughable.
The fact that he had gone out of his way to tell it just made him an idiot.
Elijah Tally hadn’t even been on my radar. If he had stayed away and kept his mouth shut, I would have had no reason to ever suspect him.
But my concern didn’t reside with him personally. He had, however, proven himself resourceful. I didn’t know why he hadn’t sent someone else after I had canceled the job, but I didn’t believe he had given up.
Our run-in earlier had been evidence of that.
Jayden seemed to believe Elijah wouldn’t hurt him, and I tended to agree. Accidents happened, though. Sometimes, things went too far.
And frankly, I didn’t give a damn about intentions. Any threat to my mate would be dealt with swiftly and with extreme prejudice.
Despite anger at learning his ex had tried to curse him—and the typical pre-performance jitters—from the moment the curtains had gone up, Jayden had commanded the stage. His talent and innate charm shined in every movement, every facial expression, every perfectly delivered line.
When he stepped out onto the balcony for his solo, memories from his near-miss during rehearsals flooded my body with tension. Abandoning my observation of the audience, I turned my full attention to my mate, my magic surging, prepared to intervene should the need arise.
The scene went off without a hitch, though, Jayden’s voice filling the theater as he sang of love, desire, and inevitable heartbreak. The lights dimmed, his voice fading into the last chords of the music, and by the time the curtains closed, I doubted there was a dry eye among those in attendance.
Breathless and shimmering with perspiration, Jayden scrambled down the staircase behind the balcony and hurried backstage, just as a voice announced a twenty-minute intermission. The moment he saw me, he pivoted and headed in my direction.
“You were amazing,” I said, twisting the lid off a bottle of water and pushing it into his hands. “How are you feeling?”
“Thanks.” He tilted the bottle to his lips and downed half of it in one go. “I’m feeling great. I was worried about the solo, but I think I nailed it.”
“You absolutely nailed it.” I wanted to touch him, maybe kiss him, but I worried I might smudge his makeup. Instead, I settled for giving his hand a gentle squeeze. “Are you hungry? Do you want me to grab you something?”
He shook his head. “I’m okay, but thanks.”
I glanced over my shoulder, noting the frenzy of movement from both the cast and crew. “Should you be changing or something?”
His laughter rang clear and vibrant. “I don’t have a costume change until Act Three, so you actually get me all to yourself for the next eighteen minutes or so.”
I definitely liked the sound of that. “Let’s find somewhere quieter so you can reset.”
“Yes, please.”
Still clutching his hand, I led him to a semi-empty corner, just beyond the commotion, and steered him onto the padded bench that had been placed against the wall. Beyond that, though, I didn’t really know how to help him.
“Do you want to go over lines?”
