Page 198 of Hexed
Rushing away, I grab one syringe of my pookies’ venom off the rolling table and keep my gun ready in the other hand, moving to hide just behind the corner of the saltwater tank. Out of sight and out of mind.
Right on cue, the door bursts open, Uncle T storming in with his own gun held up.
“Daddy!” Aria yells out, what sounds like a real sob breaking free from her mouth.
She’s good, I’ll give her that.
“Where is she?” Uncle T asks, without moving toward her. But I can see his eyes from where I am, and they’re looking over her, inspecting like he’s making sure I didn’t harm a single hair on her head.
Bastien walks in behind him, his gun also raised, and I let out a silent but shaky breath.
The plan is working.
“Bas, check the area,” Uncle T demands.
Bastien nods and starts walking around the perimeter, his eyes flicking to Jack and Flora before landing on the rolling table and then on the salt placed strategically around the room to create the circle.
He rolls his eyes, like even in this tense moment, he has time to judge my practice.
Asshole.
When he walks by me, our gazes lock, and another hit of confidence swells inside me.
“All clear, boss,” Bastien says, making his way back toward him. “She must be somewhere else. Want me to go check?”
“No, just stay on guard here.” Uncle T rushes over to Aria, taking in the chains on her arms and legs. He sets his gun down on the table next to her.
Who’s sloppy now?
“Are you hurt?” he asks Aria. “What did she do to you? Do you know where she went?”
Aria shakes her head. “No, Daddy, I’m okay, but you need to listen to me.”
My spine stiffens because she isn’t supposed to say something like that.
“Later, baby girl; we need to get you out of here. I’ll take care of Venesa, but I…” He spins to Bastien. “How do we unlock these?”
“No, Daddy… Listen!” she yells, and that’s my cue, because I don’t trust her not to fuck this up, and I’m fairly confident the bitch was about to double-cross me.
Maybe Enzo wasn’t so convincing after all.
So much for their true love.
I watch Bastien move closer to the table and pick up Uncle T’s gun before slipping it into his waistband. Uncle T doesn’t even notice because he’s so focused on figuring out how to get Aria unchained.
Aria starts, “Daddy, she’s right?—”
Sighing, I stand and come out from the shadows. “Hello, Uncle. How are you?”
Uncle T spins toward me, his eyes blazing with anger. He reaches out to grip his gun, and only then does he realize it’s missing. His face blanks, his eyes growing round as he looks at Bastien.
“You filthy rat,” he spits before focusing back on me.
Bastien smiles and shrugs. “Learned from the best.”
I tsk-tsk at Uncle T, pointing my gun at him as I walk over to Aria and stand next to my rolling table of poisons. “Now, that’s not very nice. Bas has been nothing but accommodating.” I look up at my uncle, catching his gaze. “Maybe you just need to learn how to treat your people better.”
“I will kill you, Venesa.”
