I almost bolt to the far corner to hurl the nonexistent contents of my stomach.
Instead, I backpedal toward the tray. Only when I reach it do I break our visual connection, and I scope out all my choices oftools, running my fingers along the scalpel, pliers, ice pick… I eventually pick up the pliers.
“Prince,” Eli murmurs, moving to my side and speaking low enough for just me to hear. “Be sure this is what you want to do. There’s no coming back from it.”
I ignore his warning and walk back over to Ember, and she defiantly watches me. Her cold demeanor doesn’t change. Even when her gaze dips to the pliers, she doesn’t plead, doesn’t sweat, doesn’t flinch. I admire her for that.
“Prince,” Kareem calls out, but I ignore him, too.
Gripping her slender pointer finger between the pliers, I apply pressure. Blood sluggishly starts to pool as the blade bites into her skin.
Still… No movement. No confession.
Her jaw clenches, a tiny muscle ticking along the edge. Moisture glazes her eyes but not one tear falls.
I apply more pressure.
A small, muted sound crawls out of her, but it’s immediately silenced as if she deliberately cut it off, refusing to give me that satisfaction, although her shoulders hunch slightly forward and a very fine tremble races through her.
Bile rushes in my stomach, races like a gold medalist for the back of my throat, the acid burning my esophagus.Do it. Fucking do it. Make an example out of her. Show every person here,show her, that you’re not weak. That she’s not your weakness.
More pressure…
Gotdammit. Fuck.
I release my grip on the pliers and damn near lurch back a step.
“Everybody out,” I growl. No one moves, and I whip around, gaze landing on each one of them. They stare at me, eyes wide, mouths open like I’ve lost my shit. And I have. “I said, get. The fuck. Out.”
One of the soldiers looses a sharp bark of laughter, spreading his arms wide. “What the hell? You gotta be fucking kiddin—”
I whip out my gun again and aim it in his direction. His mouth snaps closed, and he holds his hands up, palms out in surrender.
“You want to finish that?” He shakes his head, but I don’t lower my weapon. “Like I said, get out.”
In seconds, the room empties, the heavy door slamming shut and leaving only me and Ember inside. Disgusted with myself, her, and this fucked-up situation, I drop the pliers, and they hit the ground with aclankthat seems deafening in the tomb-like quiet.
Dragging both hands over my braids, I stalk over to the second tray and grab a white towel before returning to Ember. She doesn’t snatch her hand away from me while I tightly wrap her injured finger. She doesn’t look at me when I kneel down in front of her, briefly pressing my forehead to her hand before lifting my head.
“Look at me.” She keeps her gaze fixed straight ahead. “Ember, look at me.” A full minute passes before she lowers her head. “Why were you there that night?”
She stares at me, her eyes blank, freezing chips of amber. She’s not going to tell me. And I don’t blame her.
And I’m still not going to kill her. I refuse to become Michelle.
Is one person’s life bigger than the good of the entire organization or all those in it?That’s what Eli had asked Makeda in the elevator on the way down here.
Then, my answer was no. Shit, until seconds ago, it remained no.
But now?
Yes. Gotdammit. Yes. Her life is bigger, more important. And if I have to replace hers for mine, then so be it. Mine is forfeit because I’m not killing her.
I sigh, standing to my feet—
“To see him. I was there to see him. I didn’t lie.” She grimaces. “I didn’t just plan to make my exit strategy from Cross after Marcus died. It’d been in the works for months, over a year. I was walking away the very next day, and I couldn’t wait to be free of Cross and HoC. And Marcus. I didn’t need any of his money,because God knew he wasn’t going to offer me any. Not my inheritance, not any percentage of the profits from HEA or Glass Slipper. But none of that mattered because I had my own source of income.” A small smile ghosts across her face, there and gone. “I’ve designed another drug—Fairy Dust. Once it’s complete, get ready, ’cause it’s going to give yours competition.”
“Why’re you telling me this now?”