Page 97 of Rogue & Her Hunters
I stroll across the small bedroom, which lies in shadows apart from the moonlight, which is streaming through the drapes.
I deliberately left the drapes open.
After all, I must give a good show to the masked Alpha across the street.
I make sure not to glance through the window, but I notice that Joker does.
Joker wanders around the room, pretending to be drunkenly interested in my messy pile of clothes on the floor and bag of groceries. He wrinkles his nose, taking deep breaths.
He’s scoping the room and searching for evidence of an Omega.
Bird.
Does Joker believe that I kidnapped Bird?
“Are you staying here alone?” Joker asks, casually.
I blank my expression. “Uh-huh. I’m in Sanctum to perform that magic show, remember?”
Before I went down to the bar, I cleared the room of every sign of Bird. Then I sprayed it with pheromone and scent blockers.
I hired a second room at the bottom of the corridor with cash under a different name, which is where Bird is now safely ensconced.
I don’t want him to witness what happens next.
Bird knowsin theorythat I have blood on my hands.
Yet am I ready for him to see it?
AmIready to have blood stain my hands again? What other reason is making me hesitate, apart from the admiration of watching another professional up close?
This Beta is top of his game like I am. Playing Joker, as he’s attempting to play me, is exhilarating.
If I hadn’t been sent to the ABO Facility by my own pack, then my next mission would have been to hunthimdown.
Meeting him finally now feels fated.
Has Mars ever written an assassin romcom? I’d read that.
“You’re smiling,” Joker points out. “Hope you’re having happy thoughts about me, Switch.”
My smile widens. “I am.”
Just not in the way that he hopes.
Joker’s chest puffs out.
He pulls off his jacket with a flourish and hurls it over the armchair. “Don’t you have an assistant?”
“I don’t have a rabbit to pull out of a hat either. Or are you offering to become my assistant? I could saw you in half.”
“Sounds painful. I like it.” Joker waggles his eyebrows. “I’ve always been as impressed with the assistant as the magician. After all, a trick can’t be pulled off without them, right? Everyone thinks that it is the flashy Alpha magician who is doing all the work, which means that they forget to watch what the Beta assistant is up to. The true power comes because there are two of them involved in the illusion.”
I arch my brow, impressed. “It seems like you are a magic fan.”
Joker fiddles with his belt. “I was once taken to a magic show with my…well, I was a Companion. So, I was taken as a rare treat along with my Alpha’s family. My Alpha told me just to sit back and enjoy the show, but I was mesmerized, trying to figure out how everything worked. My mind moves too fast sometimes. I can’t turn it off. I loved most, however, how connected the Alpha and Beta were. I wanted that for myself.”
My expression gentles in surprise.
