Page 35 of You Were Warned: Part One

“Somewhere secluded. If I had known all it would take is cutting your initial into myself⁠—”

“Finish that sentence and I’ll turn the V into the fucking alphabet.”

Thankfully, he is quiet for the rest of the walk, and once we are in the watchtower he takes a seat while I find the first aid kit. I know there’s one in here after some idiot fell from one of the props and needed to be patched up.

“Shirt off,” I say once I find the kit.

His eyebrows shoot upward. “Careful, I’ll start thinking you like me.”

I roll my eyes. “I need to access the wound, you fucking idiot.”

I get what I need from the kit, pull a chair closer to him, and sit.

His gaze drops to what I’m holding. “No anesthetic?”

I stare at him, then down at the V he carved into his chest, and back to meet his eyes. He can’t be serious right now. “No.”

“Surely you wouldn’t stitch me up with zero anesthetic.”

I laugh because of course I would. “Wouldn’t I?”

His stupid grin is back, but instead of making me want to murder him, I smile back. This clown might—just might—be wearing me down a little, not that I would ever in a million years admit that to him, or anyone else for that matter.

“My vicious little love.”

I take a deep breath, since giving someone stitches is not my idea of fun. I like blood, but sticking a needle into flesh makes my stomach churn. He stays still as I push the needle through and make the first stitch.

“Hurts?” I ask, not out of concern, but merely for the pleasure of knowing I’m inflicting pain.

“Beautifully.”

“You’re deranged.”

He shrugs. “Pain is merely physical evidence of my love for you.”

I laugh again, twice in minutes—it has to be a record.

“That might be the stupidest fucking thing you’ve ever said, and I have heard you say a lot of stupid shit.”

I reposition my hand, managing to catch the tip of my finger with the needle. “Fuck.”

A tiny bead of blood appears, but before I can wipe it away, the Jester catches my hand.

“What are you doing?”

He presses my fingertip against his chest, right over the V.

I pull away. “What the fuck are you doing,” I ask again, this time more venom lacing my tone, and his fingers tighten around mine.

“Now a part of you will be in me forever.” He looks way too pleased with himself, but as he releases me, an idea strikes. “Why are you looking at me like that?”

I shove my fingertip straight into his wound, and his entire body jerks. “There, now my finger is in you.”

His mouth falls open in shock, then he loses it. The Jester’s head drops back, and laughter explodes out of him. “Oh fuck!” he blurts, barely able to get the words out.

“Hold still, idiot.”

“You put your finger inside me.”