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I hate him.

I hate him.

I hate him.

“What else did Percy tell you, Delilah?”

“That he would pay me double if I agreed to be with him.”

“And what did you say?”

“Yes.” My answer comes without any hesitation.

Those eyes darken to a shade I’ve never seen before and the disgust on his face confuses me.

“What’s wrong? I thought you’d be happy. The faster I get your money, the quicker I’m out of your way. If I clear my brother’s debt, you have no reason to keep me.”

“You don’t know what you’re saying.”

“Yes, I do.” I tip my chin, wobbling and all. “I don’tknow if you heard but people are willing to pay a pretty penny for this pu?—”

My other words die a suffocating death when Adonis shoves his hand over my mouth.

“Shut up, Delilah. Shut the fuck up.”

The intensity of my rage catches me off guard, but not so much I miss my chance to finally pull the trigger.

Adonis is only an arm’s length away from me and his eyes narrow at the realization.

My finger tugs the trigger toward me.

And nothing.

Nothing happens.

Adonis is still standing. I’m still shaking. And this night is still getting worse.

While I mentally run through what just happened—or didn’t happen—Adonis uses my distraction to his advantage and pries the weapon from my hand, taking it apart right before my eyes.

He holds up a long, black rectangle.

“This magazine is empty, menace. Percy is a fucking fraud. Everything he does is for the appearance of looking like he’s harder than he is. You could probably beat that man with your bare hands.” He scoffs, then he drops the dismantled gun at our feet and pulls out his beloved Beretta.

Between one rasping breath and the next, the cold metal is under my chin, holding my head up to force eye contact between us.

“That’s the second time you tried to kill me, Delilah.”

He walks the Beretta over my collarbone and stops when the head is resting at the hollow of my throat.

“I’m starting to get offended.”

“Then we’re even because I get offended every time I look at you, Adonis.”

He bares his teeth in something I refuse to call a smile and drags the gun over my other collarbone.

Fear doesn’t swell in my veins like I expect. Instead, a rush of adrenaline and a new sensation overtakes me. It’s the closest to normal I’ve felt all night and that’s fucked up. This is all so fucked up.

“That’s not true, menace. Is it?”