Page 73 of Burn Bright

Harriet shoves past me. “What the fuck is wrong with you?”

Charlie only stares at me. “Let her fight for you. Maybe you’ll survive this harsh fucking world if you do.”

I blink a few times, my eyes searing raw. “I’m not defenseless on my own,Charlie.You think I don’t know when I’m being played?”

“If you do know and you willingly walk into a trap, then you’re not just naïve—you’re afool.”

They can’t know I’m broke.

Ever.

My muscles cramp.

“Lay off him, Boy Genius.” Harriet glowers.

Charlie barely acknowledges her. “You’re not clever.”

“And I don’t believe you’re thatsmart,” she retorts. “You’re just a bitter fuckingasshole.”

He’s about to respond when a shrill noiseblaresthrough the parlor.

WEE-WOO! WEE-WOO!!

It’s a siren.Fuck.My hands fly to my ears, the sound louder than a fire alarm. We’re all on our feet. My first thought isHarriet.She digs the heels of her palms into her ears and jerksher head to the door, signaling me to go. I rush over to it and turn the knob. Locked.

Shit—we’re still locked in here. I rake a hot hand through my hair. Beckett comes beside me, checks the exit too. His mouth is moving, but I can’t hear the words. When he repeats it again, I read his lips,Where is the noise coming from?

I shake my head, scanning the ceiling. Unsure. It’s not an alarm attached to the wall either. No lights are strobing.

Eliot is talking but I can’t hear.

Same with Tom.

Harriet grabs the two slips of paper off the floor. The riddles. If we can solve this, then maybe we can shut off this ear-splitting noise.

“IS THIS PART OF THE ESCAPE ROOM?!” Tom screams at the top of his lungs.

Eliot tries to respond but his words are drowned out.

“I CAN’T HEAR YOU!” Tom yells.

Charlie goes to Harriet, which has me striding protectively toward her. He rolls his eyes at me, then glances point-two seconds at the slips of paper like I do.

We’re missing the last piece of the riddle. The tin box—we need to figure out how to open it.

WEE-WOO! WEE-WOO!!!!!Fuck,shit.I grimace as sharp pain stabs my ear. Is it getting louder?

“YOU OKAY?!” I shout at Harriet.

Her face is one giant wince. She’s abandoned the papers just to cover her ears again. I encase my palms over her hands to help muffle the sound.

Her brows knit together in confusion. I read her lips.What about you?She jerks her hands, trying to pull mine off her.

I don’t let her. “I’M OKAY!” I yell, trying to ignore the piercing noise. All I care about is her. All I care about are my brothers. I don’t care what happens to me. I haven’t for a long time…maybe…maybe for my entire life.

She settles down, letting me help her.

Tom and Eliot have resorted to banging their fists on the door. Tom is screaming against the wood. “LET US OUT, YOU FUCKERS!! YOU’RE GOING TO BLOW OUT MY FUCKING EARDRUMS!!”