Page 43 of Not Her Day to Die

“This is my favorite view of The Play House.” My captor sneers. “Let’s go.”

19

October 4th

Grayson rubs his chest. An hour ago, a sharp pain started stabbing him over and over again. At first, he ignored it as best he could.

But not any longer.

He walks across the hall to Sunday’s room. Opening the door, he finds Axel inside. Sitting on her bed, staring listlessly at the wall.

“My heart hurts,” Axel says.

Worry, anxiety, unease.

“Call the agent.” Grayson’s palm flattens over his heart. “Mine does too. This has to be a sign. Something isn’t right.”

Axel’s eyes whip up. “I already did.” He reaches behind him. “Take this. We’re going to need it.”

Grayson steps forward, eyeing it warily before reaching out and taking the gun from Axel.

Sunday, I hope you’re okay.

A million choices led them to this moment in time, Grayson isn’t sure what all he would change.

Would he choose to never meet Sunday?

To ship her away?

To force her to leave them?

He wants to say he would, but he knows in his heart that Sunday has wrapped her way into their lives.

And he will never let her go.

20

October 5th

When Darius was ushered to the main house, he didn’t know what to expect. He had been left in one of the cells with no contact with the outside world for over a week.

When he was hooded and dragged out of his prison, he expected the worst.

But somehow it was even more terrible.

How did my brothers let this happen? She should be safe.

“You need to give a good show, make it believable. The audience will have requests, and your job is to fulfill them.” Sterling is folded on a leather chair behind Darius. This is where Sterling would watch the show from, through a TV screen.

Darius and Sunday had been separated into different changing areas. She would be bathed, cleaned, and clothed.

Just as he had been.

“And if I refuse?” Darius clenches his jaw, steeling his nerves.

Talking back to Sterling goes against the gradient. It is difficult, a physical challenge that Darius has to force himself to do.

“Then you will be replaced. Maxwell would be more than happy to do whatever the guests want. And it wouldn’t be too hard to explain how she jumped from one brother to another toanother. We’ll just present her to the public as Maxwell’s.”