Page 114 of Pretty When She Breaks

I sighed, letting my previous train of thought go. She’d been majorly pissed off since I ordered her to swap the rofetaminedoses, and had been fighting me relentlessly on calling off the plan.

I thought she’d be able to do it by accessing the drugs when she was on one of her visits to Ocean. Instead, she’d gone downstairs to a special viewing cage that was right next to the Sink, and would apparently have to swap the syringes right before Ocean got them. It was a little more exposed that I thought it would be, but I wasn’t calling off the plan simply because of that.

Plus, Kaos and I were really concerned about Ocean going feral. It was an unknown I wanted to avoid at all costs. I typed out my reply and hit send.

Me: The plan hasn’t changed. Proceed.

Her reply came moments later.

Laurel: Fuck you.

Well, she wasn’t in charge. I was. I could take her anger if it meant keeping Ocean safe.

I caught a nose full of copper and iron, and Madison walked behind me, heading somewhere with purpose. My heart sank as he walked straight for the black door I was watching. He opened it and stepped inside. Shit. I’d ordered Laurel to carry out this plan, and she’d be compelled to do so, even if Madison was there, watching her every move.

Me: If Madison or anyone gets suspicious, do not continue with the plan.

There. That should cover her.

I felt her icy fear spear through the bond, making mybreath catch. Madison must have found her down there. But she had my release order, and so she’d be all right.

Another minute passed, and the fear didn’t let up. I took out my phone again.

Me: Laurel, are you all right? Respond.

Nothing.

I watched the door, hoping to see her step out, but instead, I watched Dax and Prince open it and disappear as well.

Laurel’s fear didn’t fade.

SIXTY-ONE

LAUREL

I pulled my cardigan tighter around myself as I stared at the fighting cage of the Sink. I was so used to seeing it from above, it seemed much larger now that I was standing directly in front of it. Only a set of bars lay between me being able to walk over and touch the chain link around the outer edge of the Sink.

This little caged area—the Den—had been made to keep viewers safe, while being as close to the fights as possible. It was barely used; I was only down here because of Finch’s command to switch out Ocean’s rofetamine. I’d subtly manoeuvred the Lucas pack into closing the Duchess Suite for tonight, then made my way down here before they could invite me anywhere else.

The medicine carts were set up in their usual spot, right on the other side of the Den’s bars. I’d already filled a syringe with clear saline for the placebo. All that was left was to reach through the bars and swap the syringe, once I knew which one was going to be administered to Ocean.

The alphas would be dragged right past me to the ante-cages, drugged, and released into the bright lights to fight.

I knew from experience that I’d be able to smell the blood, the thick scents of the alphas, the way the rofetamine hung in their auras, making them metallic and wrong. The idea of Ocean’s beautiful salty black coral scent, tainted with rofetamine…well, I’d rather be anywhere else.

I was desperate to leave, but each time I tried to exit the Den, Finch’s command to carry out this plan would kick in.

So far, I’d made it up two whole stairs before the pain became too much and I was forced back.

I’d tried to cover my tracks as much as I could; I’d already bribed the staff who were on tonight so that they would keep quiet about my presence. But bribing in itself was a risky game. They could just as easily be paid off to rat me out if someone flashed more money than I had.

All for this stupid plan that wouldn’t even work, anyway.

I’d told Ocean, instructing him to take this loss and go down fast, because anyone with eyes would be able to tell he wasn’t rutting.

You can’t fake that.

My phone buzzed.