Page 19 of Shallow

Nottoday.

Crossing my arms over my chest, I nod toward the herd of testosterone staring at her like she’s the final crust of bread at a soup kitchen. “Boys, has Shiloh kept youentertained?”

A slow smile builds on Tiny’s face as he steps forward and presses a sweaty palm next to her ear. “Not yet, boss. Looks like princess here thinks she’s about to get a train run on her orsomethin’.”

Although his size gives Tiny the appearance of a predatory linebacker, I’ve worked with him enough to know he’s all talk. However, the horror that crosses Shiloh’s face is priceless. I can see her wheels turning as she glances toward the exit and back to me. She’s weighing the consequences of saying fuck it and making a break for it. Like an asshole, I watch the entire scene play out without budging. She’s in a no-win situation. She loses eitherway.

“A train?” Shiloh shifts shocked face in my direction. “Aren’t you going to dosomething?”

“Nope.” I have no intention of elaborating. With a quick assessment of the room, I settle on what’s closest, grabbing the broom and a dustpan resting on the wall behind me. Fascinated by the inquisitive arc of her brow, I’m in front of her within a few steps and hold them out like anoffering.

“What the hell is that?” she says, staring at the broom withdisgust.

“For you, it’s probably your go-to mode of transportation.” A wave of laughter comes from behind me as I shove it against her chest. “But around here we call it abroom.”

She either doesn’t notice my hand pressed between her breasts, or she doesn’t care, because the timid tick of her jaw turns deadly. “I’m not a moron, Carrick. I know what the hell a broom is. What do you expect me to do withit?”

“Cary,” I remind her. “Although, since you’ll be reporting to me for the next three years, Mr. Kincaid is a little more professional, don’t you think?” Unable to stop myself, I crook a finger and brush her long blonde hair off her face. My hand barely grazes her cheek when her arm flies up out of nowhere and slaps itaway.

“Hands off,Mr. Kincaid,” she warns, drawing my name out with such contempt that all the blood pounding in my head immediately rushessouth.

“Don’t worry, Starshine. No one around here gives enough of a shit to touch you. You’re here for work and decoration.” Before she can object, I pry open her fisted hand and shove the broom init.

“You expect me to clean?” she whispers, her fingers loosely wrapping around the wooden handle. “Inthisoutfit?”

I roll my eyes at her designer jeans and beige t-shirt with a pretentious sequined pocket on the corner. “Unless you plan to take it off, then yes, I expect you down on your hands and knees inthatoutfit.”

A streak of disappointment rushes through me when she doesn’t come back at my taunt. Instead, she grabs the broom and jerks it out of myhand.

“When did you become such a crudeasshole?”

That’s it. Anger is the emotion I want from her. I crave it. It drives me, and the more she spouts off at the mouth, the more my mood improves. Pride is such an unattractive trait, and I’ve forgotten how well she wearsit.

Violating my own rule, I shove the inside of my left wrist in her face and whisper through her blonde waves. “Let’s see, right about thistime.”

It’s almost a rush to watch the immediate crack in her stoned expression. The pale gray in her eyes glitter with flecks of violet the more she stares and my body’s reaction isinvoluntary.

I’ve waited for thismoment.

I watch her selfish brain decipher the first tattoo I marked myself with. The symbol of the medical profession stretches from the base of my wrist up to my elbow. Two winding snakes wrap around the caduceus wand, flanked at the top by a set of elaboratewings.

The moment her eyes land on the pinnacle, my heart pounds a revengeful beat. The meaning is unmistakable, and if she had any doubts as to what she’d walked into, the faded ink explodes them intooblivion.

Sitting on the top of the staff, in between the flared wings, a brightly colored star erupts into a ball of flames. Embers rain down, ripping the flesh off the snakes in a gruesome display of pain andsuffering.

“What’s that?’ she whispers in a tone so low I’m not sure she meant to speak atall.

“Skyfall.”

The final stage in a star’s reign—a dramatic and catastrophic explosion, destroying everything in itspath.

Her.

Shiloh can never unfuck the lives she’s ruined. After she pays her penance to the world, Ellie will still be dead.So, I’ll spend the rest of her time here making her wish she wastoo.

Six

Cary