Page 8 of Two For the Show (Trapped On The Tightrope Duet #2)

I bounce into the light booth, Edmund on my heels.

“Hey guys!” I say to Travis and Chet, who are hunched over the sound and light boards as Rex does his weird ass routine. It’s spooky that a body can move that way. “Edmund is going to take over for you for a moment. Our esteemed showrunner has requested your presence.”

Travis snorts. “Edmund can’t handle doing both, especially not for your act. Aren’t you up soon?”

I run my fingers through my hair. “Yeah, but this is what Jude asked for. He said you’re needed more down there. Who am I to tell the boss no?” I pat the young Beta on the back between the shoulder blades. “But I have faith in Edmund! You can do it, right, bud?”

Edmund nods rapidly. “Absolutely. I won’t let you down.”

I beam at him, tapping the end of his nose like he’s a small child. “I know you won’t! Come on, boys!”

Reluctantly, with much complaining, Travis and Chet heave themselves out of their chairs and trail after me to the dress tent. Jude is leaning down, whispering to Matteo .

I always forget how giant the Māori showrunner is. He towers over the Beta, his chin-length wavy hair a curtain over his face that I want to run my fingers through and grip tightly.

Fuck, I can’t think about that while wearing these tiny fucking shorts. They would show the truth that I’m not sure Jude is ready to address.

I’m into him. Like, really into him. He’s cozy and comfortable with his big belly and massive hands. He’s got this quiet kind of power to him that I’m so attracted to, sometimes it’s hard to see straight.

When we first hooked up, I was shocked. I could count the number of times Jude had taken someone to his trailer in all the time I knew him on one hand.

It never seemed like he was into people sexually.

Still, I must’ve been wrong, because after a few days in close proximity to one another, we fell into bed together, and holy fuck, it was like fireworks exploding.

If fireworks caused insane orgasms. That would be really annoying on New Year’s Eve if that were the case.

He looks up at me through squinted eyes, like he knows I’m remembering how small I felt beneath him. I bow exaggeratedly, holding my arm out as I gesture to the two Alphas who are trailing after me.

“Travis and Chet, my good sir!” I croon. “As requested.”

Jude grunts and looks the two up and down. “Good, thanks, Dario. Dexter should be back with Elvis soon.”

Travis stiffens almost imperceptibly. “What’s Elvis got to do with whatever this is?”

“Oh, we’re developing a new act!” I say, bouncing on the balls of my feet, feigning lightheartedness. “And we thought you three could help us. ”

“How are we supposed to do that? We’re not performers,” Chet says cautiously.

Matteo crosses his arms and smiles, but it’s not his normal, bright one. It’s sinister and typically reserved for his Maestro persona. “Oh, you don’t need to be performers. We thought this was a good way to change your status in the show.”

“Yeah, it was Jude’s idea. We’re just the executors.” I swear Jude is trying to flay me alive with his mind for my word choice, but I don’t regret it.

Neither of them is smart enough to catch the wordplay.

My brother enters the tent with a confused Elvis trailing after him. As soon as the timid Alpha spots Chet and Travis, his face drains of all color.

“Oh good, the gang’s all here!” I grab my brother’s hand and pull him to my side. He’s wearing matching shorts, but instead of gold, they’re silver, and his hair has grown out a bit in the months since Alex has been gone.

I think it suits him, and selfishly, I like that we look even more different than we did before.

“Alright, let’s get going,” Jude huffs, holding open the tent. “Everyone in the ring.”

“You have been an incredible audience, Youngston!” Jude shouts, arms held wide.

The audience goes wild, hooting and whooping in response to his praise.

“And we have something special for you tonight, so get out those phones and hit that red button because you’re going to want a record of this show-stopping moment! ”

Dexter and I flank the trio of Alphas that we’ve determined were the cause of Alex’s torment.

It wasn’t solely the interviews that Jude and Matteo did that sealed it.

We all asked around and found out that the three of them spent time together and would clam up whenever another person came near them while they were talking.

Which wouldn’t have been enough to incriminate them. However, Jude used his master key during a show while the other acts were performing and entered their trailers, where he found the clown masks, and that was the final nail in the coffin.

Speaking of clown masks.

Quinton strolls into the ring with all three dangling from his hand. He hangs out behind the Alphas, and they haven’t spotted him yet, too distracted by the crowd watching them.

Good. I want them as blind sided as possible.

“You see, today is the day we add clowns to our lineup!” Jude booms to much applause. “The number one request from our audiences is that they want to see devious clowns, and we sure do have a corrupted trio for you tonight!”

Quinton hands Dexter and me each a mask, and the three of us pull them down over the heads of the Alphas, who have already tried to start backing out of the ring. We block their bodies, keeping them from escaping.

Jude’s eyes are dark, and his smile is sinister as he continues with the act. “These three have only worked together once that we know of before, so you’ll have to forgive them if they’re not show-ready. We couldn’t wait any longer to let you know that we found the clowns we were looking for.”

The specific wording Dexter wrote for Jude is meant to signal to Alex, should she see one of the videos taken tonight, that we have found the people responsible for her torment.

And now we’re going to make clear that she’s safe if she comes back here.

“Now, with the help of Quick Cut, Maestro, and the Twisted Twins, we’re going to show you how much we appreciate what these clowns have done for us.” Jude stalks forward, stopping in front of the three. He reaches up and turns off his lavalier mic.

“Because we know exactly what you did to our Omega.”

“Look, man, I don’t know what you think happened,” Chet starts to bluster. “But we didn’t do nothing.”

“Yeah, whatever that bitch accused us of…” Travis begins.

“We did it,” Elvis yelps. “I didn’t know it would go as far as it did. I thought we were just going to fuck with her a little. Like hazing.”

“Shut up, Elvis,” Chet hisses. “Shut your fucking mouth.”

“No. You two assaulted her. I should’ve said something as soon as it happened, but I need this job.” Elvis turns to Jude, his eyes pleading for mercy that he’s not going to receive. “I’m sorry, Jude. If I had known she was your Omega...”

“What, you wouldn’t have touched her? But any other Omega is fair game?” Quinton sneers.

Chet rolls his eyes dramatically. “It was only a little roughing up. She’s fine.”

“Was it roughing up when you destroyed her nest?” I grit out through my clenched teeth.

It’s at this point that Travis realizes that just because Jude’s mic is off, it doesn’t mean the rest of ours are. The audience gasps loudly at my words .

No matter who you are, everyone knows that touching an Omega’s nest may as well be a crime. It’s one of the most taboo things you can do. Even the cruelest of Alphas will leave an Omega’s nest alone at risk of causing a Storm when the Omega realizes their safe space has been violated.

“Maestro, didn’t you say you needed someone new to toss your knives at? That I was getting to be a little too easy?” Quinton says, gripping Elvis by the shoulders. “I think our clowns would love to volunteer for the role.”

The audience roars their approval, and the three clowns collectively take several steps back.

“Or maybe it’s time to teach them to walk the tightrope?” Dexter asks, his voice a bored drawl that I know hides more rage than he knows what to do with.

My brother misses Alex, even if he won’t say it. He was getting used to her presence, even if he was a bit reluctant to admit it. I genuinely think, if he had had one more week with her, his walls would’ve cracked entirely to let her in.

Now the chasm between them is back, and I pray that it’ll close once she’s with us.

“Ooh, I love that idea, brother,” I say, making sure I lean a little closer to Quinton so his mic picks up my words. “Or we could have them swing from the trapeze.”

“Maybe we leave it up to our showrunner?” Matteo says, gesturing at Jude. “What do you think, Youngston?”

The crowd roars their approval, and Jude flicks his mic on again to address them.

“Did you hear that, folks? I told you these clowns were demented. Assaulting an Omega, destroying her nest… Can you think of anything more depraved?” The crowd roars their dissent, and I sneak a sideways glance at my brother.

He looks smug, knowing his idea was a good one and that this is going to work .

“Sometimes, the trash takes itself out. Other times, it requires a kick in the ass. So, Travis Daughtery, Chet Longwood, and Elvis Garcia, consider this your kick.” Dexter, Quinton, and I rip their masks off at Jude’s words.

“Get the fuck out of my circus,” he says, with a full-force Alpha bark that has me flinching.

Travis is spitting mad, and Chet looks murderous, but Elvis is resigned, his eyes downcast. I feel a little bad for the kid. I’m sure he just got wrapped up with the wrong guys.

But I don’t feel that bad. He terrorized my Omega, and that can’t fucking stand.

I push Travis out as Dexter shoves Chet toward the back of the tent. Elvis hangs his head and follows us, needing no encouragement.

“Your trailers have been packed up. We’ve called a rideshare. I don’t care where you go, but you better not come back,” I snarl, shoving Travis probably more roughly than I need to.

Dexter grabs Chet by the collar and pulls the other Alpha close, their noses nearly touching. “And whichever of you it was that called Rich, I hope you fucking burn. The only thing keeping me from wringing your neck is that I don’t want to become my father.”