“Again, if you have any information regarding Stacia, St. Germaine, please call the LAPD immediately. She is suspected to be armed and dangerous, working alongside known murderer Christos Makris. They were last seen together, leaving her father’s Hollywood club after she broke in and held up the staff, trying to get money.”
I gawk in shock and horror as a blurry surveillance photo of me appears on the screen, leaving the Looking Glass with Christos after I confronted my dad in his office.
This is his way of getting ahead of the game of cat and mouse we currently play. He thinks I’m the mouse, but I am the feline, and my claws are sharper than ever. I’m not a house cat. I’m a fucking wild animal with a thirst to kill that only murdering him will quench.
“What are we going to do? We can’t go to the police. He already has them wrapped around his finger.” Christos sits beside Esteban on the loveseat. Leandro perches on the armrest of the couch, looking at me and Talon. They were all waiting for us when we got back, and this is the first time I’ve gotten to sit down because of my mom. But Talon should’ve caught them up already.
“We need to take it to social media. You know he owns the fucking news stations too.” I comb my fingers through my messy hair, trying my best to fix it. “We need to post the video we took, Talon. We can edit it to remove anything incriminating about us or the Looking Glass. I’ll have Bianca help. We can send it to all the paparazzi and some influencers.”
Talon kisses my cheek. “You’re wickedly good at this.”
“A true leader, right? I always knew Stacia would be a motherfucking excellent Queen.” Christos stands and strides to my side, holding his arms open.
I pull him closer, making Talon laugh as he loses his footing and ends up on top of me, sandwiching me between them. It’s the first time I’ve laughed all day, and it feels incredible. My world is on the verge of imploding, but when I’m with my guys, I feel unstoppable. Invincible.
I feel as if everything will be okay.
Talon works on editing the video he took of my parents fighting and my dad’s admission, and I try my best to ignore the sound of Mom’s screams on camera. Christos hugs me close, snuggling his face to the crook of my shoulder, begging for the attention I’ve denied him over and over again until the truth finally set us both free.
Leandro helps Esteban from the loveseat, and I watch as the two of them head toward Leandro’s office with the promise of making contact with every pap and celebrity unaffiliated with the Society of Secrets that Esteban knows. I just hope it works.
It’s easy to pay off the police when you’re as wealthy as my dad, but he doesn’t stand a chance when the public will demand he gets held accountable. It’s the best I can hope for.
My phone buzzes, drawing my attention. I hadn’t expected messages to come in so soon. I know that Esteban is probably tapping at lightning speed, and those who know me would reach out.
Bianca: Holy shit, bitch! Esteban said not to bother you, but he can suck my big imaginary dick. I heard what happened. Juan knew it would come out, so he told me what he knew. WTAF! Are you okay?
I’m not surprised by Bianca’s message. Juan might be hot and cold with me, but he loves Bianca, and he wouldn’t let her get blindsided like this. If only he’d have spoken up for me. Talon mentioned that he knew about my brother. He knew that I wasn’t Kenneth’s daughter.
Me: I honestly don’t know. He tried to kill my mom. If I hadn’t wanted to confront him, she would be dead.
Bianca: He’s a fucking asshole, and he doesn’t deserve being in his position of power. Juan said that he’s been acting off lately, and he worries about our chapter. If the Society of Secrets suspects that things will get out, they’ll send other enforcers in to fix things.
And by fixings, she pretty much means they’ll kill us all and take control. Because being part of the Society of Secrets means that they also have access to everyone’s assets. Leandro wasn’t really wrong in thinking that the Looking Glass might be a façade for a cult because, in all honesty, it does check quite a few boxes.
Bianca: Juan also said that there’s going to be a summons soon. You know what that means.
Me: That I better hurry up and get this fucking video out there.
Bianca: Are you sure about it? You know how dangerous it is bringing the spotlight on any member of our society. Once it’s out there, you can’t take it back. Maybe there’s another way.
Me: You know there’s not. You saw the news, didn’t you? They have twisted it to make me the suspect. This is the proof I need to exonerate myself. This will fix everything.
Bianca: Just stay safe. Take care of yourself. I don’t trust half of the King’s Court. You know how much they hate change.
Me: Well, they’re going to have to either adapt or die. This bullshit has gone on long enough.
Bianca: Amen, bitch. Take that fucker down. I’ll be cheering for you.
Me: Love you, bitch.
I clutch my phone, staring at the screen, waiting for the backlight to turn off. Christos kisses my neck, bringing my mind away from my conversation with Bianca and to what unfolds in front of us. Talon hooks his phone to a projector, lighting up the wall with the video of Kenneth screaming at my mom. He sends me the file, and my hand buzzes again, my screen lighting up with a memory I wish I could forget, but a memory I need to replay and rewatch over and over again, hoping that it picks up and gets the truth out there.
Esteban shuffles from the hallway with Leandro, and the two of them stare at the projection on the wall. My dad’s voice booms out, exclaiming that he killed my biological dad, and now that I hear it again, my chest aches and my head pounds. He stole away any possible chance I’d ever have of meeting the man that my mom liked enough to betray Kenneth with and have me.
Anger flourishes through me once again, and I dig my nails into my palm. Christos eases my fingers off my phone, taking it away before I break it with my anger.
“Mamacita, I’m sorry. I should’ve known something. He was put on my staff by His Majesty. I should’ve looked more into it. I took Kenneth’s word for it that he was a good dealer.” Esteban frowns, clutching his side, the wound still tender but healing well.