Chapter 98 | A Deal with the Devil in Pink Shorts

The room got colder.

"Instead I’m offering you a way out. Take the fall. Keep breathing. Try again next month."

I tested the ropes again. Still tight.

My mind raced through options.

Call for help? Misato would knock me out again before I got three words out.

Agree and lie? She’d see through it.

Actually agree? Screw over Belle, Naomi, and Jordan because some rich bitch couldn’t handle being told no?

"What if I say no?" I met Misato’s stare. "What if I tell you to go fuck yourself and your threats?"

Misato’s expression didn’t change.

"Then I let you go. You do whatever you want Friday." She stood. Walked to the window. "And Blair does whatever she wants after."

"She’ll come after me."

"Probably."

"You’ll let her?"

Misato turned. The moonlight painted her face in shadows.

"I’ll try to stop her. Best I can." Her voice carried zero confidence. "But I can’t promise anything."

Silence filled the room.

My wrists burned. My head throbbed. My entire body felt like I’d been run through Garrett’s circuit three times.

And I had to choose between screwing over my team or potentially dying.

Cool. Love that for me.

"There’s a third option," I said.

Misato raised an eyebrow. "What?"

"I do the assessment. Give it everything I have. We finish top five like we’ve been training for."

"Blair will—"

"And you tell Blair you tried to stop me but I refused." I kept going. "You warned me. Did everything short of breaking my legs. But I’m stubborn and stupid."

"She won’t believe it."

"She will if you sell it right." I leaned back. "You’re her best friend. Her shadow. She trusts you more than anyone."

Misato’s jaw tightened.

"That trust is the only reason my mom still has a job."

"Or it’s the only leverage you have." I held her gaze. "Blair needs you. You make her functional. Without you she’s just anger and money with no direction."

"That’s not—"

"It’s exactly true and you know it." I nodded toward the window. "You’ve been managing her since you were kids. Keeping her from going full villain. Making her almost tolerable."

Misato didn’t respond.

But she didn’t deny it either.

"So here’s what happens." I kept my voice level. "You untie me. I go home. Friday I give the assessment everything I have. We succeed or fail on our own merit."

"And Blair?"

My mouth curved. Couldn’t help it.

"Tell her I want to make a deal."

Misato’s expression shifted. Suspicious. Curious.

"What kind of deal?"

"The kind where everybody wins. Or loses. Depending." I tested the ropes again. Still tight as hell. "Whose apartment is this anyway?"

"Mine. Well. Technically I live here but my roommate treats it like her personal concert venue." Misato gestured toward the closed bedroom door. Music thumped through the walls. Something with heavy bass and aggressive vocals. "She’s a fourth year. Spends most nights with her girlfriend so I get the place to myself usually."

"Summit House perks."

"Something like that." Misato crossed her arms. "So this deal. Why would Blair even listen?"

"Because I’m offering her exactly what she wants." I met her eyes. "A chance to crush me properly."

Silence.

Misato’s brain worked behind her stare. Processing angles.

"You’re serious."

"Dead serious."

"If you’re playing games—"

"No games. Real proposal. But I need her here to explain it." I rolled my shoulders. The ropes dug deeper. "So call her. Tell her I’m ready to negotiate."

Misato pulled out her phone. Typed something.

Ten seconds passed.

The reply came fast enough that Blair must’ve been staring at her screen.

Misato’s eyebrows rose. "She said she’ll be here in five minutes."

"That was easy."

"She’s been waiting for you to crack." Misato pocketed her phone. Looked at me properly. "What’s your actual angle here?"

"Honestly?"

"Yeah."

I grinned. "I really want to see Blair lose."

Something flickered across Misato’s face. Almost a smile. Almost respect.

She didn’t untie me yet though.

Smart.

The music cut off suddenly. Door opened. A tall girl with neon pink hair emerged wearing pajama pants and a sports bra. Looked at me tied up on the couch. Looked at Misato.

"Do I want to know?"

"Probably not."

"Cool." Pink hair grabbed water from the fridge. Headed back to her room. "Keep the screaming down. I have an exam tomorrow."

The door closed. Music resumed at slightly lower volume.

I sat there. Wrists burning. Throat dry.

"Can I get some water?" I asked. "My throat’s kind of parched."

Misato walked to the kitchen. Came back with a glass.

She held it to my lips. I drank. The water tasted like Los Angeles tap with a hint of copper.

"Thanks."

"Don’t thank me yet." Misato set the glass on the coffee table. "Blair’s going to eat you alive."

"Looking forward to it."

Misato’s expression went flat. "You’re either brave or brain damaged."

"Little of both probably."

Footsteps in the hallway outside. Fast and angry.

The door slammed open.

Blair Davenport stormed in wearing a black zip-up hoodie and pale pink short shorts that barely qualified as clothing. Her thick thighs moved with each aggressive step. The hoodie hung unzipped halfway, showing a white tank top underneath that hugged her ridiculous curves. Her short red hair was slightly damp like she’d just gotten out of another shower. Those ice-blue eyes locked onto me immediately.

Murderous.

"What the hell is he doing here?"

Her voice could’ve cut glass.

Misato closed the door behind Blair. "He asked to speak with you."

"Oh did he?" Blair’s laugh came out sharp. Mean. "And you thought tying him up was necessary because?"

"He was going to scream for help."

"Smart." Blair walked closer. Stopped right in front of me. Looked down.

I looked up.

God she was gorgeous when she was angry.

Face flushed. Eyes bright. Chest heaving slightly.

Stop it. Focus.

"So you had time to think about my offer." Blair crossed her arms. Pushed her chest up. Probably didn’t realize. Definitely didn’t care. "So you finally came to your senses?"

"I did think about it."

"And?"

I held her stare. Let the pause stretch.

Her jaw tightened.

"Took you long enough to realize how things work here." Blair’s mouth curved into something cold. Satisfied. "Smart choice. I’ll have the money transferred tomorrow. All you have to do is fail quietly on Friday and—"

"Aht aht aht!" I cut her off.

"I have a proposition to make. I’m not gonna just quit like some pathetic loser. Sorry to disappoint."