Scorpio

Chapter IX

She settled again with her back to the wall. "Always keep your cool, Killian," she warned him. "Don't forget that the show must go on."

"The show," he grumbled, "has been going on for a d—— long time already."

"And it must if you want ours to keep going on. Now, though, we must give them another push."

"You think there haven't been enough pushes yet?"

"We need to make sure that scum doesn't back down."

He nodded in agreement. "Otherwise, we'll have two more problems to worry about."

"Problems?" she said archly. "There will be no more problems. Who caused the problems to begin with? You tell me." She pointed an accusatory finger at him.

He pinched the skin between his thick eyebrows and rubbed them in fatigue. "It was one bad job. One."

"Yes, and it happened in my house because you weren't careful about your traditions."

"I didn't know she had——"

She cut him off, "But, as you still want to excel in college, and I don't want my family's name dragged through the mud before elections, I——" she emphasized the word, "——am making sure there will be no more problems."

"You don't think this will make things worse?" he asked.

"Absolutely not," she replied. "You said that other kid—what was his name?"

"Joey Kiplinger."

"Yes, Joey agreed to host this time."

He scoffed, "Thinking it was such a big honor."

"They always do—because our reputation is our most valuable asset. So, no more errors from our end."

"I'll invite him."

"Yes, and he'll probably bring her to show off like all the lovestruck freshies. You said last time, she won?"

"Wicked good, as he said," Killian popped the knuckles in his hands.

"That figures. Not a problem."

"How?" He turned to look at her.

"Keep the same set-up as last time," she instructed him, "except make sure that they sit her two seats to the left."

"Two seats to the left?"

She smiled, one thin, glossy curve. "She's not the only one who knows how to play that game. And..." she continued, "before you leave, bring some of that."

"Are you saying to..."

"Yes, because clearly," she rolled her eyes, "he isn't going to go through with things.

"So, we'll have to?"

"For the record, we didn't, because you know how to handle that, right?" she purred.

"Yes," he replied grimly.

"Good, then it's settled. After this, the fun can begin." She narrowed her eyes. "And this time, make sure she's unarmed."

"Of course," Killian muttered. "Had to shell out extra for that guy she stabbed with a wine bottle opener."

"Not just that," Zirconia clarified. "The other stuff, too. Remember, no repeats."

After a minute of silence, she pulled at Killian's sleeve. "Come on, let's go back. If we're excused for any longer, they might think we've ditched the dinner."