Chapter 7: The Setup

Freya’s POV

The door clanked shut behind her, sealing the three of us in.

Stella took a slow step inside, her arms still crossed, that same smug look painted on her face.

She wasn’t shocked to see me. She wasn’t even curious. She looked... satisfied.

She’d been expecting this.

“You know,” she said, her voice almost sweet, “I saw you the moment you stepped into the club.”

Just my luck—shittier than ever.

Her heels clicked once against the tile as she stepped forward.

“I figured, why not give you a proper welcome? A little gift. Since you like playing the heroine.”

My eyes darted to the boy—David, I remembered now. His grip was still tight around my upper arm. His breath stank of whiskey and something sour, like old milk or fruit gone bad. He was still smirking, like he thought this was funny.

“Here’s how it works,” Stella went on, her voice lighter now. “You take Grace’s place. Since you’re so eager to defend her, it’s only fair.”