Chapter 2

I opened the security footage with shaking hands. There it was: Arnold sliding the jade bracelet onto Felicia's wrist.

"I can't believe Josephine's been hiding a piece this nice. A slut like her doesn't deserve jade this good."

"Oh, I couldn't," Felicia simpered.

But she slipped it neatly onto her wrist all the same, thrilled, with no intention of ever taking it off.

My teeth ground together.

Arnold knew perfectly well that bracelet was the only thing my mother ever left me, and he'd handed it to Felicia behind my back.

I gripped the wheel, spun the car around, and raced back to the zoo.

I pushed open the office door, and the second Arnold saw me his face darkened. He rounded on me.

"Josephine, where the hell did you go? How long does it take to open a few cages?"

"And why weren't you answering your phone?"

Felicia's eyes slid over me, insinuating, her voice sour and sly.

"In a downpour like this. You didn't sneak off to cheat on him with some other man, did you?"

I looked at the fresh red marks smudged plain as day across both their throats, and felt sick and half like laughing. These two, doing something this filthy, and still they had the nerve to cry thief first.

I dropped the burlap sack on the floor, letting the words carry their weight.

"The animals looked half starved, so I went and bought some meat."

I'd grabbed it at a supermarket on the way, just to back up the story.

Arnold's eyes flickered, and he turned his face away.

"They're just animals. So what if they go hungry a few days? Why do you even care."

I laughed coldly. A minute ago he was forcing me to release them, and now they were just animals not worth caring about. He could actually say both things out loud?

The rain came down harder. I had no time to waste on them. I stepped forward and grabbed Felicia's wrist.

"Give the bracelet back."

I'd barely used any force, but Felicia let out a shrill, agonized scream, tears springing to her eyes.

"Josie, you're hurting me!"

Arnold charged over and shoved me hard.

I lost my balance, and my lower back slammed into the sharp corner of the desk. The pain broke a cold sweat over me.

He put himself between me and Felicia and started cursing at me.

"Josephine, have you lost your mind? It's one bracelet. Do you have to be this vicious?"

"You've got so much jewelry. What's the harm in letting her wear it once?"

"It's the only thing my mother left me."

I forced the pain down and pleaded, my voice low.

"Please. Both of you. Just give it back."

Arnold had never seen me lower myself like this. He froze for a second.

Then his brow creased.

"Tch. I almost forgot. Wearing a dead person's things is bad luck."

"Felicia, take it off and give it back to her."

Felicia peeled the bracelet off, reluctant, and held it out to me.

The instant I reached for it, something cruel flashed through her eyes, and she let her fingers go slack.

A sharp crack.

The bracelet hit the floor and broke into pieces.

It felt like a knife driven straight into my heart and twisted.

My eyes went red with fury. My hand came up and swung at Felicia.

Arnold seized my wrist, then whipped his hand back and slapped me across the face.

The crack of it rang through the office. My cheek swelled at once, and blood beaded at the corner of my mouth.

"You just hurt Felicia, and you've got the nerve to raise a hand to her?"

His eyes were dark and vicious. He gave the order.

"Kneel. Apologize to Felicia!"

I refused.

He clamped a hand on my shoulder and forced me down.

He drove me onto the broken shards of jade. Blood welled up instantly and spread red across the floor.

Felicia clutched at Arnold, all false sweetness.

"Arnold, let it go. Josie's a rich man's daughter, she's got a temper. It's only right that I get pushed around."

That only made him ache for her more. He roared at me.

"Get out. Stop being an eyesore. I need to comfort Felicia."

Felicia leaned against Arnold, all coy and bashful, and shot me a smug glance.

Hatred surged up from the bottom of me, and just then a faint, dry hissing reached my ears, coming closer and closer.

The king cobra.

I bit down against the searing pain in my knees and tried to get up and leave.

But Felicia stopped me, her eyes full of suspicion.

"Josephine. I only just put that bracelet on. How did you already know?"