Chapter 4
Chapter 4 — Backstage Passes and Other Lies We Tell Ourselves
Elara spends two weeks preparing for the Damon Cross operation, refining her file and establishing cover as a freelance photographer. Kael secures her backstage access at an indie wrestling event in New Jersey. She observes Cross's operation firsthand, witnessing how he isolates young fans through NDA-backed 'meet-and-greets.' Kael and Elara share a charged moment backstage where their physical attraction intensifies against the backdrop of danger. Elara identifies a key staff member, Renee DuVall, who may be complicit or a potential source. The chapter ends with Elara confirming the venue's security gaps and sending Kael final operational details, setting the stage for their coordinated strike.
Two weeks is a long time when you're trying not to think about someone's hands on your face.
I filled the days the way I always do: with work. The legitimate kind, the kind that pays rent and keeps up appearances. Three commissions completed—a series on urban decay that one collector described as "hauntingly urgent," which I found accidentally hilarious given that I'd painted most of it while mentally cataloging ways to dismember a wrestling promoter.
The nights belonged to Damon Cross.
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