The look in his eyes, full of worship, of hunger, had me tipping forward before I could stop myself. My hand reached up, brushing back a wayward raven curl from his face. He shivered under the touch.
“I’m going with you,” Alic barked, glaring at the little space between us like we’d just committed a crime.
“And me,” Maso growled, his tone laced with something deeper, something possessive.
I pulled away from Ras with a sigh before this turned into a damn group outing.
“No,” I said, turning to Maso. I softened my voice, hoping he heard that this wasn’t a rejection. His eyes betrayed a flicker of hurt, and it made something in my chest twist. “We need to split up. I needusto work as a team. I know the guests, and I know the staff. I’m the one who needs to watch the footage. Alic can be there for security. Ras is there to get access. That’s it.”
I turned toward my golden boy. “Van, I need you to go to my office. Grab the backup thumb drive, the one with all the membership files. You know where I keep it.”
His eyes lit up as he held out his hand for the key.
I tapped my watch, opening the magical pocket of space Calix had given me for my twenty-first birthday. Still one of his bestinventions, it was perfect for club nights when a purse was one accessory too many.
I reached in, dug around, and pulled out the small silver key. Handing it to Van, I stood on tiptoe and gave him a soft kiss on the corner of his mouth—a momentary break in our unspoken rules. His eyes went wide with surprise, then fluttered shut like he was savoring it.
“And what doIneed to do to earn a kiss?” Lucus’ voice came from behind, his breath hot on my neck. There was something dangerous in his tone. Something about seeing another man earn my kiss had waved a red flag in front of this bull.
Smirking over my shoulder, I took the British bull head-on. “You and Maso are going back to the club to look for clues. You were with me on the main floor, and Maso was upstairs with Alic, so he’ll know where to look.”
I peeked around Lucus to check in with Maso. He gave me a curt nod, frustrated but obedient. He might’ve been Nova’s pick, but he still had to earn his place.
Then, just to mess with Lucus, I fisted a handful of his white-gold hair and yanked him down, punishing him with a kiss that left his lips parted and his thoughts scattered. I pulled away before he could enjoy it too much.
Facing the group, I raised a brow. “Are we all clear?”
“This way,”Ras called out, already tugging his hoodie over his head. Not as prepared as he was, I was blinded by the morning sun when we turned the corner. We were supes, so we could stilllive and function without sleep, but I didn't enjoy going out into the world during daylight, so I was a little cranky.
“Yeah, yeah, I heard you.”
I’d expected at least a few blocks of walking, which was why I’d swapped my shorts for an ultra-mini circle skirt and a cute set of kitten heels rather than stilettos. A strategic fashion choice. Can’t step outside without givingsomethingto look at. However, the second we rounded the corner, he was heading up the steps and unlocking the front door of the first building we came across.
“You livethisclose?” I blinked, taking in the building. It was right behind mine and practically next door to the Winged Palace. We were neighbors. What were the odds?
His cheeks flushed, a dusting of pink under dark curls, and he gave a tiny nod. “Yeah.”
He opened the door for me, his eyes avoiding mine, though I was unsure what he was trying to hide from me. The second I stepped through, he let it swing shut behind us, leaving Alic to deal with it while he guided me straight toward the elevator. He treated me with the care you’d give something delicate, something precious. Was he afraid I’d get second thoughts and turn around if he gave me a second to think about it?
He kept glancing back at me, fidgeting with the hem of his shirt, fingers twitching, as nervous as a boy bringing his crush home to meet judgmental parents.
God, please don’t let his parents actually be home.
We squeezed into the elevator, definitely smaller than mine, and he hit the button for the top floor. Just like mine. Interesting.
Was Ras a secret rich kid? A trust-fund demon? Because when I moved into the city, I made it my business to researcheveryone. I memorized the names of the powerful, the connected, the dangerously rich. No one like him ever showed up.
Trust me, I would’ve remembered a sexy, soft-spoken tech demon with ruby eyes and a street-style edge.
The elevator dinged, and he moved to hold the door, casting another shy glance in my direction before looking down again as if my face might reveal something he wasn’t ready to see.
I stepped out.
A strangled growl behind me made me glance back. Alic was struggling, caught in the elevator doors, his face a storm cloud. Ras watched, a little too calm, and I caught the flash of something sharp and dark twinkling in his eyes. Just a flicker.
Huh. The more I watched him, the more interested I became.
“Come on,” Ras said casually, waving at me to follow. “He’ll catch up.”
