“Yeah. That’s why I want you to keep it a secret. I want tosurpriseher once it’s done. I even brought Rack to help bulk it up. Can’t have my baby sis in a place that’s this vulnerable.”
It’s not vulnerable, I thought, but I kept that to myself. In fact, it was fortified better than most Syndicate compounds. We’d just survived an ambush assault that had been executed with internal intel, yet the place hadn’t even blinked.
“And I’m guessing you also ran into Alic?”
Calix went quiet, clearly distracted by something else, then finally said, “What? Oh, yeah. Hard not to bump into him. Tried to ask him to keep this quiet, and he flat-out told me no. Something about not ‘fucking with another Syndicate sibling again.’ How the fuck is thatmyfault?”
His laugh was genuine this time. “Word of advice from her big bro, when dealing with Aniyah, you're going to need some big cojones. My sister’s not for the faint of heart or those ruled by fear. She’ll just chew you up and spit you out in the end. You gotta be strong enough to weather her storm, then, and only then, can you see the beauty in her chaos.”
I was stunned for a second, not knowing what to say, but Calix laughed it off again.
“I should be happy about the loyalty you all have for my sister, but it’s alsopissing me off.Just don’t tell her! That's an order!”Click.
I pulled the phone from my ear, staring at the screen like it had personally offended me.
Great. Now, he was here too, and I was going to disobey his direct order. Fuck me.
The soft click of the front door broke the quiet. Familiar voices, low, rough, and unmistakable, floated in like a storm rolling through the hallway. So much for my pity party.
I left behind what little peace I’d managed to scavenge and shut the double doors behind me. My steps echoed as I made my way down the corridor and turned the corner, just in time to catch the show.
Rasmus stood in front of the others, arms crossed, eyes blazing with the kind of feral irritation that said they’d personally offended his god, and he was one decimal away from snapping.
“If you wake Aniyah up with your goddamn stomping,” he growled, his voice laced with murderous intent, “I swear to fuck, I’ll gut each of you right here. I’ll rip your hearts out and toss them in the dumpster out back. I can blame the whole mess on some unlucky bastard crossing the street, then I’ll be forced to kill him too, just to calm her down. Andallof that will be your fault. I won’t feel bad in the least.”
Lucus looked around, that usual sharp-edged arrogance bleeding out of him as his gaze settled on Rasmus. “Who the fuckis this wily bastard,” he muttered, brows drawn tight, “and when did he grow a pair of crazy balls?”
Maso just arched a brow at Rasmus, unbothered. He shuffled over to the loveseat and spread out like a king claiming a throne, taking up the entire seat without a word.
It was Alic who surprised me most. He just rolled his eyes and silently walked off. No sharp comments, no suspicious, angry glares. Didn’t he distrust Rasmus? What the hell happened back at his place?
Lucus stepped in closer, the air shifting with the weight of him as he inhaled deeply. His silver eyes turned into bladed slits, lips curled with a dark chuckle. “Oh. You finally got a taste, and now you think you’ve earned a seat at the big boys’ table.”
Rasmus stood, slow and deliberate, and met his gaze with a quiet snarl. “Big boys’ table? Don’t make me laugh. I’m at theboyfriendtable. She even said so.”
The room turned razor-sharp. Lucus’ neck cracked as his head tilted, eyes going wide, his barely contained rage vibrating under his skin.
I stepped in before it could detonate. This was basically my job at the Winged Palace, managing egos and monsters. Only now, it involved the lovers of my soulmate. No pressure.
“She hasn’t even acknowledged that we’re mates,” Lucus growled, his voice fraying. “She wears my mark, yet still refuses to say it aloud, but he gets the title ofboyfriend?”
His pain was real. I understood it, but now wasn’t the time to bleed. Now wasn't the time to demand answers.
“That hasn’t been confirmed yet,” I said evenly, lifting my chin when his eyes snapped to mine. “She needed sleep first.”
Rasmus didn’t sit on that. Of course, not. Maybe the guy did have a death wish.
“Think she’s not my mate?” he shot back. “My horns only grow around her, but I keep them hidden. She’s not ready yet, and I respect that. I told her I’d follow her, mate or not. Bond or not. Nothing is going to pull me from her side. Sheneedsthat kind of devotion. That kind of unshakable strength and confidence.”
Alic emerged from the shadows, silent but sharp. His eyes flicked to Rasmus just as the demon closed the laptop and tucked it under his arm, and for the first time… I saw it. A sliver of respect in Alic’s gaze. I guess hell really had frozen over.
Rasmus met his stare, voice cool and cutting. “When you all grow your crazy balls, let me know. Then we can go toe-to-toe, but from where I’m standing?” He smirked. “I’m the only one here who deserves the title.”
Then he stalked off, probably to keep watch over Aniyah like he said earlier.
He was still crazy—completely unhinged, in fact—but… he wasn’t wrong.
“Look,” I said, dragging a calming hand through my hair, “let’s all cool down. Get some sleep. Go over everything we found when she wakes up. There’s a spare room in the back, the couch pulls out, and there’s an inflatable mattress in the closet.” I pointed to the one near the bathroom.
