“What thefuckare you doing here?”
She’s in the middle of plucking a glass of champagne from the tray of a passing waiter. Evelina whirls, gasping at the ferocity of my tone, her eyes widening as she looks up at me towering over her.
“I—” She pauses, then flashes that sweet, innocent smile up at me. “It’s a party for Acolytes and their Adepts?—”
“You’re not an Acolyte.”
Goosebumps break out over her bare arms as she wraps one across her middle. Her delicate throat works as she swallows.
“Yes I am,” she says quietly.
My gaze bores into her. “No, you’renot. I ended it.”
Now run the fuck away before I devour you, little girl.
But the fool stands her ground, looking me right in the eye.
“You told me before—and you were very clear here—that the only way to end this would be for me to use my safe word,” Evelina says quietly. “I haven’t done that.”
“Bravery is to be admired, Evelina,” I growl. “Stupidity, not so much.” She shivers under my frozen glare. “I’m giving you an out,” I hiss quietly. “Take it.”
She blinks quickly, her throat bobbing again. “The other night?—”
“Wasnothing,” I snap. “That was a free swim in the kiddie pool. You have no fuckingideahow deep the real one gets,” I snarl.
I fully invade her personal space, stepping so close that she’s forced to retreat until finally her back hits the wall. Her big gray eyes widen as they look into mine.
The champagne ripples in the flute caught between her fingers.
Then, she opensthat mouth.
“I’m still here,” she whispers.
“Why,” I growl.
Evelina trembles and shrinks into the wall when I move even closer.
“Why do you want into the Syndicate so fucking badly,” I hiss quietly. “You’re a princess. You’re not a second-born with aims of leading that will never be realized. Your little friend that you came here tonight with? Gabriella?Shewants power that she’ll never get living in her big brother Nero’s shadow.” I shake my head. “But that's not you.”
She glares at me. “I—I want to be in the Syndicate, because you told me the Syndicate helps its own?—”
“Try again.”
Shecannotbe that foolish to want to commit herselffor lifeto this organization just to help her dog-shit father out a mess of his own making. A man who doesn’t give afuckabout her, or anyone other than himself and his own ambitions.
No. That’s not why she’s here. Maybe at first, but not now.
“Do you want to know what I think?” I purr, my eyes glinting down at her. “I think you got a taste of something you’ve only ever fantasized about, and you’ve realized how much you like it.” I move so close that my body presses into hers.
Evelina’s eyes widen. “I?—”
“Are you here for mycock, Evelina?”
Her face explodes with heat. “No!”she blurts indignantly, her whole body turning red. “I want nothing todowith your…your?—!”
“Cock,” I murmur. “Say it.”
Her mouth pulls to a line, and her head shakes subtly side to side.
