Total pages in book: 138
Estimated words: 131708 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 659(@200wpm)___ 527(@250wpm)___ 439(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 131708 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 659(@200wpm)___ 527(@250wpm)___ 439(@300wpm)
“Just think,” began Mia, nudging her gently, “if you hadn’t come here with me that night I badgered you to come, you probably would never have slept with Viper. And then maybe you guys wouldn’t have what you have now.”
What they had . . Well, it was nothing close to a shallow arrangement anymore. It had been his idea for them to have a little fun here at the club rather than simply go straight to his clubhouse. He did that now. Proposed they go here or there. Sometimes to the movies or restaurants, though she’d use a glamor spell to conceal her identity from others. Other times he’d choose isolated scenic spots, and they might even take a picnic. He never called them ‘dates’, but that was what they were.
More significantly, he took her out for rides on his bike. She knew it was no little thing that he’d had her on the back of his bike. It showed that he truly considered her his. Not just in a sexual sense, but in a whole other way. And since her own feelings of possessiveness were pretty intense where he was concerned, it was a relief that they both appeared to be on the same page.
Her demon liked him a whole lot; wanted to keep him. Which wasn’t necessarily a good thing. Such entities lacked the capacity to feel love, but they did form very strong attachments to people. If that happened, well, the entities wouldn’t let them go.
“You should thank me, really,” Mia pushed. “I’m basically the reason you two got together.”
Brushing a hand down her emerald-green halter neck dress, Ella snorted. “I just knew you’d try to take credit for it.” She pushed open the door and stepped out of the staff area.
Her demon frowned at the loudness of the thumping music and the strong scents of cologne, alcohol, perfume, and musk. It was only the knowledge that Viper was further inside that kept the entity from urging Ella to leave.
She and Mia slowly walked through the club, both bopping their heads to the music. Ella didn’t worry that anyone would recognize her, since she’d used a glamor spell to edit her appearance. It had been Viper’s idea for her to do that whenever they were out in public together. He didn’t want any watchful strix to turn their attention to her. Dice was in the same boat with Mia, and so she too wore glamor tonight.
Of course, for Ella, using glamor had the added bonus of ensuring that her loved ones remained in the dark about her involvement with Viper. But at this point, it seemed unfair of her to keep him a secret. He didn’t appear to be upset about it, but it still felt wrong. “I need to pull up my big girl panties and finally tell Mom, Jocelyn, and Luka that I’ve been seeing Viper.”
Mia sighed. “When you do, I’ll tell them about Dice. I wasn’t going to, since things aren’t serious between us. But it’ll help take some of the heat off you.”
“I wouldn’t expect you to—”
“You’d the same for me.”
Yes, Ella would. “I had planned to cough it up before now, but then Viper assured me Neta would keep her mouth shut and so I took the out that gave me.” Neta really had kept quiet.
“What holds me back at this point from making stuff public is that there’s still so much I don’t know about him,” Ella went on. “I’m hopeful that he’ll eventually shine a light on things.” It particularly bothered her demon—it didn’t respect his need for, or right to protect, his privacy. It felt entitled to know his personal business. “I’m also hopeful that I’ll get fucked in an alcove again tonight.”
Mia laughed. “Dice and I prefer the dance floor. But yeah, alcoves are fun too. You know, I wouldn’t have thought public sex would be your jam.”
“That makes two of us. But then, I also wouldn’t have thought I’d fuck an angel.”
“That makes two of us. We’ve surprised even ourselves.” Her gaze turned inward, suggesting she was having a telepathic conversation. “Ah, Dice said the meeting’s over and we can either head to the office or wait for them to join us.”
Ella hummed. “I say we both head there.”
“I’m with you on that one.”
His hip propped against the office wall, Jester said, “We’ve looked hard. We’ve set traps. We’ve checked for any cameras or listening devices. There’s nothing to suggest we’re being watched.”
“I’d like to say that puts me at ease, but it doesn’t,” said Viper, sinking into his chair.
“Sting could be right that you’re being monitored through rumors and business transactions,” said Dice, standing on the other side of the desk. “The celestial could be sticking to the shadows.”
“Much like the strix,” Jester added.
On the one hand, it pleased Viper that the strix were proving elusive. It meant he could focus much of his time, energy, and attention on Ella. But on the other hand, he needed the threat eradicated. Strix were dangerous. Took lives without a qualm. They couldn’t be allowed to live.