Silence.“Do you have a suspect among them? Someone in line with your sister?”“No. And we haven’t proven that it’s my sister.”But his face said that it wasn’t out of the question, not when his sister was the one who could benefit the most from his disappearance. Her chest ached. Her family had always been her most dependable anchor, the ones who would never betray her despite their differences. That he might not have that with his sister…Don’t get emotional.“Where have you been, anyway?” she asked casually.“I just had a little errand.”“Your sister was looking for you. I don’t think she was pleased that you left before she could talk to you.”“Talking with my sister involves hours of her discussing ways to improve our court, complaining about our court, and nagging me about my…not-so-tame habits.” Light danced in his magenta eyes, then sobered. “Why did you leave the festivities?”“I wanted to explore.”“I see. Here.”She looked down at his extended hand, expecting him to either
“I know. But your kind shuns everyone.”The arousal in his features died a bit as he frowned, mulling over her words. Slowly, he shook his head.“Discrimination is for the weak—those who can’t see past their heads stuck in their asses. I might tend to think that magic folks are among the superior breed, but we’re not the only superior ones. It also doesn’t mean that other creatures don’t have unique qualities that are more than impressive.” He grimaced. “Now, I’m not a huge fan of vampires, but there’s no denying that they could rip my heart out and cut my head off the moment I lower my guard around them.”“Vampires are crazy,” she agreed. “I wouldn’t want to mess with them.”“Hmm.” His gaze flicked to her mouth. “You’re a witch. Your powers have people’s knees trembling, and I bet you could choke me with a snap of those fingers.”“Maybe. With the right chant outside this castle.”“It’s hot as hell,” he murmured, low voice washing over her senses. “What else can you do with that magic
Thank you for your honesty.”“You’re welcome. What were you doing when you weren’t sleeping?”Watching over the halls and the rooms. Making sure Yu didn’t leave. Longing for a witch, who had probably slept so well and didn’t spare a thought in his direction. It was laughable how he only thought of her, and even the idea of stroking himself to images of their interaction in that alcove felt hollow compared to what could have been. Jealousy had been a nasty bastard keeping him aching as he remembered—and envisioned—over and over again how she looked on that ship deck while her pirate fucked her thoroughly. The ache had become unbearable when he recalled his trysts, too, and all he could see was her, with her head thrown back and her voice calling his name.You promised her. Keep your promise.“Just reexploring the court. It doesn’t matter. There’s no event today and I can catch up on my sleep.” But the way Alan reacted had him frowning. “Unless there’s an event today that I forgot about
The words faded, but they were locked in his heart. None of them answered his question directly, and even if there was a hidden message there, he couldn’t for the life of him figure out what it was. Brian sighed.“You guys have always been cryptic. I guess that doesn’t change even when you’re dead and truly cold.”The next bout of silence was the strongest, the energy retreating and no longer interacting with either of them. Yu continued lounging in his spot.“What about you, Yu? What do you think of my sister?”“Pretty. More than you.”Brian scoffed but couldn’t fault the honesty. When the pixie dozed off into slumber, Brian knelt very low until his mouth was whispering on the ground.“Please keep my friend safe here. Please let him sleep in peace and without disturbance.”His father might choose to ignore the request, but he was confident that his mother’s energy would respond to it. Yu continued sleeping as Brian trudged away, his doubts already tucked in. He scanned his mind, then
“Who is the magic user and who is my enemy?”The answer didn’t come as widen Emma lips closed down and his eyes teared up. Brian tried again until it dawned that he could sense a different kind of energy in the room, restricted and subtle. Queen Emma couldn’t mention names, even when the interrogation glow was pressuring him.“Are the magic user and my enemy the same people?” Brian tried again.There was no response. Queen Emma expression crumbled in pain and Brian felt his chest tighten.“Are the magic user and my enemy involved in the other deaths in our court?”“Yes.”“Were they murdered?”“Yes.”“Are you involved in those deaths?”“No.”Queen Emma agony was so raw that Brian couldn’t take it anymore. Reluctantly, he turned off the device but didn’t remove the binds. Widen Emma entire body slumped, exhausted, and sweating profusely.“Admitting knowledge to the murder of our Fae folks is a crime, especially because you didn’t tell anyone. Being an accomplice to a royal member’s murd
On cue, magenta eyes flicked toward her, unreadable. Perhaps there was some sort of relief there, but it was gone in an instant.“You requested my presence?” she asked.Lavender eyes flew toward her too. “That was me. My brother thinks I tried to kill him. I figured a torture machine shouldn’t be the only thing questioning me.”Uncertainty simmered within her and Brian’s silence was dreadful. But the small, subtle nod from him had her feet moving closer toward them until she was standing beside Alicia.“I will ask her the same questions. Over and over,” he said. “Do what you must.”There were no further instructions, and instinct rioted at releasing her magic when the court hadn’t been the most welcoming of it. But she nodded, too, and knelt, easing energy into her fingers. They glowed, dimmer than the device’s glow. She bit her tongue when the larger energy in the room sensed hers and crowded around her, a crawling sensation that pushed her back.Mabel directed more into her feet unt
“He is.”“You don’t look fine,” she repeated.He said nothing.“You haven’t slept…was that you? I felt someone puttering about outside at dawn.” She didn’t mention that she had heard Alicia outside, too, just hours before that, not wanting to add salt to the wound. “You haven’t slept at all. You were busy guarding me and Yu.”“Maybe I was just waiting for you to invite me in.”The words had heat simmering in her belly, a gentle nudge that threatened to flourish. She noted the teasing in his tone, one that didn’t align with what had transpired earlier.“You always joke around when you feel vulnerable. But you can’t fool me, Brian.”The teasing faded and he frowned down at her. A hand went up, fingering her hair and parting it so he could see her face more clearly.“Can you read me now,Mabel? Do you know what I’m thinking about?”Her cheeks flushed. Like a switch flicked again, the heat spread until she was throbbing from it, intensified when he leaned in to sniff her hair. When he back
“Lavender and magenta are the court’s official colors, other than the icy blue we often show to the public,” the woman explained. “This is a shade in between and would show respect to our future ruler, whichever of the two takes the crown in the end.”“It’s too short.”A cool sensation touched her knees. Mabel watched as the hem lengthened, fluttering around her skin and draping to the ground.“Too long,” Mabel said, biting back a grin at Emma’s eyeroll.“You’re lucky I like you,” the woman declared before shortening the dress until it was just below her knees. Mabel twirled again, the layers of sheer material moving with her.“Even if I’m not a magic?”“You know what to say and when to show your emotions. You know when to push your agenda and when to back off, and you can hold your own against our more malicious peers. You can be vicious, too, when it calls for it. You’re already acting like a magic.”“Oh,” she said, unsure how to react. It never sank into her mind that the qualities
Giovanni waves it off with a dismissive gesture. "That happens in offices. It's important not to get carried away with things."I feel a surge of jealousy, but I also like that he doesn't seem interested in her. He gets a mischievous glint in his eyes and comes over to sit on the edge of my desk."Why do you seem so upset about it?" he asks, leaning closer."No reason," I lie, looking away from him. But he leans even closer, his breath warm on my cheek as he teases me about my possible jealousy."Never thought of it, but maybe I'll go for it," he teases me further, his voice low and dangerous. "It would be cheaper than hiring a prostitute, and she definitely seems like she'd put out."My blood boils, and I glare at him with rage in my eyes, feeling the heat rise to my cheeks. He has the audacity to grab my chin, brushing his thumb against my lips as if he's daring me to say something."Are you jealous?" he asks again, a devilish smirk playing on his face."Absolutely not," I snap, try
"Of course," I reply, trying to maintain my composure.She downs the rest of her wine, a rosy flush spreading across her cheeks. "That was delicious. It's been ages since I've enjoyed a glass like that – you should know, I'm a bit of a lightweight.""Marvelous," I say sarcastically, and she grins – then, unexpectedly, she reaches up and boops me on the nose. Her playfulness catches me off guard, but I smile in response.Setting her empty glass on a nearby table, she slips off her shoes and places them on the stone steps leading to the garden. "What are you doing?" I"I want to feel the grass beneath my feet," she replies, a mischievous glint in her eye. "Life is all about getting a little dirty, don't you think?"As she runs barefoot through the garden, laughter bubbling from her lips, I watch her with a mixture of admiration and desire. There's something about her – not just her body, but her mind and spirit – that captivates me. In her presence, my rigid, work-driven life seems to l
Something tells me you do listen, Teddy," I say to him, my eyebrow raised.He shrugs and gives me an innocent smile."Thanks, Teddy," I say gratefully. "You're seriously the best."He smiles, but his eyes betray his exhaustion. "I should probably go to bed. Had a tough night.""Goodnight, Teddy," I reply, watching him leave the kitchen.After finishing whatever I found in the fridge, I start to head back to my room. As I walk down the hallway, curiosity gnaws at me. What is Giovanni up to right now? My heart rate picks up, and a flush of arousal spreads through me as I tiptoe toward his room. The idea of catching him with another woman both disgusts and excites me. I try his door, and once again, it's open. Why doesn't he lock it? Does he not consider that someone might pose a threat in this mansion? He should never underestimate me.A dark thought crosses my mind – the kitchen is full of knives, and his door remains unlocked at night. But no, that's not who I am. I won't resort to vi
"Actually, yeah," she admits, brushing a stray curl from her forehead. "I am.""Great. There's a mall across the street. Let's grab some lunch at the food court and talk about the job." I gesture for her to follow, and she does.As we make our way down the elevator, the hum of the machinery filling the small space, and she studies me with a curious expression. "You know, I'm surprised you're a food court kind of guy.""What do you mean?" I ask, raising anShe gestures vaguely, taking me in – my designer suit, the sleek building we're descending through, the aura of power that seems to cling to me like a second skin. "You just seem more... upscale restaurant than cafeteria, if you catch my drift."The elevator door slides open, and I shrug as we step out into the mirrored hallway. "Food courts are efficient. Normally, I'd send my assistant across to the mall to get me something, then bring it back so I can work through lunch.""Ah," she says, her voice a mix of understanding and disapp
My hands ball into fists as I pace the room, the plush carpet beneath my feet doing little to soothe my nerves. My mind races, a whirlwind of thoughts and emotions threatening to overwhelm me. But beneath it all, there's a kernel of determination that won't be extinguished."Next time," I promise myself, even as tears prick at the corners of my eyes. "Next time, I'll get away."ChapterEightWith a heavy sigh, I slide back into the driver's seat of my sleek black car, the irritation coursing through my veins. Lulu's incessant escape attempts - as futile as they are - have me spending far too much time in this godforsaken mansion. My penthouse in the city beckons to me, but she refuses to cooperate."Damn her stubbornness," I mutter under my breath as I drive up the curving driveway, the tires crunching over the gravel. The guy carrying her back to her room follows closely behind.As soon as I step out of the car, the grandiosity of the mansion looms over me, its imposing presence a con
She tells him how glad she is that he called, how much she missed him. His response is harsh and biting: "Shut up."I'm taken aback by his coldness, wondering what kind of woman would willingly subject herself to such treatment. But she only giggles, seemingly unfazed. He slaps her ass. "Shut up and take it like the whore you are." Slowly, he pushes his cock into her asshole, her moans making it clear that she loves every inch of it.I stand there, transfixed. I've never seen anal sex before, never even considered it. But seeing Giovanni at the center of it all, dominating this woman with such raw intensity, it's undeniably hot.No, not hot. I'm here to find something to use against him, I remind myself. But my fingers itch to touch myself, to bring relief to the ache that has settled deep within me.A slow feeling of electricity courses through my body, warming my veins and leaving me breathless with anticipation. My skin prickles with desire, and I am aware of every sensation around
The blissful silence shatters as an alarm pierces the air. Panic grips my chest, and I stumble in my haste. My ankle twists beneath me, sending a bolt of searing pain up my leg. I curse under my breath, clenching my teeth as I try to push through the agony and make my escape."Damn it," I hiss, realizing that my attempted flight is short-lived. Almost immediately, a burly man emerges from the mansion, his eyes locked onto me with hawk-like precision. He's the rover, one of Giovanni's loyal enforcers—a massive, intimidating figure who seems to move with an eerie silence despite his size."Hey!" I shout, fists clenched. "Do you seriously have nothing better to do than chase after me?"He doesn't reply, instead closing the distance between us in a matter of seconds. Before I can react, he scoops me up effortlessly, as though I weigh nothing more than a feather. I kick and scream, pounding on his back in a futile attempt to"Put me down, you brute!" I demand, but he remains silent, carryi
The sun hangs high in the sky as I stand next to my father near the docks in Miami. My heart races, and for the first time in a long time, I feel excited about this meeting. As the oldest, it's something I've always wanted – to be included in the family business, to prove to my father that just because I'm a woman doesn't mean I can't run the Manuel Syndicate as well as any man.A salty breeze blows through my curly hair, carrying with it the scent of seaweed and diesel fumes from the fishing boats swaying gently in their berths. The squawking of seagulls mixes with the distant hum of traffic as they search for scraps of food among the detritus littering the dockside, creating a cacophony of life."Lucia, pay attention," my father chides, snapping me backA man approaches us, his dark hair slicked back and his darker features giving away a lifetime of experience. I eye him up and down, taking in every detail, before he introduces himself as Axe. My father waves off his introduction wi
You can keep that truth to yourself. I have plenty of others to share,” she countered.“Many supplied by me,” I interjected. “The perk of working so closely with your many high-powered campaign donors.”“There’s no proof.” Harris narrowed his eyes at the both of us. “Not a single paper trail would lead to me.”“You’re forgetting the kind of influence I have over humans. What I could promise for a few small favors.” I gave him a crooked smile to remind him of what I“And what am I supposed to do, then? What about all the good I have done for the community?” He was starting to scramble. “The charities or beautification projects that I personally founded to make this state a better place? Were those things for nothing?”The thing about ambition is that it can be blinding,” I said. I looked down at Evie and cupped her cheek to bring her eyes to mine for a moment before finishing my last point to Harris. We both needed the moment of connection. “No matter how good your intentions are, you’v