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)
His annoyance at being unable to locate them was eased by how well things were going with Ella. She and her sister had arrived at the club mere minutes ago, and he was looking forward to having more time with his woman.
He now saw Ella every day without fail. Though she enjoyed alone time, she never made excuses not to see him. Never sent him away if he turned up at her apartment uninvited. Never turned down any suggestions he made for how they might spend time together. She even came up with suggestions of her own.
She shared more with Viper now. Ran a lot by him. Confided in him about things she once would never have mentioned to him. She didn’t yet trust him all the way, but she was getting there.
Many times he’d come close to telling her of their relationship in her previous life, but he needed to wait until the time was just right. He couldn’t afford to jack it up. Especially when there was so much he’d need her to accept. It was essential that he treaded carefully.
He brought her to his compound often, wanting her to feel comfortable there. She was at ease around his brothers, having gotten to know them well. She laughed with them, played pool with them, shot the shit with them.
Little items of hers were now scattered around his bedroom. He fucking loved that. Loved having her mark there. Loved that evidence of her feeling so sure she’d return.
“We done here?” asked Dice.
“Meeting’s officially over,” Viper confirmed.
“I’ll let Mia know, then.” His eyes took on a faraway look for a brief moment.
“Do she and Ella still use glamor?” asked Jester.
Dice gave a grunt of confirmation.
Jester’s gaze sharpened on Viper. “I’m betting it pisses you off that Ella’s gotta edit her appearance—you can’t be clear to one and all that she’s taken.”
“It does, yeah,” Viper admitted. “But it’s more important to me that any strix or celestials who’re watching our club don’t clock her with me.”
“What about when the danger’s passed? You think you’ll be able to convince her to drop the glamor? Or is she gonna want to hide that she’s seeing you?”
“I don’t think she’ll wanna keep hiding it. She talks about telling her family. I feel like she’s waiting for something. Not sure what.”
“You haven’t made it clear that you’re serious about keeping her. Dealing with the backlash she’d receive from her loved ones won’t be worth her bother for a fling, will it?”
Viper gave a moody frown. “What I’ve got going on with Ella has gone way beyond a fling. She has to feel that.”
“She probably does. But she ain’t gonna feel positive about it unless you spell it out. I’m surprised you haven’t done it yet.”
“I need the time to reel her fully in, so that no amount of bitching from Belinsky or her family will make her try to break things off with me,” Viper explained. “Those demons are already on edge because of the threat hovering over her. They won’t handle this well on top of that.”
Jester looked at Dice. “Do you think Mia’s anchor will protest to her sleeping with you if she mentions it to him?”
“Yeah, but I don’t think it’ll solely be because I’m one of the Fallen,” replied Dice. “Things went a little sour between them. On the surface, it seems like he’s pulled his shit together. She says he’s back to normal, though things are awkward. But if you ask me, he’s still got his head lodged firmly up his ass. He doesn’t make an effort to see much of her. He also doesn’t text, call, or even telepath her often to check in.”
“Then he’s clearly got a problem with her,” Jester asserted. “But what?”
“Don’t know. If it was Mia who’d put a stop to them sleeping together, I would have said he’s bitter about it. But he did that, and he’s now fucking a woman he works with.” Dice rolled his shoulders.
A knock came at the door.
“Come in,” Viper invited, expecting Ella and Mia. But when the door creaked open, it wasn’t either of their heads that popped inside; it was Prophet’s.
“Hey,” he greeted with a chin tip. “Any of you seen Merchant?”
They all shook their heads in the negative.
Prophet’s lips thinned. “No one seems to know where he is. He’s supposed to be taking over for me at the bar. Speaking of the bar … you and Dice might want to know that your regulars are over there. The brunettes, I mean.”
“Regulars?” a female voice echoed, the word brittle, cold, and coated in disgust.
Ella.
Shit.
CHAPTER TWENTY
In front of her, Prophet went stock still. He couldn’t possibly be more shocked than Ella.
Betrayal burned her throat and lungs. That fucker. That ass-licking fucker.
Viper had sworn there’d be no other women. She’d believed him. She’d taken him at his word. Hadn’t had a single moment of doubt.