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Nothing more than whispers of some far-off time that I hadn’t thought about in decades. Something I was beginning to understand again.

The money we’d made on Valentine’s Day certainly would help, but handing over twenty-five percent of our profits to Garrett was seriously going to impact the lifestyle of our coven if I didn’t come up with a more permanent solution, and quickly.

Vi pinched my side hard enough to draw a surprised yelp from my lips, pulling me back into the moment. She used my distraction to her advantage, flipping us again.

“Gotcha,” she echoed back to me, baring her teeth in challenge.It was cute, even though I knew her dull human canines were unable to puncture flesh without a considerable amount of force.

A housecat amongst lions.

Noticing the way she was quivering, her heart rate still overly elevated… There was only one thing left to do. I tapped my hand against the mats three times, signaling my defeat.

Vi breathed out a sigh of relief, an exhausted smile settling onto her features as she leaned forward, her forehead making contact with the cool mat as she tried to catch her breath.

“Give me a sec,” she huffed, making no move to get up.

I circled my arms around her in what was, undeniably, a cuddle. But given that she was currently straddling me, her sweaty body molded to mine, I figured a few concessions could be made.

“You overexerted yourself.”

She hummed noncommittally, like I would somehow be less correct in my assessment if she didn’t agree with me outright.

Dozens of seconds passed, the subtle tick of the clock hanging on the concrete wall ten feet away sounding as loud as Vi’s breath in my ear. If I so much as turned my head, we could be kissing.

“Get a room, why don’t you?” Danny, one of the tattooed trainers with long, dark hair pulled up into a loose ponytail, called with a quirked eyebrow.

Blood rushed to Vi's cheeks in a flood of scarlet, making the tantalizing scent of her blood nearly unbearable. She scrambled to get off me, adjusting her leggings before offering to help me up.

I took her hand, allowing her to pull me from the floor, perhaps holding her fingers for a couple of extra seconds before relinquishing the last of her touch.

So what? It’s not a crime.

“Yo, Danny! Jay is here!” Riley called, making the brunette wince.

I watched them for a second until it clicked. They looked so much like their sister, I didn’t know how I didn’t make the connection before. Their expression was nearly identical to when Ren asked Vi to clean out the ice machine.

“Be there in a minute! Sorry, Vi. They’re late as balls. Think you can get a cab home?”

“I’m done here,” I interjected before Vi could answer. “I can drop you off if you want?” I suggested, trying to keep my tone casual despite my eagerness.

I rarely had Vi all to myself, given there was always a customer, one of the girls, or one of my covenmates around at the club. It would be nice to spend a few extra minutes together one-on-one.

“She’d love that!” Danny shouted before Vi could reply, teasing a smile to my lips.

Vi turned on her, scowling daggers. “Mind your damn business!”

“Itismy business,” Danny argued with an over-exaggerated shrug. “Dana, I hadn’t realised the club you worked at was thesame as Vi’s—” It was a lie, and an obvious one, but I didn’t quite understandwhy.

What difference did it make if Danny knew I worked with their sister or not?

“Would you shut up?” Vi interjected, red as a beet. “Before I beat your ass like Christmas 2007.”

“I hope you’re taking good care of my sister,” they went on, ignoring her. “Have you made it onto her roster?”

“Danny, client waiting!” Riley shouted back to us again.

“Tell them I’m busy making my sister turn puce!”

I looked over my shoulder at Vi as I slid through the ropes and hopped down out of the ring to collect my bag, slinging it over my shoulder.