Page 49

“We still have some money left.” I nodded toward a tavern. “Let’s get some food and a place to sleep.”

She didn’t fight me, but neither did she respond in any way. Aggravation ground through me, strangling my nerves. Was it the goblin metal? The pain?

Was it me?

I took her non-response as a yes, leading her to a door. The signBordeldanced in red lights above our heads. Her gaze went to it, her mouth flatlining.

“Brothel,” she huffed under her breath.

“Cheapest place in town.” I shrugged defensively, feeling like she knew exactly why I picked this place instead of others, my craving showing through. Brothels were usually the cheapest for food and booze. They wanted to get you gambling, drunk, high, and paying for whores.

Warmth blasted me when we stepped in. The packed place steamed like a sauna, transmitting the stench of body odor, cigarettes, cheap perfume, and sex.

One half was dedicated to gambling, the other was more for food and liquor, the bar on the far wall. Traveling men and women—fae and human alike—filled the downstairs while prostitutes wormed their way through both sides, working the room and finding their latest mark. The prostitutes were mostly human women, with a sprinkle of men in the group.

“How can I help?” A woman with a red wig came up, reminding me of a very cheap version of Rosie, though there was no comparison. This girl was a tacky shell of my friend.

The whore’s gaze rolled down me. “You look weary and tense.” She winked, peering at my crotch. “I’d love to help you with that.”

“I’m sure you would,” Scarlet grumbled, her eyes rolling to the side.

“No need to get jealous. For a little extra, you can watch. Or you can join in,printesa.” Princess.“Or maybehecan watch.”

I could feel Scarlet’s hackles rise, her chest puffing up, her lids narrowing like she was ready to punch this girl.

“Just food.” I curled my finger into the back of Scarlet’s belt loop, tugging her back into me. “And a room.”

The woman’s gaze went between us before she waved us to follow her further into the room. The buzz from the gambling area tapped at my skin, the thrill of the win or loss as alcohol poured freely, opening the guests’ pockets further. One man blatantly snorted powder off a prostitute’s bared breasts, licking and sucking them dry.

My hands knotted, my cock twitched, and a muscle in my jaw jumped. Sex always turned me on, whether watching or participating, but that wasn’t what had my pulse dancing along my neck. Forcing my head to turn away, I followed the redhead, who sat us at an empty table. “I’ll tell the madam you want a room later.” She winked and strolled off.

My weary legs and feet groaned in happiness as I sat, while my knees danced under the table with energy. I swung my head back around to the man, knowing what was dropping in his blood system.

Yearning for a small taste had the back of my mouth watering. We had been through so much in the last few days. I just needed a little hit to relax.

“Here.” The prostitute/server dropped a plate ofmici, fries, and a bottle of cheaptuicaonto the table with two glasses. She leaned over, letting both of us see her breasts almost fall out. “I will be back to check on you. Let me know if you need anything.” Her hand grazed my leg under the table, her fingers drifting almost up to my cock. “I’m here to help.” She squeezed and strolled off.

Scarlet snorted sardonically, her head shaking as she grabbed for a napkin, laying it across her lap like she had been trained since birth to do.

“What?” It was the first real reaction I had gotten from her in a day.

“Is that how it always is?” She looked toward the red-wigged woman.

“How what is?” I poured our glasses full of liquor, shoving one to her before plucking amicioff the plate and shoving it in my mouth. The food looked awful, and I was certain the grilled meat was neither pork nor beef, but I was so hungry I didn’t care.

“That.” She motioned out while her other hand properly scooped up fries and meat onto her plate with a utensil. “Always being hit on. Being looked at like they’d payyouto hump your leg.”

A laugh barked from my chest, not expecting her statement. She was such a mix of unpredictable and formal, and I never knew what would come out.

“What can I say? It’s hard being me.” I smirked, observing her try to fight a smile, only making me want to put a full one on her lips. “Plus, if that was the case, I’d be abillionaire, and we wouldn’t be sleeping in an abandoned home with no heat or food.” I slammed back the entire glass of plum brandy, my eyes watering from the cheap liquor.

“No, but you’d probably still be in a whore house.”

My spine stiffened. “What does that mean?”

“Just means you seemveryat home in them.”

“Well, my friend, Kitty, owns one, so I’ve been in one enough.”And she’s kicked me out and banned me from ever coming back. I chugged down more alcohol at the memory of the night she barred me from returning. I thought disappointing her would make me be better, wake me up… it didn’t. Failing her and the rest of my family ended up causing me to dig deeper into my hole.