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Heat rushed up the side of my neck.

“I...I’m doing what I’m supposed to.” My shoulders straightened. I was the oldest after Gluttony, so I felt it was my duty to look after the others. Gluttony was wonderful at watching out for us most of the time, but he could also be as stubborn as a bull, quick to judgement and anger once he got a particular thought in his head.

`“You know in a few days his anger will fizzle out. I will return then and sort it out, and everything will be fine. You’ll see.”

`Greed nodded eagerly, wanting to believe everything was fine. Envy was a bit more skeptical, but I’d always thought he was the more pragmatic out of the two of them. What was the true difference between Greed and Envy anyway?

I bid them goodbye, and headed to ‘work.’

Chapter

Eleven

JUNIPER

Iadjusted one of the enchanted mason jars, watching golden light spill across worn brick paths. The central courtyard looked almost normal if you ignored the way shadows seemed to dance away from the protective runes carved into the stone fountain. Five intimate seating areas spiraled out from this hub like petals, each one specifically positioned to allow both mingling and strategic retreat.

"You're hovering," Diana said, appearing beside me. "The garden is perfect."

"I'm not hovering," I lied as I straightened another jar. "I'm ensuring my first mixer doesn't end in supernatural warfare or someone getting eaten."

Diana laughed. "An entirely reasonable concern, given your guest list."

I scanned my handiwork one more time. No iron furniture near Lunara's designated area—even enchanted garden chairs could make our Fae guest's skin crawl. Ruby and Vivienne's spaces sat at opposite compass points—centuries of wolf-vampire tensions weren't about to be solved over appetizersand small talk. Elena's seating area featured sturdy furniture that should withstand even the most enthusiastic wolf shifting. And Astrid's space...I'd positioned the demi-goddess near the reflecting pool, trusting the sunset would catch those remarkable golden eyes just right. Someone here tonight would see that divine glow and be utterly captivated.

The crunch of leaves drew my gaze to the garden entrance. My heart did that stupid little flutter thing as Lust strode through the archway, his charcoal suit a stark contrast against the spring colors. The setting sun caught his chestnut hair, and I found myself wondering if it was as soft as it looked. No. I forced my attention back to the place settings, irritated at my own weakness. Getting involved with anyone was firmly off the table, and lusting after Lust himself? Oh, the irony. Still, my eyes betrayed me, stealing glances as he approached. That combination of raw power and endearing awkwardness shouldn't be as appealing as it was. I focused instead on straightening my sweater, reminding myself that organizing other people's love lives was as close as I planned to get to romance. My days of trusting in love ended the moment Xavier showed his true colors.

Diana's eyebrows lifted slightly. The look she gave Lust was calculating, like she was solving a particularly interesting puzzle.

"Your setup actually looks..." Lust paused, his aristocratic features arranging themselves into careful neutrality. "Adequate."

"High praise indeed," I drawled, but my retort lacked its usual bite. My stomach twisted itself into knots that had nothing to do with the way Lust's presence made the air feel charged.

Diana glided closer to Lust, her smile pure mischief. "Speaking of adequate, how are those quotas coming along? I heard Aydan had to make three emergency matches last weekjust to keep your numbers up. None of them actually stuck either. One date, and they were done."

Lust's jaw tightened. "I wasn't aware you had my assistant reporting to you now."

"Oh please, that boy would report to a houseplant if it showed interest in his spreadsheets." Diana adjusted a mason jar with deliberate care. "How long has it been since you made a successful match yourself? Two months? Three?"

"I've been occupied with other matters."

"Brooding isn't a full-time occupation, darling." She winked at me. "Though he does it so well, doesn't he?"

I busied myself, kicking a stray leaf under the bush, trying not to smile as Lust's perfectly controlled expression cracked.

"I am called Lust," he said with exaggerated patience. "Not Romance. The distinction seems to continually escape you."

Diana's laugh sparkled through the garden. "And there's your problem. Lust without romance is like," she gestured at the garden, "conjuring fire without warmth. All flash, no comfort."

"The metaphors get worse the longer I know you," Lust muttered, but I caught something almost fond in his tone.

The garden gate creaked, and my heart jumped into my throat. Time to see if I could really pull this off.

I did one last check on the stock at the bar while Diana welcomed our first guest. Two security guards in dark suits flanked the garden entrance, checking the invites of everyone arriving.

"Lunara!" Diana embraced the Fae woman warmly. "How's the dance studio? Those new mirrors we talked about working out?"

Lunara smoothed her blue maxi dress, silver hair catching the sunset. "Finally. Though explaining UV-resistant glass to the installers was...interesting."