Page 79 of Always A Villain

Then his lips crash into mine—fierce, claiming. His tongue sweeps into my mouth, deepening the kiss.

“You two need a room?” Griffen’s voice cuts through the moment, smug as hell. “Or maybe a safe word?”

“Fuck off, Griff,” Axe mutters against my lips, but he doesn’t move. His fingers still press into my skin.

Griffen snickers. “Just saying—if we’re doing the whole role-play thing, give me a heads-up so I can grab some lube and enjoy the show.”

Axe glares at him, but there’s a ghost of a smirk at the corner of his mouth.

Then he turns back to me, “Go get dressed, little siren.”

I nod, slipping away from his grip, still feeling the burn of his touch as I head for the bedroom. Digging through myduffel, I pull out leggings and a crop top, shrugging his hoodie back on. The weather outside is just as miserable as I feel—gray skies and steady rain. It suits the mood. I twist my hair into a bun, catching my reflection in the bathroom mirror.

Red, puffy eyes. The gash on my cheek stings, framed by an ugly bruise that’s only getting darker. I dab concealer over the worst of it, but makeup feels pointless.

I toss the concealer back in my bag. Who cares?

When I return to the kitchen, Axe and Griffen are talking quietly, while Rosa hums to herself, wiping down the counters like nothing could ever shake her.

“Ready?” Axe glances over at me, his hand already reaching for mine.

“Yeah.” I nod, slipping my hand into his.

We say goodbye to Rosa and climb into the car. Griffen and Axe start arguing about god knows what.

As we near the city, the rain turns traffic into a sluggish mess. The windshield wipers beat a steady rhythm against the darkening sky, and I lean my head against the window, watching the world blur. A sleek Lamborghini Urus creeps up beside us.

“That’s a nice car,” I mutter, eyeing it.

“It’s about to be full of bullet holes if they keep driving up my ass,” Axe mutters.

I chuckle. “I want my next armored car to be an Urus.”

He snorts. “Your next armored car, huh? Planning on getting yourself into that much trouble?”

“With you? Always.” I grin, giving him a playful shrug. “I’d settle for red, though.”

“A red armored Urus, huh?” His lips curl into a slow smirk. “If you behave.”

“I always behave.”

“Sure, little siren.” Chuckling, he shakes his head. I bite my lip and turn back to the window to hide the flush creeping up my cheeks. Talking about future plans, even something as stupid as a car, makes my heart skip a beat. And the worst part? I don’t even mind.

The city finally looms ahead—crowded streets, umbrellas bobbing as people hurry through the rain. We crawl through traffic until Axe pulls up outside a coffee shop.

“What do you want?” he asks, already halfway out of the car.

“Iced caramel macchiato with almond milk, no whipped cream,” I rattle off. “And a croissant, lightly toasted.”

He shakes his head before stepping out into the rain.

Griffen rolls down his window, sticking his arm out just in time to get splashed. “Hey! Bring me a black coffee and a muffin, Reaper!” he shouts after Axe.

Axe flips him the bird without turning around. “I’m not your damn waitress!”

“But you’re Rory’s bitch, so close enough!” Griffen cackles, leaning back, arms crossed like he’s proud of himself.

I can’t help the laugh that bubbles up, but Griffen’s next words catch me off guard.