Page 14 of Envy

“Report,” I say.

“We’ve confirmed Shane is the point of contact, and meeting times occur at the first of the month,” Mavros begins. “We’ve also contracted women and set them up for discovery.”

Jaw clenching, I nod once. Women are always underestimated, especially when the market in question involves selling their bodies. We might play the role of demons—meant toembody the worse types of evil—but we don’t condone half the terrible shit humans do.

“Miles is in place, watching everyone who agreed to help,” Noctis adds before I can ask.

Good.Miles doesn’t fuck around when it comes to his girls’ safety. They’ll pose as victims for as long as it’s safe. But if shit goes south, he’ll get them out.

“Any sign of her?” I ask, voice low despite the increasing sounds of slick bodies and wanton gasps filling our suite. I sense more than see Noctis and Mavros share a look before the former speaks.

“There’s been no sign of Morana.”

I knew the answer before he said it. They’d have told me immediately. At least I stopped the bastards from taking Tempest too. My spine stiffens as I spot her in the crowd—my little sister—being pawed at by some fuckboy in an overpriced watch and jeans. He grinds against her from behind, and my fists flex as she presses back into him. I’m three seconds away from losing my shit completely when I catch sight of the person beside her.

Evie’s head is thrown back with a wide smile, her hands in the air as she spins to face the bulky man behind her. The short, skin-tight black dress barely covers her ass as she stretches, locking her arms around his neck. My jaw clenches as he grins down at her, his greedy fucking hands wrapping around her waist, drifting lower to cup her perfect ass.

“Who. The fuck. Are they?” I grit out, chest heaving as tension radiates from me.

Mine. Mine. Mine.

But how can she be mine when she’s looking at him like that—like she’s ready to offer up her needy little cunt to the first taker? If she’s that eager for a taste of darkness, I sure as fuck will be the one to give it to her.

“Tempest assures me they’re good,” Mavros says, following as I turn from the window and head for the door. “I checked with her and Evie before heading up here.”

“Get dressed,” I bark to the others, not waiting for them to respond. “We have work to do.”

9

SILAS

The smell of sweat and expensive cologne fills the club as the bass vibrates through the floors. Bodies writhe, inhibitions loosened thanks to the mixture of alcohol and colorful pills circulating. Every one of them wants to forget something—bills, the interest on their loans, the unlikeliness of finding a job, of ever owning a house or car. But most of all, they want to forget themselves. To avoid the picture in their minds of who they thought they would be compared to the pathetic reality.

So they drink. And fuck. And try to forget. The daily drama, the petty fights and insecurities, the mundane gossip—all of it. Here, in this club, at this moment, with drugs pumping through their veins and strangers’ hands touching their bodies, they are free.

How I wish oblivion were that simple for me.

People leap out of my way as I stalk forward, a perk of being one of the Seven. Men dip their heads in respect. Women eye us hungrily. With a snap of my fingers, I could have any one of them on their knees, legs spread and waiting for my cock.

But there’s only one person I want to punish. One pair of full lips I want to use and fuck until they’re swollen, until her jaw aches and tears coat her fair cheeks.Fuck, this is a bad idea.

It’s just a passing interest. Never mind that last night was the first time I picked up a brush and painted beyond my usual shades of grey—with embers the color of her eyes and reds the same shade as her hair. Evie is too young, too naïve, too fucking good for someone like me. But fuck if that doesn’t make me crave her all the more.

And right now, there’s another man with his hands all over her.

“Silas…” Erik warns, having caught up to the three of us. His jeans are unbuttoned, cheeks flushed—but he’s here. He’s here, and he’s warning me away. Erik’s the type of man who can go for hours when he fucks, priding himself on his ability to wring orgasm after orgasm from his partners, but he left. For me. To stop me from doing something I’ll regret.

“Let them go,” Erik says, and I wish he’d said it with arrogance or malice or any fucking thing other than understanding.

“She doesn’t realize what she’s doing,” I snap, fists clenching and eyes narrowing as I watch the four of them weave through the crowd. Tempest is unknowingly leading them in our direction, toward the back door she likes to use when leaving for the night.

“I think she does,” Erik replies, following my line of sight. “You saw her at the foot of the steps. Evie thought we were going to murder her, and she still fought.”

He claps me on the back with a sigh. “No one fucks the new girl, Sie. You said so yourself. Tempest deserves to have a friend…”

His voice trails off as he realizes where they’re headed. Tempest pauses, arching her back as the man behind her licks up the side of her neck. His hands wrap around her, grippingthe curve of her breasts from behind as she tilts her head and claims his lips with hers.

“On second thought,” Erik mutters, stalking forward. They’re only a few paces away, poised in the shadows, away from the gyrating bodies and rumble of music.