Page 37

I step out of the alcove at the top of the stairs and into the VIP area.

More of those black velvet tufted couches are up here, but they face the rest of the bar.

The seats look out onto the dance floor and everyone below.

Ambrose is sitting in the center. His arms are spread out on the back of the couch and his legs splayed out.

Behind him is a massive pipe organ. He looks like a sinful fallen angel.

“Holy shit,” Ava gasps when she steps up behind me.

“It’s impressive,” I murmur, but I’m not looking at the instrument.

I can’t tear my eyes off Ambrose. He said he was going as an angel, but he’s dressed in black from head to toe.

His golden hair has a little curl in it.

I want to drag my fingers through it and push the strands off his face.

He’s wearing a suit–no doubt tailored–that fits him to perfection.

His black shirt is unbuttoned halfway down his chest and gapes open with how he’s sitting.

The fabric of his pants strains against his thighs.

When did a man’s thighs become so incredibly hot?

I want to drag my hands up them as I kneel at his feet.

Ambrose grins at me while I stand still and gape at him. He tilts his head to the side, telling me to get over here without any words. His eyes devour my body as I do my best to walk toward him without wobbling or falling on my face. I come to a stop in between his spread legs.

His smile fades as he swallows, his eyes taking in every inch of my body. I fight not to fidget or pull the hem of my dress down again.

“I think you’ve got the devil thing down.” Ambrose’s eyes burn with hunger as they flick up to meet mine.

“I thought you were supposed to be an angel.” I take another step forward, my knee pressing into the inside of his thigh. He shifts forward, his warm hand landing on the outside of my leg, just above my knee. It burns where he touches me, a tingling sensation shooting straight to the core of me.

“I’m a fallen angel, Pipes. I’ve sinned too much to be a part of heaven.”

“Congrats on making it through another round,” Bram says, and I startle.

Only now realizing that the rest of our friends are in the same room as us.

Hell, we’re in a club full of people and I forgot everyone but Ambrose existed.

I step out from Ambrose’s legs, and he sighs disappointedly.

It’s loud enough that I hear it over the thumping music.

Bram carries over a tray of shots and sets them on a low table between the couch and these little poufs that function as chairs. I can’t imagine someone as big as Stellan or Ambrose sitting on them. I’m definitely not going to. There’s no way I’d avoid flashing everyone if I tried to sit that low.

“I mean, I think congratulations are in order,” Ava says as she starts passing out shots. They’re both right. I’m not sure if it’s a good thing we’ve made it this far or not.

Hannah is the only witch left in these trials that isn’t a member of a founding family or wasn’t previously on the council.

I don’t like that. I’m nothing like my uncle, but it seems to me that there should be an influx of new blood.

Maybe if I end up a member of the council, I’ll push to have elected positions as well.

I shake my head. That’s silly. I’m not even on the council.

I haven’t made it through the trials, and yet here I am already thinking about changes I would make.

As if I know better than anyone else. Still, it doesn’t seem right that the voice of our coven is one that only contains legacy and nepotism.

“To change.” Ambrose lifts his glass in the air. Everyone echoes his toast and throws back their drinks.

The VIP area has its own bar that’s fully stocked, but there’s no bartender up here.

Bram becomes our de facto bartender and the drinks don’t stop.

We come and go, carefully navigating the spiral staircase and making our way to the dance floor, and back to the balcony again and again.

Ava and I are dancing, and I look up and see Ambrose leaning on the balcony, staring down at me.

I feel his gaze, even though I’m too far away to know for sure that he’s looking at me.

“I’m going to take a break,” I tell Ava. She gives me a pouty look but immediately finds Josephine and Odie. Stellan and Roman are dancing with them, and Bram shows up a few seconds later, wrapping his arms around Ava’s waist.

I push my way through the crowd, unable to keep from looking back up at the balcony.

Ambrose is definitely watching. His eyes follow me as I make my way to the spiral staircase.

I take my shoes off before my feet hit the metal, holding them in one hand and the railing with my other.

I’m not drunk, but I’m undoubtably tipsy.

That’s probably why all I can think about is going back to Ambrose.

It’s a persistent need that burns in my stomach.

The desire to be next to him, to be with him.

When I reach the top, I drop my shoes and slip them back on with a groan. Why did I let Odie talk me into wearing heels? Ambrose turns his head and grins at me when I reach his side.

“All done dancing?”

“For now. You didn’t want to come down?”

“The view from here was too good.” Ambrose stands up, turning to face me. His eyes linger over my dress, as his finger paints a trail from my neck down to the top of my breast.

“This dress is definitely devilish.”

My hands glide up his chest and wrap in the lapels of his jacket. He smells just like he looks, sinful and delicious. If I wasn’t already a little drunk, I think his proximity would tip me over the edge. What I wouldn’t give to kiss him.

Ambrose’s hands slide over my hips and grip my waist. But he doesn’t pull me closer. He pushes me back. “I said I’d wait three months, Piper.” His voice is strained, his brows pulled down low.

I gaze up at him. “I think we sort of nullified that a few times, don’t you?”

I slide my hand into his shirt. My fingers brush over the hair on his chest and up to grip the back of his neck. Leaning forward, I press a kiss to the hollow in his neck. Ambrose grunts, his head falling back.

“I’m trying to be good, Piper. To show you, you’re worth waiting for.”

My heart flips at his words, but I ache for him too much to stay away. “But you’re a fallen angel, Ambrose, aren’t you supposed to sin?”

Ambrose tips his head down, his eyes narrowing. “You really are the devil.”

Ambrose drops his head to my shoulder, groaning as he drags his nose up my neck. My head rolls back as his teeth scrape over my skin. He pulls back and grins darkly at me. “I’m yours, Piper. What are you going to do with me? I think it’s time you got to tell me what to do.”

There’s enough alcohol flowing through my veins that my normal sense of reservation has disappeared. I snag Ambrose’s hand and pull him toward the couch. He follows obediently and then waits.

I push his chest, and he sinks back onto the couch. I’m once again standing between his legs. He looks like a king. Powerful and strikingly handsome. Even though he’s following orders, I don’t doubt for a minute who’s in charge here.

Music thumps in the background and the witch’s moon pours in through the windows. It’s not enough to counter the red lights of the club, but I feel its magic on my skin. I breathe it in until my body is tingling. From both the seduction of the moon and Ambrose’s proximity.

Ambrose crooks his finger. “Come here. You’re too far away.”

I’m literally standing between his legs, but he’s right. Not enough of my body is touching his.

I straddle him, one knee on either side of his hips. My dress hikes up even farther. Ambrose’s eyes drop to my visible black panties. His hand slides up my thighs, and I dip my head to suck on the skin of his neck. Ambrose groans, lifting his hips as he pulls me down against his massive erection.

I rock my hips, grinding on his length. I’m already soaked, and I’m sure the front of his pants is getting wet.

This is not the place to do this. Someone could come upstairs at any moment. I’m not an exhibitionist, or at least I’ve never been one before. Ambrose makes me feel wild. Brave and daring in a way that I’ve never felt before.

My fingers land on the buckle of Ambrose’s fly as his hand moves between my thighs. He pushes my underwear aside and slides a finger through my soaked folds.

“Fuck, Piper.” Ambrose is breathing heavily, his eyes locked on mine as I pull his zipper down and free his cock.

“You really want to do this here?” His mouth quirks up, but I don’t respond with words. I fist his cock, line him up, and sink down.

Our moans are hidden by the music.

Ambrose holds me still, his fingers digging into my hips as his chest rises and falls with his rapid breaths. “You amaze me at every turn.”

My eyes slide closed, as I’m overwhelmed by sensation.

The feel of his hard length inside me leaves me throbbing.

His scent wraps around me. Woodsy and rich.

Ambrose grabs my ass and begins to work me up and down his cock.

My head rolls back, and the tips of my hair touch his thighs as I roll my hips.

A hand slides down my chest, and Ambrose buries his face between my breasts.

“Wish I had you naked,” he murmurs against my skin.

My body is humming. Ambrose says he’s letting me take the lead, but he’s fucking me from underneath, hitting a spot over and over again that has my eyes rolling back in my head.

My magic burns so brightly in my chest. It feels like I could spontaneously combust. I trail my fingers over Ambrose’s jaw, almost believing my magic would leave behind an imprint.

That’s how powerful the connection between us feels right now.

“Crone’s titties. Fuck,” a voice shouts, and I freeze.

Ambrose’s dick is buried so deep inside me, I feel it pulsing in time with my heart.

I don’t move and neither does Ambrose. There’s more cursing, and then Ambrose starts to laugh. I shiver at the way it embeds his dick even deeper inside me.

“Who was that?” A sliver of shame creeps into my lust-drunk head.

“Roman. Don’t worry, he’s already left. He’ll probably burn his eyeballs. Or he’ll have Josephine do a forgetting spell on him so he never has to remember this again.”

“Maiden, Mother, Crone.” I gasp and move to swing my leg off Ambrose, but he holds me firm, his hips tipping up in a small thrust.

“Oh, I don’t think so, Piper. You don’t start this and then run away.”

I groan when he bottoms out. “What if one of the others comes? What if he comes back?”

“Then they are going to see me get you off.”

His thumb moves between us, circling my clit. My movements get jerky, and I cry out his name as I come, my muscles clutching and spasming around his cock. Ambrose curses, and with one final thrust comes deep inside me.

Our breaths are ragged and the fact that we’re in the middle of a club slowly creeps into my awareness. Ambrose must see the panic filtering into my eyes because his smile widens. He brushes my hair back from my face. “You continue to surprise me, Piper. Feel free to boss me around any time.”