Page 157 of Mystic's Sunrise

Her smirk faltered. For the first time, her fingers twitched at her side.

Devil tilted his head. His stare was sharp enough to bleed. “You don’t have the power here, bitch.”

Her lips tightened. The room went still. The she took a breath. Long. Slow. Calculated. She masked up. Back to calm. Cool. Collected. Like her plans hadn’t just exploded in this room. She looked past Devil and locked eyes with me one last time. Her expression unreadable. But I knew that look. I’d seen it too many times. It meant this wasn’t over.

“Leave, Mystic,” Devil said, not sparing her another glance. “She’ll keep baiting you, and if you take it—you’ll lose everything.”

Chelsea’s voice followed, mocking, “Gotta have someone fight your battles for you now? Like the fucking coward you are?”

I let out a cold laugh. Hollow. Mean. She’d always had a thing for Devil. Thought I didn’t know. Ever since high school, but Devil had treated her like the bitch she turned out to be. He saw through her early. I should’ve listened.

“Try not to kill her,” I muttered, turning toward the door. “She keeps threatening Zeynep, and Iwillget violent.”

I didn’t look back. Didn’t need to.

Because Devil would handle it.

And he was right—

She’d keep baiting me, and Iwouldstrangle her.

CHAPTER EIGHTY-FOUR

THE DOOR SHUTbehind Kain with a final, echoing thud.

He was so easy. One well placed threat and all that tightly wound control unraveled. Like always. Predictable. Desperate.

I took a breath, steadying myself for a new battle, and my gaze landed on the man still standing in the room. Measured. Unhurried.

Adly.

He and Calder still shadowed Kain like some sainted fucking protectors. Still pretending he was above it all. I let my eyes sweep over him with the kind of smile that always made menstumble. “Didn’t think you still followed him around. Or do you just like cleaning up his messes?”

He didn’t answer. Didn’t blink. Didn’t even breathe. Still cold. Still unreadable.

I’d always had a thing for Adly. God, he was so fucking sexy I used to nearly drool every time he was near. But Adly wasn’t Kain and I couldn’t let my guard down.

“You know,” I said, voice light as I ran my tongue over my lip, “I used to wonder what would’ve happened if you’d just let yourself feel something back then. Instead of always worrying about Kain.”

His gaze didn’t waver. Not even a flicker.

“Adly,” I breathed, leaning in like the memory still had heat. “You used to look at me when you thought no one was watching. I saw it. I always saw it.”

Still nothing.

God, he was good at pretending. Always had been. There was no way he didn’t notice me back then.

“You didn’t say a word when I hinted. Didn’t tell Kain. But I know you felt it. There was always something between us.”

His face stayed stone. But the room shifted, went colder.

“You tried to get with me behind his back,” he said finally, calm as winter. “I didn’t bite. And now you’re rewriting the story because you can’t stand the idea that someone looked at you and saw right through to the manipulative bitch you are.”

That hit harder than I wanted it to. For a second, I almost believed him. But I knew I was damn attractive. I forced a smirk. “You think you’re above me now, Adly?”

His eyes turned deadly.

I didn’t back up. Wouldn’t give him the satisfaction. But the way he looked at me—not like prey, not even like a threat, but like aproblemhe was about to erase—sent a cold shiver curling down my spine.