Page 75 of Raziel

His hand slid down to grip mine again. “She laid hands on you first. I don’t give a fuck how old she is. Hit her, Maya. Or I’ll hit her.”

Her eyes went big. “You wouldn’t. I’m your mother’s lifelong friend.”

He chuckled darkly, pushing me forward.

I stepped up, locked eyes with her, and slapped her. Not hard, not enough to break anything, but enough to mark the moment. Enough to say:Don’t ever try me again.

She stumbled back, gasping like I’d cursed God.

Raziel leaned in.

“For my mother’s sake,” he said, voice ice-edged, “I won’t make this worse than it already is. But don’t let that happen again. Ever.”

She looked at him like she suddenly remembered who he was. What he was.

“Now get the fuck away from me. All of you.”

They didn’t move.

“I said fucking move before I mail your body parts back to your families.”

They scattered.

I stood there shaking, adrenaline punching through my veins, my gloss smudged, the edge of my chain burning into my skin.

“You said you don’t cause trouble,” I whispered, breath hitching. “But you got me out here hitting people.”

He brushed my sweaty hair back from my temple, his fingers still trembling. “I don’t care. If they lay a hand on you, you defend yourself. Kill them if you want. I’ll make the bodies disappear.”

Chapter Thirty Three- Maya

“Dance with me.”

The candles I’d set around the room burned slowly, wax trailing down the glass like sweat. My apartment smelled like vanilla, roasted garlic, butter, and him. He smelled like that cologne they sell behind locked glass, the one with no price tag.

He resisted at first. Arms crossed, watching me sway with that low grin he wore when he was amused but trying not to be. Shirt unbuttoned, chest ink peeking through, forearms flexing like he was holding something in. His control. His obsession.

“Come on,” I whispered, stepping closer, the silk of my robe parting just enough to entice him. “It’s your birthday. Dance with me.”

He raised a brow, a smirk playing on his lips. “I don’t dance. I told you that at the wedding reception.”

“You danced with me at the wedding. Now get your heavy ass up,” I said, pulling him to his feet.

He was stiff at first, all muscle and resistance. But I swayed against him, guiding his hands to my hips, resting my head on his chest. Slowly, he relaxed. His arms came around me. His chin rested on top of my slicked-back hair. We moved together, Teddy Swims and Giveon crooning softly in the background.

When the song faded, I looked up at him. “I have a present for you.”

“The cake was enough.”

“Shut up.”

I handed it to him anyway. Wrapped in black silk with a velvet bow, like it held something far more serious than it did.

Raziel unwrapped it slowly, his brows pulling tight the way they always did when he was trying to predict the end of a scene before it played out.

“What is this?” he frowned.

It was a Labubu doll keychain. Dressed in black lace and combat boots. A tiny silver septum ring. A silk robe cut from the same fabric as mine. I’d glued a little beauty mark above the lip too.