Page 78 of The Villain

He shrugs a shoulder, steps a little closer than is normal or correct. His eyes move from my face down to the exposed skin of my chest before he stretches his arms to either side of me. I take hold of his biceps to stop him, thinking he’s going to hug me or something.

“What are you doing?” I ask. “Where’s Elenora?”

He chuckles, as unmovable as Cassian, and a moment later, I feel his fingertips on the skin of my back before I hear the zipper as he slides it up, cinching the dress around me.

“Elenora had to step out.”

A moment later, he steps backward and looks at me, taking my shoulders and turning me to look at the mirror.

“I prefer the red,” he says. He’s right. This is a beautiful dress, but the red was special.

I look up at him over my shoulder. He’s standing right behind me close enough that I feel the heat of his body and when I look in his eyes, I remember how helooked at me. How he put his hands on my knees and looked at me.

I turn away, feeling my face burn. But I can’t do that. I can’t cower. I promised myself that a long time ago.

Taking two steps away, I turn to face him fully. “How long have you been here?”

“Not long.”

Forest green, I realize. His eyes are forest green. Not black. I recall the scars on his body. So many of them.

“Two soldiers are right in there,” I say, pointing.

He grins. “Are they?”

“Cassian will kill you if he finds you here,” I continue.

“Probably, yes.Ifhe finds me. Do you want me to go?”

Do I? Maybe. Why wouldn’t I want him to go? “What are you doing here?”

“Well, this is my family’s casino. The dinner tonight, you and Cassian will be our guests.”

Now I’m confused. But that’s not what I meant. I meant what is he doing here in this dressing room, which is supposed to be guarded, the shop locked.

Anxiety wrings out my insides. I may have Cassian’s protection, but Cassian isn’t here.

“Surprised he’s coming, actually,” Jet continues. “But back to my question. Do you want me to go?”

I think about how he rescued me out of that crypt, putting me to bed.Hisbed. I’m not sure he did it to save me, though. I think he did it to piss off Cassian. I recall how he and Cassian fought. How he looked at me, his hands on my knees, fingers digging intoflesh.

My face feels like it’s on fire and from the smirk on his face, it must be bright red.

He takes a step toward me, and I take one back right into the mirror. Jet reaches out a hand and brushes a lock of hair behind my ear then leans his face closer to mine. My heart races. I realize what he’s doing and feel my face go even redder when he straightens, eyes darker.

I don’t need him to say it to know what he smells.

Sex.

Cassian.

Cassian on me. Cassian all over me. It’s exactly what Cassian wanted. Did he know Jet would approach me? Why didn’t he send Enzo down with me? Because surely the soldiers out there can hear us. Surely Elenora can. Where is Elenora?

“I smell him all over you,” he says.

“Why are you here?” I ask, my throat dry, my voice hollow.

Jet’s eyes narrow as my heart races. He steps backward, reaches into his pocket and takes something out.