Page 47 of Vipers and Vendettas

Because I do have a key.

I must be off my game.

‘You don’t need one in here.’

I open the closet door, and on the other side is my room.

I blink. He’s given me what amounts to an adjoining room … from his bedroom.

I glance back at him.

‘So I can just … come into your room whenever I like?’ I ask, gesturing at the room and trying to figure out how the fold actually works.

He raises a brow. ‘Of course not, darling.’ He tuts. ‘As if I’d trust you in my bedroom anytime you liked. You’d probably try to gut me while I slept.’

‘I’m not a killer,’ I say quietly.

But is that even true?

I don’t let the flinch out. His words hurt for some stupid reason, but then, I wouldn’t trust me either. I am reminded of the night of the party when he gave me that fake necklace to wear. But making me wear pretend diamonds didn’t save the real ones from my keen eyes and light fingers, did it?

I have to hide my sudden grin from him, too.

I walk into my room and sit on the bed, realizing too late that he’s right behind me.

He looms over me in the small room. I stand up hastily, holding my towel up and staring at him in what I hope is cool detachment, but I don’t know if I pull it off at all. Maybe I was wrong. Maybe he just wants to feed from me inside the fold on principle because of what he just told the others.

I see his nostrils flare.

‘You still don’t have a scent,’ he remarks.

‘Don’t I?’

‘What are you hiding?’ His eyes narrow suspiciously.

‘Whataren’tI hiding?’ I laugh, and his eyes widen a little, my joke taking him by surprise.

I shrug at him. ‘Ask Krase why I have no scent. It’s his conjure.’

‘I will.’

‘Good,’ I mutter.

‘Has your stomach settled?’

I shrug again.

‘Julia,’ he says sternly, his tone making my knees suddenly feel weak.

Yes, daddy?

Stop it!

‘You signed the contract, so we’re charged with your care.’

Until I give birth, and you steal my kid and turn me out onto the streets.

The reminder is like a bathtub of sourcrout or grandma naked. All naughty thoughts of the demon in front of me evaporate from my mind as if they were never there. I had a goodbye with Jayce and Krase. I’m sad I didn’t get to have the same with Axel, but I’m out of here. This time, I have a better plan, too. Something they’ll never see coming.