Chapter 7
Ry
Night falls like a velvet curtain, and the Devil's Lair throbs beneath our feet. I stand at the edge of our penthouse, watching the city lights flicker like dying fireflies. The darkness calls to me—it always does. That sweet symphony of night and chaos that makes my blood sing.
"Ready?" Rev's voice slides over my skin, and I turn to find both twins watching me.
They look predatory and perfect in their matching black pants and shirts open at the collars, showing off the tattoos crawling up their throats.
Kai's hair is disheveled while Rev's is slicked back—two sides of the same deadly coin.
I grin, the expression feeling sharp on my face. "Born ready."
My reflection in the glass catches my eye—teal hair framing pale skin, the thin red line across my throat a reminder of how close I came to dancing with the reaper today.
But death and I are old friends. We've been flirting for years.
The cut I got from the asshole in the alleyway is healing nicely.
I touch it, remembering the cold press of steel, the hot spray of blood when Hudson's bullet found its mark.
I feel electric tonight, like my skin is too small to contain whatever's building inside me. Like I could tear this city apart with my bare hands and laugh while doing it.
"You look like trouble," Kai murmurs, appearing at my side. His fingers brush the small of my back, tracing the curve of my spine through the thin material of my dress—black and tight, slashed low in the back, high on the thigh.
"Good," I purr, leaning into his touch. "That's the idea."
The elevator opens with a soft chime, and we step inside.
Rev punches the button for the VIP level, and my stomach dips as we descend.
The twins bracket me, their heat warming me on both sides, and I can feel the anticipation building in all of us.
It's been weeks since we've taken a night for ourselves, too busy with the new club and the brewing trouble in our city.
The doors slide open to reveal the exclusive VIP section of the Lair.
Music pounds through the floor, a heavy beat that vibrates in my bones.
The space is dimly lit, plush couches arranged for maximum privacy while still allowing a view of the club below.
Only a handful of people occupy the area—carefully vetted regulars who know better than to approach our private corner.
Camden stands near the entrance, eyes scanning the room. He nods once as we pass, and I catch the slight tightening around his eyes when they land on me. I blow him a kiss, just to watch him scowl.
The twins guide me to our usual spot—a curved booth in the corner with the best view of both the VIP area and the main floor below. A bottle of top-shelf bourbon already waits on the table, three glasses arranged beside it.
"Where's Hudson tonight?" I ask casually, sliding into the booth. The leather is cool against my bare thighs.
Rev pours the bourbon, the amber liquid catching the low light. "Down at the docks."
Ahh yes, the docks. We've had recent reports of rats of the human variety causing trouble down there.
Some of our alcohol shipments have been tampered with, bottles going missing or being replaced with watered-down versions.
Nothing too serious yet, but the kind of small-scale theft that grows into something worse if left unchecked.
I've never allowed that kind of disrespect in my city.
"Anything I should be concerned about?" I ask, taking another sip of bourbon, letting it burn a path down my throat.
"Nothing Hudson can't handle," Kai replies, his fingers dancing along the rim of his own glass. "He's good at making problems disappear."
I nod, trying to ignore the slight twinge of disappointment. After our encounter earlier, I'd half expected Hudson to be shadowing me tonight. Below us, the club is packed, bodies writhing on the dance floor like a single organism, pulsing to the rhythm of the music.
The beat changes, something darker and heavier filling the space. I feel it in my chest, in the soles of my feet, and suddenly I'm restless. I need to move, to lose myself in the chaos for a while.
I down the rest of my drink in one swallow and stand. "I'm going to dance."
Kai's hand wraps around my wrist before I can step away. "No, you're not." His voice is soft but firm. "Not tonight."
I arch an eyebrow, challenge flaring. "Excuse me?"
Rev sets his glass down, his dark eyes fixed on mine. "We're keeping you close tonight, baby girl. After this morning's stunt, you don't get to wander off."
I open my mouth to argue, but Kai is already on his feet, tugging me against him and directing us to the mostly empty VIP dancefloor. "Dance up here," he murmurs, his lips brushing my ear. "You know I love how you move against me."
The heat of his body against mine sends electricity down my spine. Rev moves behind me, caging me between them, and suddenly dancing downstairs seems like a distant concern.
"Fine," I concede, letting my body relax against Kai's. "But you better make it worth my while."
Kai's laugh is a dark promise against my skin. "Oh, we will."
The music pulses around us as we begin to move. It's been too long since I've let myself go like this—too many responsibilities, too many threats to manage. I forget sometimes how good it feels to just exist in my body, to let the rhythm take over.
Kai's hands slide down to my hips, guiding my movements against him. Behind me, Rev presses closer, his chest a solid wall against my back. We move as one entity, three bodies perfectly in sync, and I feel the tension of the day melting away under their touch.
Kai's eyes are dark with hunger as they lock on mine. He leans in, capturing my lips in a kiss that tastes like bourbon and sin. When he pulls back, his smile is wicked. "I love watching you let go," he murmurs. "You never take enough time for yourself anymore."
It's true. Running an empire from the shadows—no matter how legitimate—leaves little time for simple pleasures. Dancing with my men, feeling their hands on my body, the music pounding through me—it's a luxury I rarely indulge in these days.
Rev's lips find the sensitive spot behind my ear, and I shiver. "Keep moving, baby girl," he growls, his hands spanning my waist. "Show us how that body works."
I laugh, the sound bubbling up from somewhere deep inside me, and let my head fall back against his shoulder. The music shifts again, something slower but no less intense, and I roll my hips in time with the beat. Kai's eyes darken as he watches, his grip tightening on my thighs.
We dance like this for what feels like hours, lost in our own world.
The bourbon flows, and the music carries us, and for a little while, I forget about the threats looming over us.
I forget about Fifth Street and mysterious enemies and the weight of ruling a city.
I'm just a woman dancing with the men she loves, and it feels like freedom.
Until I notice her.
She's blonde and leggy, with a dress that leaves nothing to the imagination. Her eyes are fixed on Rev like he's the last meal she'll ever have, and she's moving closer to our corner with deliberate intent. I feel my hackles rise, the pleasant buzz of alcohol sharpening into something harder.
Rev hasn't noticed her yet, too focused on the way my body moves against his. But Kai has—I can tell by the way his eyes narrow slightly over my shoulder. He doesn't seem concerned, merely amused. After all, this isn't the first time someone's been stupid enough to try.
The woman sidles up to us, her smile practiced and predatory. "Mind if I join?" she purrs, eyes locked on Rev. "Looks like you could use another dancer."
I feel Rev stiffen behind me, his hands tightening on my hips. Before he can speak, I turn in his arms, facing the intruder with a smile that doesn't reach my eyes.
"Actually," I say, my voice soft and deadly, "we're good."
The woman's gaze flicks to me, dismissive at first, then wary as she catches the look in my eyes, but she doesn't back down. Brave. Stupid, but brave.
"I wasn't asking you," she says, chin tilting up defiantly. "I was asking him."
Something dark and vicious unfurls in my chest. I step away from Rev, closing the distance between myself and the blonde. Up close, I can smell her desperation, see the hunger in her eyes. She wants what's mine, and that simply won't do.
"Let me be very clear, sweetheart," I murmur, reaching out to straighten the strap of her dress with deliberate care. "These men belong to me. Touch them, look at them, even breathe too close to them, and I'll carve out your eyes with my nails and feed them to you. Do we understand each other?"
Her eyes widen, pupils dilating with fear. She swallows hard, nodding once.
I smile, patting her cheek with mock affection. "Good girl. Now run along before I change my mind about letting you leave with all your parts attached."
She backs away, nearly tripping over her heels in her haste to escape. I watch her go, satisfaction curling in my gut like a well-fed cat.
When I turn back to the twins, they're both watching me with identical expressions of heat and amusement.
"Possessive much?" Kai teases, pulling me back against him.
I shrug, unrepentant. "Mine."
Rev's laugh is dark as he moves to my side, his hand sliding possessively across my lower back. "Yes, you are," he murmurs, the double meaning clear. "And don't you forget it."
We return to our dance, the rhythm of the music seeping into my bones.
I lose track of time, lost in the sensation of their hands on me, their bodies moving with mine.
The moment is broken when I catch sight of something unusual on the main floor.
A man near the bar is swaying oddly, his movements jerky and uncoordinated—not drunk, something else.
My eyes narrow as I scan the crowd more carefully.
There—a woman in the corner, her head lolling back, eyelids fluttering. And another man near the stairs, scratching frantically at his arms like there's something crawling beneath his skin.
"Rev," I say, my voice suddenly sharp. "Look."
He follows my gaze, his body tensing as he spots what I've seen. Kai moves to my other side, his playful demeanor vanishing as he takes in the scene below.
"Drugs," he says, the word clipped. "That's not possible, we shut down every dealer in the city after we took over."
"Apparently not," I reply. I feel anger building, hot and vicious. I made the rules crystal clear when we took over: no dealing in our territory. The punishment for breaking that rule is swift and brutal.
"Camden," Rev calls, his voice commanding enough to carry over the music.
Camden is at our side in seconds, alert and ready. "Boss?"
"We've got users on the floor," Rev says, gesturing toward the increasingly obvious cases below. "Find out who's dealing."
Camden nods, already reaching for his radio, but before he can call it in, a scream cuts through the music. The crowd on the dance floor parts like the Red Sea, revealing a man convulsing on the ground, foam bubbling from his lips. Nearby, a woman collapses, her body jerking violently.
"Fuck," I breathe, already moving toward the stairs. "It's an overdose."
Rev's hand clamps around my arm, yanking me back. "Stay here," he orders, his voice brooking no argument. "Camden, lock this place down. No one leaves. Kai, with me."
The twins are already moving, cutting through the VIP section toward the stairs with Camden in tow. I watch them go, frustration burning in my veins, but I know better than to follow. Not when we don't know what we're dealing with.
Instead, I turn to the railing, gripping it so hard my knuckles turn white as I watch the scene unfold below.
Security floods the main floor, but it's already too late.
The overdoses are spreading like wildfire—more bodies dropping, some convulsing, others going frighteningly still.
Panic erupts as reality dawns on the crowd.
People stampede toward exits, trampling those who fall.
Screams pierce through the pounding music, which cuts off abruptly, leaving only the cacophony of terror.
I scan the main floor, searching for the twins in the pandemonium. Rev's barking orders to security while Kai's already kneeling beside one of the victims, checking for a pulse. Even from here, I can see the grim set of his jaw. Not good.
My blood runs cold. This isn't just a few people getting high—this is a coordinated attack. In my city. In my fucking club.