Eris
“Is the night gonna end like that?” Roo sasses, voice dry and amused as she sips her third cocktail. “Because if so, I should’ve worn my brass knuckles.”
I don’t share her amusement, but I do smirk. That feral thing inside me paces, practically foaming at the mouth, ready to break free from its cage again.
“No,” I answer, steering her back to our booth now that the guys have spread out and returned to their posts. “He’ll be waiting outside when we leave.”
She hums thoughtfully, sliding into the booth and patting the seat beside her. I follow, tucking in close until our shoulders touch and the music gives us cover. The velvet sticks slightly to my bare thigh, smelling like citrus cleaner and old perfume.
“You almost sound excited.” She narrows her eyes, grinning at me. “Are we getting messy tonight?”
“I might be excited.” I lift my glass and take a slow sip. “We brought security, so we can have some fun.”
Roo’s eyes flick past the crowd, sharp and practiced. “Three of them, huh? I never would have guessed.”
“Yeah, me neither. Gem is onto something, though,” I say as quietly as I can while still letting her hear me over the music. “And the messy part? Depends on how badly he wants to test boundaries.”
“Okay.” She laughs before sobering, pressing her leg into mine. “Tell me what you’re actually planning, Eris.”
“That’s the thing.” I stare into my drink for a beat, watching the ice shift. “I’m not totally sure.”
Her brow arches. “That’s… New.”
“I know.” I sigh and shake my head. “It’s just…
I’m done pretending this ends cleanly if I play nice long enough.
I’m not sure a plan will do any good with his recent behavior.
But also, I don’t want to get so fixated on a plan that I miss the quickest opportunity.
I want him dead. Now that the guys know who I am and what I do, there’s no point in dragging this out. ”
“You really told them everything?” She studies my face, looking into my soul instead of at me. “Like… everything, everything?”
“No. Not even close,” I assure her. “Some things will always stay between us.”
“And you’re still sure that was smart?” she asks. There’s no judgement in her voice, just careful concern. “Telling three men you kill people for a living?”
I turn my head, meeting her gaze. “I shot their ex in the head in front of them.”
Roo’s lips part.
“They didn’t run,” I continue, shrugging as I lean into her. “They didn’t flinch, either. I mean… They had questions. Naturally. But they didn’t look at me like I was something to escape. They just… stayed. All three of them.”
Roo’s expression flickers between something warm and fiercely protective. “So that’s what this is.”
“They aren’t scared of me,” I add. “And that tells me everything I need to know.”
She reaches for my hand under the table, squeezing it to let me know she’s okay with this change. “I hate to say it, but I’m relieved.”
“About?”
“About there being more people here who love you,” she says simply. “And who would burn things down if someone tried to hurt you.”
My throat tightens, and I take a sip of my drink to loosen the lump. Roo drains her drink, already grinning as she nudges me out of the booth. The music swells, the bass thudding through the booth like a second heartbeat.
“Come on,” she nearly shouts, tugging my hand and shifting the mood. “Before I decide to stab someone out of boredom.”
I laugh despite myself and let her pull me into the crowd.
The dance floor opens around us, lights flashing as bodies move. Roo spins me, and I let my head fall back, breath breaking loose with something close to joy. The glitter on my lashes reflects the light behind my closed eyelids. My blood hums.
And I swear I feel them again, orbiting me like the center of their universe.
Jace paces the edge of the crowd like a wolf pretending he’s trained.
Kieran is watching from above, eyes sharp as his mind works a mile a minute.
Silas is a shadow; I don’t need to see him to know he’s there.
I give Roo all my attention, dancing with her until someone bumps into us, giggling as she snarks at them.
Because tonight doesn’t belong to anyone but us.