Chapter 9 The Shadow #2
I clenched my jaw, my patience fraying at the edges. “Vivian, get your tight ass in front of me, or I will drag you here myself.”
Reluctantly, she threw off the covers and stood, her back ramrod straight, her chin lifted in defiance.
I had to admire her spirit, even if it was utterly pointless.
She came to stand in front of me, and my gaze drifted lazily over her.
She was dressed in really short shorts and a thin pink T-shirt, the outline of her tight nipples clearly visible.
I swallowed hard and averted my eyes, silently cursing Eldora for providing Vivian with this outfit.
Reaching forward, I wrapped the choker around her neck. The moment the clasp clicked shut, it emitted a faint glow before sealing itself. She winced, as if she could feel the enchantment locking into place.
“There,” I said, my voice dropping to a whisper as my eyes traced the line of her throat up to her lips. They were full and soft, and the urge to crush them with my own was so sudden, so intense, it almost threw me off balance. What the fuck was wrong with me?
I stood abruptly, accidentally knocking her back a step. She looked up at me, wide-eyed, and I hated that it made my heart twist. I needed to get the hell out of here before I did something stupid.
Without another word, I turned on my heel and strode to the door, throwing it open. This time, I left it ajar, letting her know that her captivity was now more psychological than physical. The necklace would see to that.
As I walked away, I could still feel the phantom warmth of her skin against my fingers, the heat of her breath on my face.
I needed to get control over whatever this odd fixation was. Because right now, it was a distraction. And distractions got people killed.
Raised voices greeted me as I stepped into my office. Jareth’s smooth, sardonic tone cut through first, tinged with his usual humor.
“I’m just saying, Luca, if you smiled even once, the universe might implode. What are you hiding under that permanent scowl? No sense of humor left to assassinate, huh?”
Luca, standing as rigid as always, shot back with barely restrained irritation. “This isn’t a joke. You think everything is a game, but people’s lives are at stake.”
Jareth didn’t even flinch. His golden-brown eyes glinted with amusement, the faintest flicker of feline mischief evident as his gaze raked over Luca. His posture, as always, screamed unbothered confidence as he leaned against the bookshelf, a deliberate foil to Luca’s coiled tension.
I paused in the doorway, my irritation growing.
Jareth was a fucking handful, but he was a predator honed to perfection.
He was a skilled assassin—there was no denying that.
He was so good at it, in fact, that he still took on contracts from other wealthy assholes in The Below.
Jareth would take out anyone as long as he was paid handsomely, and most wouldn’t even blink at his price tag. He was the best. Period.
That’s why I’d been grooming him, slowly giving him more access to the inner workings of my estate.
In contrast, Luca was steadfast and competent, but he belonged to two worlds now, splitting his time between my territory and Vincenzo’s.
It wasn’t a bad arrangement. In fact, it had its uses, but it also divided Luca.
The argument in front of me was a perfect example of their contrasts. Jareth, ever the provocateur, relished poking at Luca’s rigid discipline, while Luca refused to bend even an inch. It was almost amusing.
Almost.
I cleared my throat, and the two instantly fell silent. Two pairs of eyes turned to me, one cool and detached, the other sharp and calculating. I strode to my desk, my expression impassive as I took my seat, though I couldn’t keep the irritation entirely from my voice.
“I wasn’t aware I scheduled a comedy show,” I said flatly. “If you’re done bickering like children, perhaps we can get to the point of why you’re both in my office.”
Jareth smirked but said nothing, his sharp features lit with that infuriating charm that only made people want to punch him more. Luca, to his credit, simply straightened further, his arms crossing over his chest in his usual stance.
I turned my attention to Luca. “I was expecting Jareth. Did we have an appointment?”
“No,” Luca said. “I just wanted to check in.”
“Check in,” I repeated, leaning back in my chair.
I tapped my fingers idly against the desk as I regarded him.
Luca’s intentions were rarely suspect—his character, for all its flaws, was solid.
But his connection to Vincenzo was an open secret.
One I allowed because it didn’t affect me negatively, and because Luca’s sense of loyalty to those he deemed worthy was, at times, inconveniently rigid.
He was trustworthy where it counted, but not wholly loyal—not to me.
“Well, since you’re here,” I said, gesturing to the chairs in front of my desk, “what’s the status of your assignment?”
Luca didn’t sit. “Still gathering intel. There are new leads I’ll be following up on.”
I nodded, though the answer didn’t satisfy me.
“And I’m working to figure out who,” Luca said, his tone steady but firm.
“You’ll need to work faster,” I said coldly, letting the edge of my words hang in the air.
Jareth chose that moment to chime in. “Good thing I’m here to pick up the slack, then.”
Luca’s jaw tightened, his gaze snapping to Jareth, then back to me. “I don’t think that’s wise, sir. Jareth is… unpredictable.”
“Unpredictable gets results,” Jareth said. “You should try it sometime, Luca. Might loosen you up.”
Luca ignored the jab, but the tension in his shoulders didn’t ease. I raised a hand, silencing them before the argument could escalate. “Jareth’s methods may be unconventional, but they are effective. I don’t need a lecture on trust, Luca. I’ll make my own decisions.”
Luca didn’t respond immediately, but I saw the faintest hint of discomfort in his expression.
Good. He needed to know where things stood.
Jareth was unpredictable, yes, but he was also focused, brilliant, and dangerous in the ways I required.
He was my gamble—a calculated risk that, so far, had paid off.
“Anything else to report?” I asked Luca.
“Word is spreading,” he said finally. “The Ashen faction is showing an interest in your territory. And, as always, there are rumors about the entire territory being one massive illusion.”
I let out a dry chuckle. “Let those slippery water bastards believe what they want, but the Ashen will never set foot here. They won’t strike a deal with me. Not now. Not ever.”
Luca nodded, though his expression remained guarded.
“How about Vincenzo? Anything interesting happening on his end?”
“Nothing exciting,” Luca said, shrugging. “Same old shit.”
I raised an eyebrow, my gaze sharpening. “And Celeste?”
The subtle shift in his posture was telling—his weight shifted from one foot to the other, his arms relaxing slightly but only in an effort to hide his discomfort. “Celeste is thriving,” he said after a pause.
A slow smirk spread across my face. “I’m sure she is.” I waved a hand dismissively. “That’ll be all, Luca. Thank you for the update.”
He nodded stiffly, shooting one last glance at Jareth before leaving the office. The tension in the room eased slightly once he was gone.
“Well,” Jareth said, lounging back against the bookshelf once more. “He’s still as fun as ever.”
“He’s effective,” I corrected. “And I’ll expect you to be just as effective moving forward.”
“Of course. You can count on me, boss.”
I didn’t reply, already turning my attention to the small glowing sphere I pulled from my desk drawer. I tapped it once, and it flattened into a 4D image of my estate. In the center of the display, a flashing red dot indicated Vivian’s location.
If she dared to try escaping again, I would know instantly. And she would suffer the consequences.