Twenty-Two
Her Destiny
Sin
The walk toward my cousin was purposely slow. My eyes never wavered from him, but I remained aware of what was in my peripheral vision. I had to be prepared for anything to happen at any moment.
I trained my senses on the surrounding sounds and smells. Christ. Someone stinks. The poor asshole reeked of far too much fucking cologne, like he had dumped a bottle on himself. But I couldn’t let someone’s overuse of fragrance distract me.
I had to focus. Prevail. Stay locked in.
Danger lurked. Right inside my home. The threat was far more sinister than me.
Ace Madden wasn’t precisely the trouble. The players surrounding him were. My cousin’s way of doing business was bad to the motherfucking bone.
Illegal. Callous. Calculated.
Ace was as dark as he appeared in the suit he wore, and he fit right in with the ghosts of this place. He had more spirits who followed him than I had demons. True goddamn hauntings that tortured his soul, stalked him in his dreams, and made every damn day hell on earth.
Mr. Madden was born into utter disarray, raised to own a legacy of pure death and forced to greet life with a fake smile on his face. He was as powerful as a man could be, but he was lost underneath all the death. This was how I had always imagined his life.
“Never in a million years did I think I’d see you again.” I kept my hands in my pockets. “What are you doing here?”
If I touched the man who worked for the devil, all hell could break loose. Liv had escaped an unthinkable fate, and I wouldn’t be the one to open the gates of the underworld. I needed to keep her safe.
“I received an invitation,” Ace answered in a deep, husky tone.
“No, that’s not what I meant.” My upper lip twitched. “Why’d you dare come?”
“I wasn’t going to,” Ace replied.
His eyes were impeccable. Dark, but gray. The color of a storm on the horizon.
“Then why are you fucking here, cousin?” I asked in a hoarse whisper.
I wanted a goddamn honest answer. Everyone in this fucking club deserved the truth. Our guests were justified in me kicking his ass out.
“To see my estranged cousin,” Ace answered with a flick of his tongue against the roof of his mouth. “Why so hostile? We’re family.”
Ace went to graze my shoulder, but I flinched. He dropped his hand to his side and shifted his feet on the ground. The slight movement made his suit jacket move, and I glimpsed a handgun.
I leaned in close and whispered, “Wherever you go, danger follows. I won’t have your fucking enemies crashing my party. I’ll slit everyone’s throat if I have to.”
Ace tilted his head.
“Already done,” Ace whispered in my ear. “In a sense.”
A chill of adrenaline ran down my spine at any discussion of a kill. I pictured Ace slitting throats with playing cards. Or maybe he punctured eyeballs with the deck.
I leaned back. “Are you goddamn certain?”
“Absolutely.” Ace gave a curt nod and stared me straight in the eye. “I ensured I tied up all loose ends so I could attend. My siblings will keep the rest in line.”
I had only met his family in passing. Briefly at funerals. Far too fucking many. I think the only bloodline left were the Madden siblings, but I could be wrong.
I heaved a long sigh. “Okay. Stay. But I want you gone after the wedding.”
“Done.” Ace held out his hand.
Fuck. Ace wanted me to shake his hand in good faith. No way.
I rubbed the back of my neck. “Ah… How about a fist-bump explosion instead?”
“What the fuck is that?” Ace narrowed his eyes.
“You know…” I stood back and fist-bumped the air with an expanding hands gesture. “Fist-bump explosion.”
“Fine.” Ace rolled his eyes.
We fist-bumped in earnest.
“Nice.” I grinned with a nod. “Enjoy the party.”
I was about to turn around when I saw Raven strut by Ace in a long black dress. Her heels tapped along the floor, and his eyes followed her. Transfixed on her and no one else. I thought he’d go after her, but he remained still until she went out of sight.
Ace’s mouth formed a slow smirk. “I’m sure I will.”
My cousin picked up his drink and took a sip.
Suddenly, Liv came from the same direction Raven did with a tarot card in her hand. I caught her by the waist, and she squeaked a surprised gasp. We twirled until I stopped and dipped her as if we had finished a lovers’ dance.
“Sin…” Liv locked wide eyes on me.
“Hi, beautiful.” I brought Liv back up, and she laid her hands against my chest. “I want you to meet someone.”
I turned around, my hand intertwined with hers, certain she’d be safe. I’d protect Liv. We’d keep her out of harm’s way.
“Who?” Liv asked.
Ace was gone. Vanished into thin air. Only his drinking glass remained on the table, showing that he had been there.
Fuck. For a second, I thought I was crazy.
“Ace Madden.” I sighed with relief and ran a hand through my hair. “My cousin.”
Liv let go of my hand and searched for a man who wore no mask but actually put on far too many. The devils, monsters, and natural-born killers. He was everything good mixed in with all the evil in this world.
“He’s gone.” Liv threw up her hands in the air, and they fell to her sides.
“Some other time, I guess.” I shrugged. “Motherfucker got stage fright.”
“I wanted to meet this intriguing individual who made my man tense.” Liv massaged the front of my shoulder blades. “I’ve never seen you like this.”
“We hashed things out.” I took her hands and brushed kisses on her knuckles. “All better.”
“You sure?” Liv asked with a quirked eyebrow.
“Yep.” I popped the P. “For now.”