The accompanying smirk and arrogant lift of one eyebrow further solidify her newly centered energy. No one at the table needs any elaboration on thewhybehind her statement.
“Make sure he suffers,” Constantine says with the deadliest smile.
By the way Veil laughs and brushes it off, I can tell she thinks Constantine is simply joking.
But the servant of torture never jokes about such things.
Pain and suffering are her magnum opus.
“And the pregnancy?” Wolfgang asks.
I roll my eyes and stare into my glass. Wolfgang just can’t help but be in everyone’s business.
Veil’s cheeks turn bright red, but she smiles and nods. “I’m keeping it.” She says it so quietly that her voice is nearly drowned out by the loud music.
Wolfgang nods solemnly, still uncomfortably masquerading as a father figure.
Setting down my drink, I twist the cap off a glass water bottle and lean over the table to hand it to Veil before giving her a quick wink. She appears surprised by the gesture, but takes it out of my hand nonetheless, followed by a small nod as a thank-you. I realize then that we haven’t spoken much since she crash-landed in the middle of all our lives.
I should make more of an effort, especially since Constantine seems so smitten by her.
Anything shiny and new.
Raising my glass, I turn my attention to Constantine. “To Tinny and her well-deserved freedom,” I declare.
Constantine’s face smooths into the brightest of smiles as she picks up her watered-down mojito. “And to the next generation of Pravitia!” she says, clinking her highball against Veil’s water bottle.
As if summoned, Gemini pops from behind Veil, a demented smile on his face. “Did someone saythe next generation of Pravitia?”
He kisses Veil’s neck before sliding beside Wolfgang. “Don’t worry, Wolfie; your day will come,” he says so condescendingly that I know the only reason Wolfgang doesn’t tackle Gemini to the ground is for Mercy’s sake.
Wolfgang’s jaw feathers. “Unlike you imbeciles, we are in no rush.”
Gemini’s eyes flick to where I’m sitting for only a split second before turning to Constantine. “Maybe Tinny will be next then.”
My heart drops into my stomach at his implication, but Constantine, as always, doesn’t pick up on it. She simply falls into a giggling fit at the mere thought.
I promise Gemini a swift death through my silent glare, but he’s unperturbed, and he sends me a kiss from across the table.
I should make my infatuation less obvious if Gemini picked up on it.
Then again, what’s stopping me now?
48
GEMINI
Ipretend to read the words on the page, the book propped up on my knees as I wait for Veil to join me in bed. Instead, I’m listening to every sound my beloved is making in the en suite, envisioning what the sounds are attached to.
The brush raking through her hair. The running water as she washes her face. The small clink of the lid from her face cream touching the counter.
Whoever first paired the worddomesticatedwith the wordblisssure understood the meaning of life. I can’t get enough. I haven’t been back to my house since I muscled my way into hers three weeks ago. I haven’t left her bed in the two weeks since we’ve made up.
I don’t miss my house, not when I find great pleasure in watching Veil slowly decorate hers to her liking. With each new decoration or furnishing, she learns about herself—her likes and dislikes. And to witness her come into her own is a divine gift I will not be so brash to spoil.
Things might be going a lot more smoothly now, but there’s still some resistance from Veil. I pretend not to feel it. She pretends not to know I can feel it.
Veil is teaching me patience … not everything needs to be an instant gratification, especially when my reward is a life spent with the servant of thievery.
