“You don’t have to,” Tempest murmurs, her brows softening. “But you’re also allowed to live, Evie. You’re not alone anymore.”
Daring a glance around, I’m surprised to find each of the Seven staring back at me, silently showing their agreement. Something twists in my chest as tears prick my eyes. I swallow them down before any can fall, but hold on to that foreign feeling of belonging.
For nineteen years, my family tried to erase everything that I am, cutting off parts of me until I fit the image of what they wanted. But here—surrounded by a group of people I’ve barely known for more than a few weeks, all of whom have done reprehensible things—I feel seen and heard and valued.
Unlocking my phone, I place it in Noctis’s waiting hand. My mouth runs dry as I watch him give Silas a silent nod before disappearing inside. The others ease back into smooth conversation. All except Silas, whose gaze I can feel searing into my back. Bane—the Italian one with the orange hellhound tattooed along the inside of his wrist—makes a call inviting a “few friends” to join us.
“I’m not sure a house party is a good idea,” Tempest protests, and I hate the way her worried glance cuts to me. “Maybe we should go out instead.”
“Agreed,” Silas rumbles.
The scent of leather and spice swirls from behind me as pricks of electricity tingle along the back of my neck. It’s intoxicating being this close to him. Silas is the serpent in the grass, the dark voice whispering in my ear to give in to my wicked fantasies. And just like my namesake, I’m not strong enough to resist temptation.
“Worried you’ll see other women throwing themselves at me and finally be forced to admit you’re jealous?” Erik asks, looping an arm around Tempest and ignoring Silas.
“In your dreams.” Tempest rolls her eyes and shoves him off. “Not everyone wants exhibitionism or voyeurism, you savage brute.”
“You’ve never minded before,” Erik teases, his smile faltering only after Tempest whispers something too soft for me to catch. His eyes flick to me, and I force my smile to be a little brighter.
“I’m fine with it,” I say with forced bravado, trying to recall what they’re referring to. I’m pretty sure it’s sex in public, which isn’t something I’d want to be a part of. At least, I don’t think I would, but this place is huge, and Tempest already showed me the guest suite we’ll be using tonight. If anything gets out of hand, I’ll go to bed early and enjoy what’s sure to be a comfortable bed with silk sheets.
“No, you’re not fine,” Silas counters, trailing his fingers down my spine until his hand rests just above my ass. He’s barely touching me, but I feel his possession as if I’ve been branded.
“They’ve already been invited.” Bane grins, orange hellhound flexing over his forearm.
“Then uninvite them,” Silas growls through clenched teeth. His shoulders tense, the gentle caresses across my lower back stilling as he stares down his brother.
“How about this,” Adrian chimes in, holding up a golden coin etched with a dragon’s head. “Heads we stay and party. Tails we’ll go to a local sex club and leave you two lovebirds here.”
Silas’s nostrils flare, and Tempest looks like she’s about to protest, but Adrian flips the coin before either of them speaks. He snatches it from the air as it begins its descent, pressing it to the back of his hand with his palm. He looks down, Bane and Erik leaning in to see which side is staring back.
“Tell me, Evie,” Adrian says, grinning at me, “do virgins like watching things they’ve never done?”
27
SILAS
No fucking way am I going to let any of these assholes have sex with Evie watching. They might catch a glimpse of her perfect blush or wide doe eyes and think of her while they’re thrusting into someone else. And then I’d have to kill them.
I nearly ripped Dominic’s heart from his chest when he suggested we join them. As if I’d ever let another person hear those sexy-as-fuck little moans my Evie makes when she comes. No, when I finally sink my cock into her sweet pussy, it’ll be just the two of us. When I can bleed and fuck and destroy her over and over again until her orgasms are painful, her body too weak to stand.
I don’t mind the occasional orgy, but my brothers know I don’t like to share things that matter to me. And somewhere along the way, Evie joined that list, climbing the ranks and perching her pretty little ass at the top.
“Easy, brother,” Noctis says.
After threats of violence, Bane finally agreed to make the west wing of the house designated sex rooms, leaving Tempest, Evie, Erik, and me—along with any other guests who weren’t in the mood to fuck—the bar areas. Noctis has only just returned, his teal eyes and tanned skin flushed with post-sex warmth. He follows my line of sight to where Evie is being preyed upon by some polished fuckwit.
“She’s only talking,” Noctis adds with a grin. “And I’d rather not have to call the cleaning crew tonight.”
My fists clench as the dark-haired, smug-faced Italian leans forward, whispering something in her ear. Normally, I don’t mind Lorenzo. He’s one of Bane’s more reasonable cousins. Methodical like Noctis with a sex drive to rival Dominic’s. But that combination won’t do when his charming gaze is locked on Evie. Absolutely fucking not.
Evie throws her head back in a laugh, nearly falling over in her half-drunken state. His hand catches her around the waist—touchingmy little fox. My blood boils as his palm lingers far too long, rage blurring my vision. I don’t give a fuck if he’s Bane’s cousin. The pads of his fingers graze the white sequins of her dress, caressing the material warmed by her body, clinging to her curves, while he eye-fucks the shit out of her.
And I can’t help but imagine plucking his eyes from his skull, severing each vein and tendon connecting his hands to his forearms until every part of him that’s held my Evie is erased.
“Shit,” Noctis mutters. “Don’t kill him.”
But I’m already moving. I don’t bother to hide the coldness in my eyes as Lorenzo raises his head, his cocky-as-shit smile faltering for the first time tonight.
