Total pages in book: 47
Estimated words: 46899 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 234(@200wpm)___ 188(@250wpm)___ 156(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 46899 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 234(@200wpm)___ 188(@250wpm)___ 156(@300wpm)
Cassian.
I quickly called him back. “Yes?”
“Another package delivered,” he said, voice low, clinical. “You have to get it into his system before the meeting. Or he dies the minute they give him his first drink. I’ve seen it happen, I’ve seen worse actually. Part of the thrill in recommending someone to The Family is in guessing what sort of things they’ll do to test him.”
My stomach dropped, and my throat dried. “Say that again. What do you mean he dies? I thought this was so that he could infiltrate and not die.” My lips still burned from his kiss. I paced a tight circle in the hallway and told myself to take long deep breaths.
Cassian cursed under his breath like I was the idiot. “Every time I deliver it, Tempest. He has to take it every time. Or he won’t survive the challenge, the drugs build up a tolerance, alright? He’s building antibodies, and I’m also dosing him with a shit ton of meds so that when they do try to make him sick his body has a fighting chance.” That would explain why he appeared to look like he was feeling sick earlier; it wasn’t necessarily the small amount of poison, maybe it was the good stuff building up in his body.
Good. That was good.
I stared straight ahead, vision tunneling, the taste of champagne curdling on my tongue, mixing with the taste of him. Across the room, Raven glanced my way—eyes dark, unreadable. She looked away first and laughed at something Ace said. Good, that meant I didn’t look guilty, right?
Cassian hung up without waiting for a reply. I quickly shoved the phone back in my purse, fingers shaking, spine rigid.
Raven made her way down the hall and tilted her head toward my clutch. “Everything okay?”
I forced a smile. “Yeah, totally fine, I mean unless you count the fact that Louis has been with Dad in his office for the past ten minutes.”
Raven made a face. “He can hold his own.”
Jealousy slammed against my chest so violently that I almost stumbled taking my next step. “Yeah, I know that all too well. He’s strong like that.”
Raven nodded slowly. “He likes you.”
“Good. I like him too.”
“Your tongue was far enough down his throat I didn’t have to worry about your physical feelings at least toward him.”
I shrugged. “He’s hot.”
“Right.” Raven sighed. “Right. Let’s get more champagne.”
I hated the distance we suddenly had between us almost as much as I hated that she’d tasted Louis first.
He was mine now, and with any luck—my future was about to belong to me right along with him.
9
LOUIS
Madness is rare in individuals—but in groups, parties, nations, it is the rule. — Frederich Nietzsche
The house was quiet when we got back. Tempest had already run up the stairs to get changed, claiming she couldn’t stay one more minute in her dress and heels.
The TV was off, the alarm had been on, we were safe, but the sound of the clock in the corner ticking off the time was just another reminder that we didn’t have enough of it, not before all of this would go to hell.
This farce was so very temporary.
I locked the front door and set the alarm, kicked off my shoes, and spotted the black box on the kitchen counter like it had always been there when I knew it hadn’t. Great. Already? What the hell was Cassian thinking? I picked up the box. No note. No ribbon. Just ominous packaging and the promise of super fun consequences later that evening.
Yay. Can’t wait.
With a curse, I cracked the lid open with two fingers and peered inside like it was a bomb about ready to go off.
Inside: a single vial and two slim white capsules.
I exhaled through my nose. “Another party favor. How thoughtful.”
Tempest’s voice floated in from the hallway. I smelled her citrus scent before she entered. “It’s for the meeting next week. You’ll need it.”
I turned, leaning on the counter. “Is it going to make my dick fall off? Or just rot slowly over time?”
She strolled in barefoot, wearing leggings and one of my black T-shirts like it was hers. Damn if she didn’t look fucking hot with how baggy it hung on her. “You’re so dramatic.”
I raised my eyebrows. “Says the woman drugging her husband.”
She rolled her eyes. “You knew what this was, Louis. Infiltrate. Learn what they’re hiding. Gain a few secrets on behalf of your wife. Play the game. Get out alive, live to see another day.”
“I’m playing it,” I said, holding up the vial. “But maybe I’d like to know the rules before I end up with three nipples or a sudden urge to bark at the moon.” I wasn’t stupid; I was just seeing how much she would actually reveal to me. Did the kiss do anything? Did it make her want to share more? Did it break any defense or were we currently on opposite ends of the chessboard still?