Page 116 of Viper

Looking up from the clubhouse’s kitchen table, Ella cast her sister an unapologetic smile. “You want some. You know you do.”

Mia snorted at the bowl of ice-cream and then made her way to the coffee machine.

It wasn’t uncommon for them to see each other at the Black Saints’ compound, since both spent many nights here. On those occasions, they had breakfast together before heading off to work. Today, however, they’d get to laze around due to it being Sunday.

Shifting a little on the stool, Ella scooped up yet more ice-cream and all but shoved it into her mouth. “I had a massive talk with Viper last night.”

Mia’s brows lifted in interest. “Really?” she asked as the coffee machine came to life.

There was still a sense of surrealness to all he’d told and showed Ella. She’d barely fully absorbed it. It hurt to think of how they’d once had their chance at happiness stolen from them. But now, thanks to him, they had a second chance. That he’d searched for her, fallen from the upper realm for her, so shrewdly infiltrated her life in his determination to keep her … it made her love him all the more.

“Well, don’t leave me hanging. Elaborate.”

“He told me everything. And I mean, everything. His story … well, it’s a doozy. But I’m under a geas, so I can’t share it.” Ella gifted her with an apologetic look.

“Dice once hinted at it being kind of dark; he was worried you’d reject Viper because of it.” She took a moment to scrutinize Ella’s face. “As you look happy, I’m going to assume that you’re not here against your will.”

“Huh?”

“Well, I don’t for one moment think that Viper would let you leave him, so it struck me that if youhadrejected him he could very well have trapped you here.”

Honestly, Ella wouldn’t put it past him to do such a thing. “I didn’t reject him. I’m here of my own free will. I … ”

“Love him, I know. ’Bout time you realized it.”

What the fuck? “You knew?”

“Of course I knew.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

“You needed to work it out for yourself.”

“Heifer,” Ella playfully tossed out before shoving the last of her ice-cream into her mouth. “You’re always so stingy with information.”

“Right back atcha. You learnedlotsthat you’re not sharing.”

Ella dropped her spoon into her empty bowl. “I can share something else.”

Mia’s eyes lit up. “Ooh, what?”

“Unfortunately, it’s not happy news. I got another note. I can’t say what it said, because you’ll only ask what it meant and I won’t be able to explain. But, for reasons I can’t go into, we’re thinking it was written by a celestial. One who seeks to punish Viper for falling and thinks they can do it through me.”

Mia’s brow furrowed. “But … the notes were coming before you got involved with him. Unless you two were sleeping together for longer than I thought but you didn’t tell me?”

“No, it’s not that. Let’s just say they were able to detect his interest in me.” Ella scratched at her nape. “I don’t know if I should tell Luka about the note. I mean, he’ll have all kinds of questions. Some of which I won’t be able to answer, which will lead him to askmorequestions. Learning I’m in a relationship with the president of the Black Saints is going to make him mad. Hearing that Viper put me under two geasa will only enhance that fury.”

Mia nodded, pouring coffee into her cup. “He’ll hate that there are secrets he isn’t privy to. Rationally, he’ll know that that’s how it goes with couples. But you’re his anchor, so he’ll ignore rationality. Especially when he won’t want you to be with Viper. And if Luka hears that a celestial is on your ass, he’s gonna be pissed at Viper. He’ll hold him responsible for the danger that you’re in.”

“And by telling Luka it’s a celestial, I’ll be dragging him into a situation that I don’t want him to get tangled up in.”

“It might be best to not tell him about the note. You might not like the idea of hiding stuff from him, but there’ll be plenty of stuff that he doesn’t tell you regarding his own business—mostly for your protection. This is no different.”

Ella lifted her brows. “That’s true.”

“My advice? Keep him ignorant. It’s for his own sake as well as all those whose secrets you need to protect. You’ll have to keep Mom and Jocelyn ignorant, too.” Mia exhaled heavily. “You have practice at that sort of thing, at least. But you didtryto tell them about your love life this week. Twice, actually.”

The first time, she’d gently raised the subject of the Black Saints … only for both Melodie and Jocelyn to talk about how they really needed to get started on petitioning to have the fallen angels removed from the Underground.

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