Page 82 of Viper

“I made it clear to you more than once that I’m not interested in what you’re offering. That hasn’t changed. It won’t ever change.”

“Viper,” she implored, “can we—”

“I definitely wouldn’t have any interest in a woman who’d try to come between me and what’s mine.” His entity wanted to ring her neck.

“Okay, so I went about things the wrong way. You’re right, I want out of my lair—and for real good reasons. Tell me what I have to do to earn a place in your club, and I’ll do it.”

“That ain’t gonna happen.” She was fucking high if she thought differently.

Her brow pinched. “But—”

“You fucked with my woman, Neta. You think I want anyone near her who’d do that?”

Her eyes drifted shut, and her shoulders slumped. “I really messed up, didn’t I?”

That was putting it lightly. “There are other descendant lairs; other groups of fallen angels. If you’re really that desperate to leave your own lair, switch to one of those.”

She swallowed. “Are you going to tell Maddox about this?” she asked, not quite masking the dread from her voice.

“Don’t see the point—I made myself clear, you listened, and I’m gonna assume you won’t fuck up like that again. But if you do, or if you tell anyone about my involvement with Ella—and I mean fuckinganyone—I will call him. It’ll only be fair I let him know that I tortured one of his demons.”

Fear washed over her face, pleasing his entity.

“From now on, you’re barred from every premise I own. You stay away from my businesses, you stay away from my brothers, and you stay away from my woman. You got that?”

Her eyes went wide, and she took a fast step forward. “Please don’t bar me from the Red Rooms. The only other place I’ll be able to feed is my lair’s club. I don’t like being there.”

“Not my problem. I told you, I don’t want anyone around my woman who’d fuck with her.”

Neta pressed her lips tight together, resignation flitting over her features. “Right. Okay.” She paused, looking from him to Dice. “I’d like to leave now.”

Viper tipped his chin toward the door. “Go.”

She didn’t hesitate to spin on her heel and scamper.

He looked at his VP. “You have any idea why she’d so badly want to leave her lair?”

Pursing his lips, Dice shook his head. “Not one.”

“Look into it. I wanna know just how likely she is to push back at me for not offering her a place in our club. Demons are good at holding grudges.”

Dice grunted his agreement. “So are we.”

Yeah, very true.

Having finished drawing symbols on her kitchen floor, Mia rose to her feet and set the chalk on the circular black, glass table. Rubbing her hands together to brush off the powdery residue, she looked at Ella. “I’m ready when you are.”

“Then let’s find out what we’re dealing with.” Ella squatted down, unzipped the small suitcase she’d earlier placed on the floor, and then flipped it open. It was empty aside for the vintage porcelain doll.

It was in perfect condition and boasted the usual features you’d expect to see on such a toy—doe eyes, small mouth, light blush, alabaster skin tone, blonde ringlets, pretty dress. But there was something …offabout it.

The doll was honestly spooky as hell. Maybe because it looked so lifelike. Maybe because, no matter what angle you stood at, its eyes seemed to be staring right at you. Or maybe it was something to do with its tiny smile that looked kind of sinister.

Ella pulled it out of the case, grimacing at the not-so-nice vibe it gave off.

Mia’s nose wrinkled. “Eerie little thing, isn’t it?”

“For sure.” Ella placed it in the center of the protective circle on the floor, which would contain any aggressive power or magick that might be attached to the doll.

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