Page 114 of They Break Beauty

But then his reaction with her surprised me again and that flame died out and a gentleness I couldn’t believe took its place as he said, “I won’t touch you with sullied hands. Not the blood of our enemies.”

“So, only in-house then?” she teased.

She got more than she bargained for when Levi confirmed, “Exactly. Just the four of us.” He glared out at me, acknowledging me for the first time since she’d shown up. “Well, three right now.”

“Take that shower. It’s time I introduced myself to Mason anyway.”

Levi looked between her and me, then to Colt. “You won’t be here alone while I’m showering, Colt will be here with you.”

“Not necessary. I’d rather talk to him alone.” Off Levi’s suspicious look, she assured him, “Not about that, we do that together, like I said. Jeez, it took me a lot to convince you, I wouldn’t risk messing up how we do it. You have my word.”

The tension started to leave him—a little. “As you wish, Wildflower.”

He pressed a soft kiss to the top of her head, and then he headed out of the room, looking back a couple of times. Colt followed after him muttering something about needing a fucking strong daiquiri after the shitshow of tonight.

And then it was just me and her.

The troublemaker.

The thorn in my side.

The dangerous temptation to Levi.

The knife through the heart of our brotherhood.

I chugged the remainder of my scotch, then placed it down on the coffee table and sank back against the couch, affecting a casual and calm air—neither of which I really felt.

Her eyes were on me studiously as she made her way to the adjacent armchair and relaxed into it, then mirrored my pose.

Trying to play me at my own game? Yeah, that wasn’t the first time she’d done that.

She’d actually fought back and that never fucking happened—no one returned fire against Hex. She was the first. Completely unprecedented.

I didn’t like that. Unpredictable elements concerned me. Just like Levi Knight.

Now there were two of them.

Jesus.

“Well, you’re certainly doing your utmost to live up to your reputation of Scourge,” she commented.

“Compliment accepted.”

“I’m not your enemy.”

I sneered. “Burning my soldiers through rigging the showers and displacing many more from their homes with various infestations would beg to differ.”

“Those were retaliatory responses,” she answered evenly. “Which you made necessary.”

“Our marks don’t strike back against Hex.”

“Then I guess there’s a first time for everything.” She folded one leg over the other. “And also the first time you’ve made the mistake of marking someone like me.”

“Someone like you?”

“That’s right.”

“A club princess?”

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