Page 107 of A Sin So Pure

I squeal. “Thank you!”

“I might not murder Wes, but Nora’s definitely going to murdermewhen she gets back and hears about this.”

“No, she won’t. I won’t let her.”

“And there’s no way I can convince you to let me send one of the guys to do this for you?”

“Nope. I want to do it myself,” I say with cheery confidence.

“Fine. But we’re bringing the guys too. Human-side, you do need bodyguards. It’s not only the Seelie out there we need to worry about.”

“Wes said—” Josie hits me with one of her infamous reprimanding glares and my mouth snaps shut. “I can compromise.”

We head across the Veil two days later.

My knee bumps up and down as Wes drives us through the streets of the human city. It’s not terribly different fromAnwynn, but the tall buildings are colder and the sky is grayer, as if the vibrancy of life has been drained from the air. We stop at an intersection, watching swaths of hat and scarf-clad pedestrians rush across the streets to work.

“I’m glad you took my recommendation, Lust,” Wes says from the driver’s seat. He meets my eye through the rearview mirror of the Cadillac, red cheeks plumped into a dimpled smile. “The owner’s workmanship is excellent. You’d think he was fae. Trust me, you won’t regret this.”

“I’ve been looking forward to it,” I say. “Thank you for accompanying us.”

“When Boss says jump, you jump.” He laughs awkwardly, eyes turning back to the road. “And who can say no to a Sin like you either?”

“You’ve got him quite chatty,” Josie murmurs out of the side of her mouth, quiet enough for only me to hear as we sit huddled in the back seat together.

I lean my head towards her, whispering on a snicker, “Not my fault if he wants to please me.”

“Uh-huh,” she deadpans. “You and Leo aren’t trying to snatch him for your House, are you?”

“I wouldn’t do that.”

She quirks a brow at me accusingly, but I haven’t thought to poach the young talent for my House. There’s not much value for those who can wield shadows in House Lust; empaths such as Josie, on the other hand, are a goldmine.

“Sin’s honor,” I add, fingers crossing over my chest.

Josie huffs a laugh, shaking her head as the car jerks to a stop.

“I’ll let you two out here. Shop’s right there.” Wes points through the window across the street to an overhang with a tarnished metal sign shaped like a revolver dangling over the doorway. The shop window hasSal’s Gunsmithpainted in boldletters on the glass. “I will park the car and then stand guard outside.”

Josie and I hurry out of the car, and I throw a quick thank you to Wes before shutting the door.

“This is exciting,” I say as I pull Josie across the crosswalk, looking both ways before skipping across the white lines.

“Don’t get your hopes up,” Josie says. “The humans are tough bargainers. At least, the ones I deal with on a regular basis are.”

I scoff as I twist the door handle to the shop; a bell chimes above my head as we enter, rushing out of the cold. I untie my scarf, letting it hang over my shoulders and down the front of my jacket.

“Josie, you should know better by now.” I wink. “I always get the deal I want.”

The distinct tang of metal and smoke fills my nostrils as I take in the rifles sitting upright on shelf-lined walls. In front of each rack are glass display cases, showing off revolvers and antique paraphernalia—little pieces of human history.

A bloody history,I think, then shake my head.Nope. Don’t think about the death part. Think about Nora’s smile when she opens it on Solstice.

“Now, what are two pretty young ladies like yourselves doing in here?” an ancient Yankee voice calls from the back of the shop.

The man pops out of a back door—likely where his workshop lives—and wipes his wrinkled hands off on a dirtied rag before tossing it behind the checkout counter. He shuffles forward, hands on his hips, where an oil-stained apron is tied around his waist.

I let my magic unfurl around me, projecting an amiable, compliant aura.

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