Page 74 of A Sin So Pure

So why come over here, asshole?

Silas waves Wrath’s comment away, pulling out the empty chair at the end of the table and sitting down.

“I did hear House Pride had a hand in our meals tonight. So, I wanted to come over and give my compliments.”

He looks expectantly at Nora, but she gives him a deadpan glare.

“Why are you staring at me?”

“Because you’re Pride?” he drawls.

“This was my Second’s project. You can direct your congratulations at her.”

Nora’s lips twitch upwards as the table registers that she’s issued the Unseelie King a command, however small. We wait, all on edge, to see if he’ll follow.

All the while, her thumb strokes up and down my neck.

Silas lips part, forming an open-mouthed smile. Slowly, he turns to Josie—who freezes under his searing gaze—and speaks.

“You did an excellent job,” he says. “You should be very proud.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty.”

“Are you two together?” Hattie calls across the table. Her cheek is smooshed against her hand, her head tilted, and her brows are knit over curious eyes that flick between Silas and Wrath. She waggles a finger from her free hand at Wrath. “He’s always hanging off you like a shadow.”

The table goes still, preparing for the Unseelie King to reprimand Hattie for speaking out of turn. But Silas laughs, the deep ocean waves rolling over us.

“Ha! No,” Silas says. “He’s more of a grumpy, over-protective, older brother who I can’t get rid of?—”

“I’m only two months older than you,” Wrath grumbles, pulling a golden pocket watch from his suit.

“—wait, why do you ask?” Silas asks. He and Hattie chatter back and forth like two happy squirrels.

The rest of us watch, dumbfounded.

Leo leans into Josie, whispering, “What is happening right now?”

“I believe he is trying to build friendly rapport with the group,” she whispers back.

“Ah,” Leo says. “Why?”

Silas snaps his fingers, and Josie and Leo jump to attention. He’s got a smarmy, closed-lipped smirk on as he drawls, “It’s rude to talk about people when they’re right in front of you.”

Leo’s eyes widen and cut to mine. I cock my brow as if to sayget used to it, bud, this is your future.

Wrath’s hand comes down on Silas’s shoulder, his sturdy grip apparent by the wrinkling of Silas’s suit. He doesn’t sayanything, but a quick shared glance between the two men is all Wrath needs.

“It seems my carriage is going to turn into a pumpkin, and I’ve got to get this grandpa home—it’s well past Wrath’s bedtime.” Silas gets up, gently pushing his chair back into place. Then he throws his arm around Wrath with a cheeky salute. “See you Monday, Pride.”

Wrath shoves Silas’s arm off his shoulder as the two retreat across the room.

“I would not describe him as a grandpa,” Hattie murmurs, biting her bottom lip as she makes googly eyes at Wrath’s back. “Maybe a daddy, though.”

All four of our brows snap to our hairlines.

“Hattie!” Josie nearly chokes on her wine.

“I’m usually all for that, but with him?” Leo gags.

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