Page 55 of Beg the Night

“Tests you don’t need to concern yourselves with.”

Carter laughed. “What? You two fuck or something? Did Director send you back here so you could finally share?”

Between one blink and the next, black smoke erupted from Sinner’s chest and wrapped around Carter’s neck, then his torso, until his entire body was bound tight.

Shit. Sinner hadofficiallylost his cool.

SEVENTEEN

sinner

Iwas in no mood for games.

Leaving that incredibly small room was a blessing, yes, but returning to the place where dozens of men could look at what was mine?

Especially so soon after I had her squirming for me?

Call it an absurd protectiveness triggered by the upcoming claiming. But I had no intention of sharing anything.

And Carter clearly hadn’t learned his lesson.

“Sinner, stop!”

Oh, Athena.She thought she could stop me, but the sound of her voice only made me squeeze harder. I called on more of my magic—the dark demons crawling within me—and pushed them toward Carter. I had only one motive.

Destroy him.

I would have, too. I was drinking up the way his eyes widened with panic until they nearly burst.

But when a strong hand fell to my shoulder, accompanied with another scream from Athena, I startled and pulled my magic back a fraction.

Leon stood beside me, doing his best to rip me away. “Don’t do this, man,” he pleaded. “She’s going to make you regret it. You know she will. He isn’t worth it.”

Athena stood beside him, hair wild and alive.

Fuck. Leon was right. Director hated it when we used our magic down here. She’d made that clear to me on more than one occasion.

With a grunt, I released Carter, letting him fall to the ground, where he writhed, gasping for air.

“Fine. But keep your friend in check,” I said as I stormed away. If I didn’t put space between us, I’d end up finishing the fucker off. “I won’t show mercy like this again.”

Athena stumbled after me, grasping my bicep with both hands.

I stopped and spun around so fast she lost her balance. “Fuck.” I steadied her. “I can’t have these men thinking they can put their hands on you whenever they want.”

“Why?” she pushed, shaking loose of my hold. “Why do you care?”

Instead of brushing her off like I should have, instead of storming off and cooling down in the showers for a fucking change, I closed the space between us and cupped her face, tilting her chin up.

I could have kissed her. Fuck, Iwouldhave. I hated her, but I wanted her. And that made me hate myself more than anything.

“I care because you’re mine. And now that I’ve had a taste of you, I don’t think I can let you out of my sight for a second. So do what I say. It took all my willpower to keep myself in check the last time. I’m not sure I can do it again.”

Her mouth opened and closed, but all that escaped her was a tiny squeak. I loved it when she was speechless. I loved it even more than when she was annoying the living shit out of me with her words.

“They already think we’re together,” she finally breathed. “Nobody is going to try anything.”

Every mystic in this place was watching us now. They really did think we had fucked, and maybe that misconception would benefit me. Maybe that would make the others think twice before doing anything stupid.

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