Page 85 of Midnights
Rachel snorts and Cam covers his laugh with a cough.
I take a slow step forward, closing the space between us just enough to catch the heat that flickers in her eyes. “Careful, Princess.”
Her lips part, and her tongue darts out to wet her bottom lip. Then, in true Raven fashion, she scoffs, flicking her hair over her shoulder. “Whatever helps you sleep at night.”
And just like that, she walks away, adding an extra sway to her hips as I watch her go. I clench my jaw, every muscle in my body is wound like a fucking coil right now.
Cam claps a hand on my shoulder, shaking his head as he puts up his stick. “Yeah, you’re so screwed.”
I drag a hand down my face, forcing myself to breathe. She’s a menace. A gorgeous, sharp-tongued menace who has no idea what kind of fire she’s playing with. That cocky little smirk and the way she taunts me like she’s untouchable is infuriating. And the worst part is, it’s working.
She thinks this is a game and that she’s winning. She has no idea that I never start something unless I’m prepared to win.
I’ll let her have her fun. For now.
I move to follow Cam, gesturing toward the door with a bow. “After you, your highness.” She rolls her eyes but doesn’t hide the way her lips twitch. I can read her like a book, she enjoys pushing me just as much as I enjoy pushing her.
She narrows her eyes, glaring at me, but there’s no real heat behind it. “Enjoying yourself?”
Oh, sweetheart, you have no idea.
We move through the halls, passing roped-off doors and Rachel slows, eyeing them with barely concealed mischief.
“I wonder what’s in there,” she muses, her fingers twitching like she’s debating whether to push her luck. “Should we sneak in? What do you guys say?”
I huff a quiet laugh, already knowing where this is going.
“Don’t even think about it, Rach,” Raven warns, nudging her friend.
But I don’t miss the interest that flashes throughhereyes. Raven might not say it outright, but I can tell she wants to. The temptation is there. And fuck if that doesn’t stir something dark and dangerous in me.
I can see it now. Raven sneaking through these halls at night, her body pressed against the stone as she listens for footsteps, hiding in the shadows. But she'd get caught.
I swallow hard, shoving the image down before my thoughts go somewhere I won’t be able to control.
She catches me watching her and I can see the curiosity flickering across her face.
“You thinking about breaking the rules, Princess?” I murmur, keeping my voice just low enough to make it feel like a challenge.
She lifts a shoulder in a lazy shrug. “No, I would never do something like that.”
Liar.
I arch a brow. “Oh, so you only break rules when no one’s looking?”
She flashes me a grin, andfuck, it’s lethal. “I never said that.”
I chuckle under my breath. I know I should stop provoking her. I also know I shoulddefinitelystop imagining what she’d do if I caught her sneaking around in one of these rooms.
Rachel interrupts, stopping in front of a massive portrait. “Look at her dress! Can you imagine if we had to wear that every day?”
“I’m sure you’d trip at least once a day if you had to wear that,” Cam teases.
Rachel glares right back at him. “Rude.”
Raven just shakes her head, laughing softly. “Hey, don’t make fun of her baby deer ankles.”
We keep moving until we reach a large room lined with glass cases. When I see them, a curse burns the back of my throat, but I swallow it. Their eyes light up and Raven practically presses her nose against the glass.
