Page 61 of Addicted to the Ruin

“And the Fallen Trials are a matter of life or death,” Aeron remarks, stepping slightly in front of me. “Whichever of the rumors are true, they are men you do not want to piss off.”

Before anyone can speak again, they reach us, and I can feel the tension thrumming through the air like an electric current.

“Aeron Taylor,” the one with skin the cool brown of driftwood greets, his voice like the caress of a frosty night. “Thank you for the invite.”

“You’re welcome, Lucifer. It’s good to see you,” Aeron answers, and I have to hold in the scoff at this guy’s name.I mean, Lucifer? Really?I swallow hard when the devil’s namesake swings his startling, pale blue gaze to me. Knox’s arm tightens around me, and a low, rumbling growl vibrates through my chest from him.

“A pleasure to make your acquaintance, Lark Jackson,” he purrs, a small half smile pulling up his lips, the black mask allowing only them and his straight nose visible. I freeze, my heart thudding as I wonder how the fuck he knew my name. He turns to Ash and his guys, his eyes landing on Lilly. “Asher, Knights. Congratulations are in order I hear.”

I see Lilly take a sharp breath, Knox and Ash on either side of her, Loki and the one with glasses—Kai—at her back. “Thank you,” she answers softly, clearly as unsettled as I am by his attention.

“Thank you, Lucifer. Good to see you again,” Ash adds, and I wonder what business the Knights have had with the Fallen in the past.

The other two behind him, one as pale as the moon and the other golden like the sun, don’t make a sound, just survey us and the crowd with dark stares and intense gazes. It’s enough to make me shiver, goosebumps erupting across my skin.

His attention turns to Rook, and his guys are at his back, all of them standing tall. “The Fallen may have need of you one day soon, Soldiers,” he cryptically tells my brother, but it’s not a question, more like a command from the devil that you can’t ignore. “I think the change in leadership will be of benefit to us both.” Rook just nods, although I can see that, unlike with Ash, there’s no excitement at the prospect of working with these guys. His hands are clenched into tight fists at his sides and they’re trembling. Who are these guys that can wield such fear over these powerful men? “We shall leave you to the party, have a good evening.”

And with that, they are gone, the crowd once again parting for them as if they know we have apex predators among us.

“Fuck me, those guys are scary.” Lilly laughs, breaking all the tension in our group as we all nervously chuckle.

I can’t shake the chill that the Fallen have left over me though, and I wonder what they have in store for us all.

Knox

“Under the Influence” by Chris Brown

Our beautiful Little Bird is giggling as we enter the warehouse after the party, her cheeks a rosy color and her hair beginning to tumble out of the complicated updo the stylist put it in earlier. I love her like this, all disheveled and ripe for us to mess her up even more.

“I believe I promised you something earlier this evening, Dove,” Aeron purrs, and her eyes widen, her face serious as she remembers whatever it was. “Ah, so you haven’t forgotten. Care to share with the class?”

She swallows, the movement making her slender neck bob. I get momentarily distracted with the image of my hand wrapped around her throat as I impale her on my dick.

“You said that I was owed an edging session,” she replies, not taking her gaze off him, and her voice husky and breathy. My dick immediately stirs in my pants, but I don’t give a fuck as all I can see is her and the way she’s vibrating with lust right now.

“Good girl,” he praises, and I watch her chest hitch as she sucks in a sharp breath. “Now, Knox, strip her, leave the heels.”

“Yes, boss,” I readily answer, stalking towards her like a tiger stalking its prey. She goes to turn around, but I get there first, pressing up against her back and holding her jaw in my palm. “Stay facing that way, Little Bird,” I order in a deep whisper, allowing my other hand to skim the curve of her waist.

She stills, and after a couple of seconds, I let her go, bending down and reaching inside my boot for my knife. It comes out of its sheath with a slight hiss; the sound filling the quiet room. Her body trembles as I straighten back up, and I can’t resist trailing the tip of the blade down her exposed spine, stopping just above where the lacing to her dress starts. Her skin pebbles as I wait for a beat, then I slide the knife under the ribbon the same shade of green as her eyes and slice down in one quick movement.

She gasps as the shredded silk falls away, the dress immediately gaping and falling down around her in a puddle of green net and sparkling crystals.

“Fuck me, Nightingale,” Jude rasps and she stands there, dressed only in her red-soled heels and a deep green, lace thong. I lick my lips at the sight, biting down on the bottom one when I run the knife down her spine again, this time stopping at her thong and cutting that off her too.

She doesn’t flinch, the slight hitch of her breath the only thing that tells me she’s affected by what I’m doing. Aeron steps closer, so close that the front of her breasts must be touching his shirt. She has to crane her neck to hold eye contact with him, and it’s just another thing I love about her, how small she is compared to us all. Yeah, I know it’s some macho bullshit, but I like what I like.

He was a dick earlier, pulling rank on us and making us wait while he all but proposed to her. I’ll get my own back soon, though, perhaps I’ll steal her away for the day, take my bike and just drive off into the sunrise.

“Do you trust us, Dove?” he questions, and I raise a single brow at him.What’s he up to?

“Yes,” she answers without hesitation, and a warmth spreads inside my chest. It’s something fucking special to have the trust of a woman such as Lark Jackson, soon-to-be Taylor so I’ve heard.

“Good.”

He doesn’t look away from her as he reaches up and undoes his black bow tie, taking it off and wrapping it around her eyes. His gaze connects with mine and sliding the knife back into my boot, he passes me the fabric. I knot it securely at the back of her head, watching as her skin pebbles. My hands fall down to my sides as he takes both of hers in his, kissing the ring that we all chose.

Walking backwards, he leads her in the basement's direction and my heart thuds painfully in my chest.

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