Page 35 of Room Seven

But, no.

Eyes to yourself, missy.I can’t go down the road of wishful thinking.

To keep from passing out, I slowly push to my feet and wait a couple of beats before taking a step toward the bedroom door.

Luther and Viper reach out and steady me and her attention zeroes in on how they take my elbow, without taking control over me. I notice it and file that away to analyze later. When I am back in Chicago kicking my cousin’s ass and then finding a way to free me from marrying Joseph Romanov.

Ugh, acid reflux is strong with that name.

I point to the papers in Magnolia’s hand. “If you’re here for me to sign a contract, you are wasting your time. Been there and done that. Believe it or not, they left me where I stood, so I’m kinda not so thrilled about getting dumped again.”

Pink lips flatline in anger for me, I assume. “I see.”

No she doesn’t, but I don’t have the energy or desire to rehash past events. “I don’t mean to be rude, but I won’t be staying long. In fact, I’ll be leaving now. Can someone call me a cab?”

Magnolia puckers her perfectly painted pink lips, obviously perplexed by my refusal. I mean, Luther, Viper and Mirsha have lines of women wanting a chance at them. I’ve witnessed it. To her, I must be crazy to walk away. That and I’m sure Magnolia doesn’t get unwilling participants often.

“I can. Come with–” she starts before being cut off.

“And where will you go? Back to your husband-to-be?”

Rumbling thunder punctuates Mirsha’s words before reaching out to rattle the glass doors behind the thick, black drapes. That’s right. I remember there’s more than one way out of this box.

Acid pours over Mirsha’s taunt to bubble and fester in my mind.

I mimic his stance and cock a hip. “As a matter of fact, yes, godfather.” How else will I kill Joseph and claim freedom once and for all? As much as I hate to admit it, I see no other option than to take out a contract on the man. I wanted to operate the undertaker floor of Genesis, not be a client, but life has a funny way of changing directions on you.

I try to hold that thought and any other random item running through my mind and not focus on the way my godfather looks like a beast prowling my way.

Mirsha pushes off the wall. “You can leave the contracts on the table in the sitting room. We will–”

“Nope. Not quite how it works, big guy.”

Oh, burn!

Magnolia plants a hand in the middle of the villain’s chest and stops the big baddie in his tracks. He puts eyeballs on her hand and then on me and then back to the woman’s hand. Like he can’t believe he actually obeyed her any more than I do.

I give him one of my Genesis greetings smiles–all teeth and fake happiness. “Good boy,” I praise, returning the jab from the car ride here.

His glower and simmering irritation pulling at the edges of his mouth and eyes are a sweet prize to behold.

I wink at Magnolia. Girl power.

She throws a quick look at Viper and Luther, where they are sentries at my sides. As if someone or something will swoop in and pluck me from the middle of Club Sin if they dare move.

Or they are scared I will bolt for the sliding doors behind those curtains the second they leave me alone. Both plausible reasons considering how protective they were of me all my life.

“I am calling on Club Sin’s automatic removal of the men from the room. Obey me, or you three will have your membership revoked.”

The little spitfire packs a punch!

Luther’s firm lips widen into a grin that has left my undies melted on more than one occasion. Warm fingers brush the dip in my back before working down to get a handful of my ass. His grip is fucking toe-curling.

“I like her,” he grunts, looking at me before he turns a serious face to my new sister, even though she doesn’t know it yet.

“You and Aster must share blood somewhere down the line. Fucking ball crushers, the both of you.”

Viper shifts his weight from one foot to another like he’s about to heed her words. Wrong. Right when I think he’s going to walk away, the fucking bastard catches me off guard. Arms made of iron wrap around me and I’m hauled up several feet until my lips are within reach without him bending down.

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