Page 156 of The Villain We Tempt

Then I realize that’sexactlywho Lucia is looking at.

The mad king of The Spire himself.

Adrik Volkov.

Currently, the dark-haired, brooding leader of The Reckless is sprawled on what can only be described as athrone, set in the middle of the banquet table. Yeah, the guy might have the face of a model, the build of a professional athlete, and be covered in tattoos…so, basically every book boyfriend I’ve ever fantasized about…but there’s also something downrightterrifyingabout him. He just radiates this sinister energy that sucks the life out of any room, like he’s the literal Prince of Darkness.

Honestly, he freaks me out.

Currently, he’s surveying the raucous party like an emperor waiting to be entertained. Beside him, another tattooed, broody-looking walking nightmare, Kirill Tsarenko, sits shirtless as he scowls out over the sea of dancing students. Kirill is another Bratva heir, and Adrik’s number two in The Reckless. He’s also pretty muchalwaysshirtless, unless school dress code stipulates otherwise.

I would say that Ialsodon’t know much about him, but honestly, nobody outside of The Reckless knows much aboutanyonein that club. Adrik likes keeping things pretty insular at The Spire.

“Fine, I'll bite.Whodo you think is watching me?” Arianna sighs in a bored tone, glancing over to the dais. “Kirill the man-whore? I’m pretty sure he’d fuck a corpse.”

“Not Kirill,” Lucia snickers. “Adrik.”

Ari gulps, but then rolls her eyes.

“Oh, the literal Prince of Darkness.Muchbetter. Thank you, Lucia. I feel so flattered.”

I giggle, wrapping my arms around her and giving her a big hug. “What would be so bad about Adrik checking you out? Have you seen what you’re wearing?”

“Tragically, yes,” she sighs. “And what would be so bad about him checking me out is that I’m certain it would mean he was sizing me for acoffin.”

I laugh loudly. Then I catch Lucia’s frown.

“What?”

She makes a face. “Did you guys hear about his mom?”

“Have I heard that Adrik Volkov’s mom is one of the most famous supermodels in the world?” I roll my eyes. “Yeah, Luce, once or twice.”

Adrik’s father, Yuri, is the head of the massively powerful Volkov Bratva. But his mother is theveryfamous fashion model River Finn. I mean, everyone’s parents here have at least some degree of infamy. But that’s next-level celebrity status.

Lucia frowns and shakes her head. “She was in a car crash this past summer. I think they’re trying to keep it out of the tabloids, but she’s still in a coma.”

Jesus.

Just then, another cloaked server with a tray of absinthe shots appears. We all groan, but every one of us, Ari aside, picks up another shot glass and raises it high before taking a drink.

"God, that really is awful," Lucia mutters. I nod.

Wren and Yelena, however, seem to think that absinthe isdelightful, because they immediately flag down another cocktail girl and get us yet another round.

After that, it’s time todaaance.

The five of us, even Ari, push our way through the grinding, gyrating throngs of students to edge closer to the DJ booth. The energy is insane, and as I start to dance, I start to lose myself in the thumping music. My skin comes alive, tingling and rippling with heat that sucks the air from my lungs. My pulse begins going into overdrive, and I throw back my head and scream in delight as I raise my hands to the vaulted ceiling and lose myself in the beat.

The crowd grows thicker, wilder, hotter. My skin ignites with tickling, teasing fire that has me biting my lower lip as pleasure ripples through my core.

God, I feel amazing right now.

I look over at my friends and grin even wider when I see how much fun they’re having, too. Wren is utterly lost in herself, her hands sliding up and down her body as she sways, her eyes closed. Even Yelena, who really isn’t big on dancing, looks like she’s on cloud nine as she writhes and twists to the thudding beats.

When I spot Lucia dancing sandwiched between two huge, tattooed guys I don’t recognize, my hackles raise. Yelena seems to hear the same alarm bells because she instantly stops dancing and stumbles her way over to the trio, jabbing one of the big guys in the arm. He turns and smiles at her, saying something I can’t hear before the four of them all laugh.

Suddenly, the two big guys are making out with each other.