Page 25 of Pride: Kneel Before None

Eve opened her mouth, but when I cleared my throat and squeezed her arm in clear warning, she wisely chose to remain silent this time. Thank the unholy trinity for small favors.

Remaining tall in my stance, I glared at Rip. “You don’t have the clout to make the type of deals to take Sevenfold or anything else from me. You forget that you’re not the only one who has friends in high places.”

He shrugged, unfazed. “Ah, yes. We will see how strong your royal friendship is when convenience outweighs your burdensome financial woes, won’t we? Past failures have a way of coming back to make fools of us all.”

Rip motioned at Jinx and Jasper to fall back like obedient lapdogs. “Keep her warm for me, won’t ya, Ace? I’ll be back to collect, with interest.” He flashed an unsettling grin before turning and taking his leave down the far end of the alley.

Only after the three of them had left did I feel the crimson filter of my sight slowly fade, and my hold on Eve loosened.

Looking down at her sweet face, I couldn’t let there be any question about who she belonged to. I needed to keep her safe, and the only way I could do that was to mark her as mine.

…Officially.

CHAPTER 9

Rip could take his threats and shove them up his fucking peehole. Then he could forever be known as Rip Van Tinkle.

Even after the bastard was gone, I shook my head in disgust at how he thought there was any chance of using me as his golden ticket. Like I’d ever let him monetize my ability—that was my damn job.

When my eyes finally met Ace’s, the glow in them was fading and replaced by something else unreadable. Always something fucking unreadable with him.

“What are you looking at?” I snapped defensively. Because if I had to guess, the thoughts in his head were likely ones that would only piss me off.

His hand dropped to my hip, forcing me back against the cool stone wall in the narrow confines of the alley. I cast a glance over my shoulder just before impact, taking in the graffiti that scarred the surface. What may have been vivid colors at some point had been dulled by time and the elements. Bold, blocky lines created an overlapping web of symbols and letters, spelling out a single word.

Peccare.

How fitting.

The heat of his body snapped my attention right back to him as it warmed my exposed skin. My breath hitched sharply, clocking something feral in his eyes as he encroached on my personal space. We were close enough that I could still smell his power clinging to him. It was like breathing in smoke until it burned the back of your throat, persistent and suffocating.

When he didn’t respond to my initial question, I huffed out in exasperation. “I had everything under control. My precognition doesn’t work on just cards you know.”

Ace maintained his whole silent guardian act that he currently had going on. He traced featherlight touches over the curve of my bare shoulder and down the length of my arm until his hand encircled my wrist. Lifting my hand, he inspected the bloody scrapes on the heel of my palm from my fall earlier. It was then that the burning sting came to the forefront of my awareness, a reminder of injuries that had gone forgotten until now.

There was a tutting of disapproval at the minor scrapes before he finally spoke. “Rip and his two friends would have torn you to shreds if I hadn’t followed you.” He released my wrist, my hand falling back down to my side.

“Don’t be overdramatic,” I said, already moving to sidestep him. Didn’t even make it a full step before his hand slammed against the wall behind me, blocking my escape and caging me in.

Leaning forward, his lips brushed my ear as he spoke in a tone that sent shivers down my spine. “If I had been in Rip’s position, I know exactly what I would have done to you and your hot fucking body. But Rip wouldn’t have held back, and he sure as fuck wouldn’t have pieced you back together after. By comparison, anything I’d do would make me look like a saint.”

A loaded pause hovered as his gaze lingered on my curves before he added, “Trust me, Little Spade…I am anything but gentle.”

Watching his tongue dart out to lick his bottom lip with sinful intent made something flutter deep inside me. The subtle gesture reminded me of a predator eyeing up its next meal, not for survival but for the pleasure of the feast.

It seemed everyone wanted what they couldn’t have, didn’t they? I was the shiny trinket that people desired but nobody ever deserved to have.

“Well, he didn’t get the chance. Did he, Mr. Territorial? I damn near expected you to piss on me the way you were trying to stake a claim.” It was nice being wanted, but hot damn, this man was taking it to a whole other level.

The warmth of his breath lingered along the side of my neck while his hand on my hip slid back to rest just above the curve of my ass. Each dominant touch had my heart in a flurry of mismatched beats and a need building between my legs begging to be explored.

“It’s a privilege to be claimed by a Knight of Hell. It means you will forever be under my protection, every sweet fucking part of you.” His lips dragged along my collarbone, his words murmured against my body. The contact felt different from our entanglement in his penthouse. This was more charged, proprietary, and heavy with purpose. It made my insides melt and left my knees threatening to buckle under the weight of his intentions.

I swallowed against the thundering pulse in my throat, trying to push down the dangerous whimper threatening to escape.

Finally, I got an opportunity to breathe when his hand fell away from the wall and he pulled his head back. But those dark fern eyes never left me, glinting with something that resembled either hunger or determination. Possibly both.

Taking advantage of the moment, I closed my eyes to focus on grounding myself. I remained grateful for some clarity to chase away the fog his touch had settled over me.