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“Nothing.”
“That’s convincing,” he slurred then took a shot. “You have a scowl on your face that could scare the paint off a bus.” He held up another for me to take.
I eyed his hand but took his offering. “You might want to slow down. It’s not even midnight and you’ve lost your senses.”
The woman who had just been playing the part of Orobas’ drinking vessel giggled and sat up from the low table. She fixed her skirt then sat down to admire the both of us.
He wrinkled his nose, disgusted by my accusation. “And besmirch my title? Brother, some of us cannot rely on our attitudes to spread our gifts to the masses. I am excess. All revelry and misguided fun must be inspired by my hand.” His arms flung out. “I am all of this.”
“Calm down, brother.”
Orobas spun around. It had been Ezequiel calling for Orobas to quit his showboating. Under his arm was a tall blonde woman who was likely a model or actress.
“Hope you don’t mind if we join you,” he stated.
“It depends. Did you bring anything for the rest of us?” Orobas’ eyes roved over the creature Ezequiel was pulling onto his lap.
“Oro,” Sitri warned as he came through the crowd. “You’ll behave around our guests.” He ushered in more people. The last person stole my breath.
“Evie!” Orobas’ voice boomed.
Her eyes shot from Orobas to me. My throat dried to the point that words lodged themselves behind my tongue.
Sitri wrapped his arm around Evie’s shoulders and brought her to his side—a prize he would be showing off for the night.
“You didn’t say you knew my brother?” Sitri said into her temple.
“I didn’t know Oro and Stolas were your brothers,” she answered, her voice small and shaky.
“A lovely surprise all around, it would seem,” Ezequiel commented next to me, his eyes fixed on me. That disturbing, amused smile of his was on full display. He loved catching Fallen in uncomfortable circumstances.
“Wait, Evie. Isn’t this the guy you were talking to downstairs?” one of Evie’s friends remarked as they scooted into the booth.
“I say that calls for a toast.” Orobas lifted his hand and struck his fingers together to alert the waitress.
“This has just turned into a much more interesting night than I had foreseen,” Sitri mused.
The oversized booth easily sat the newcomers in addition to the woman Orobas had been entertaining, though she was more interested in her drink now that Orobas had set his eyes on someone else.
Sitri looked down at Evie then met my eye, and a devilish smile crept up his cheeks when the pieces started to fall into place for him. Ezequiel hadn’t been at the table in Vegas when I’d won Evie from Orobas, but with the way he passed glances from me to Sitri then to Evie, he had realized there was a connection.
A waitress came over with a tray of champagne and set it down at the table. Orobas grabbed up two glasses at a time and handed them out, his fingers brushing over each human. I shot him a look when he sat down next to me. His influence over these humans was more for his own ego than to lighten the mood. And, as if on cue, two of them downed their drinks then reached for another.
“Tiffany. Jordan. Stop, we said only three drinks,” the one sitting nearest Evie shouted, but it was too late.
A second glass had been drained, then a third.
Whatever pact they had made was thread thin against the power of the Prince of Gluttony. Orobas smiled into his flute at the bickering.
“Rhomi, lighten up. It’s just a little bubbly,” the blonde said before laying her head on the Watcher’s chest. Her hand trailed up his neck, bringing rouge to her cheeks.
“Well, you didn’t have to leave your dance partner downstairs.” Rhomi huffed and crossed her arms like a child.
“I’ll dance with you, darling,” Orobas offered with a flit of his outstretched hand.
Rhomi stood and pulled Tiffany and Jordan to their feet to follow Orobas to the smaller dance floor next to the bar. Ezequiel watched for only a moment before following the sure thing that had been pawing at him.
Sitri wound his finger around a loose lock of Evie’s hair. “I should check on the manager. They’re new and rather clumsy.”
