Total pages in book: 138
Estimated words: 131708 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 659(@200wpm)___ 527(@250wpm)___ 439(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 131708 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 659(@200wpm)___ 527(@250wpm)___ 439(@300wpm)
Dice stalked inside, an uncharacteristic uncertainty in his gaze. “You got a minute?”
“Sure. What’s up?”
He planted his feet, flexing one hand. “You should know that this might piss you off, but … I’ve been seeing Mia.”
Both Viper and his inner entity went still. “Mia?”
“It ain’t anything serious, but—”
“As in Ella’s sister Mia?”
Dice notched up his chin. “I first slept with her shortly after you fucked Ella at the Red Rooms. I can’t even tell you how it happened. It just did. I never lose control. But every bit of rationality I had went out the damn window,” he grumbled.
Viper blinked. It was true that his VP was always in complete control of himself. “And it didn’t stop at one night?”
“I meant for it to, but no. Like I said, I’m not all that rational around Mia. I do shit I shouldn’t. Like refuse to give her my dick again unless she agreed to an exclusive arrangement.” Dice shook his head in a kind of resentful wonder.
Viper ran his tongue over his front teeth, amused despite himself.
“I like what we have, but I can’t say it will go the distance. I’m not built for relationships, and Mia’s not looking for one anyway. If you want me to walk away from … Why don’t you look pissed?”
“Why would I be pissed?”
Dice’s brow creased. “I can think of several reasons.”
“I don’t like that you kept this from me. I don’t like that you slept with her regularly knowing her connection to Ella—if things had gone badly with you and Mia, she might have told Ella, and that might have made it harder for me to get on my woman’s good side. But I’m the last person who’s in a position to judge someone for going after the woman they want.”
“I know, but I’m your brother. Your VP—”
“When I pursued Ella in her previous life, I did it knowing it would piss off a lot of people—some of whom I considered family.” He just hadn’t thought they’d hide her soul from him. “I knew I was breaking every rule there was; knew there’d be people who’d be upset, or angry, or disappointed. I did it anyway. Nothing could have stopped me.”
“I still wouldn’t blame you for being pissed.”
“How can I be, when I know you wouldn’t have gotten even slightly entangled with Mia if she hadn’t snagged your interest in a major way? No woman has done that in a very long time.”
“You’re not worried that if I hurt Mia it’ll lead to Ella not wanting anything to do with the Fallen?”
“You wouldn’t hurt Mia or any other woman.” Viper took a step toward him. “Look, I want you and the rest of our brothers to find some fucking happiness in this life where we subsist partly on the life-force of others and have to randomly suffer bouts of bloodlust. If Mia can give you that, even temporarily, I’m not going to stand in the way.”
Dice cleared his throat. “Appreciate it. Not sure I’d have been so reasonable.”
“Well, you’re not me.”
The angel’s lips curled.
“Now I gotta go, I’m heading off to see Ella.”
Dice tipped his chin. “Later.”
“Later.”
Viper teleported straight to the living area of Ella’s apartment. And there she was, tucking a hoover into a closet. “Hey there, baby.”
She jumped a little and then put a hand to her chest. “Yeah, we’re definitely putting a bell on you.”
Feeling his mouth curve, he crossed to her, hooked his hand around her nape, and planted a quick kiss on her lips. Or that was the plan. But the kiss fast turned deep and wet and wicked.
She hummed against his mouth. “That was a promising start to the evening.”
His entity fully agreed. “I plan for it to end on an equally good note.”
“You’re my favorite angel. Just sayin’.”
He felt his lips quirk. “I’m the only angel you know well.”
“I am getting to know your brothers, though. Speaking of them … did you have a particular talk with Dice today?”
Surprise plucked at his brows. “I did.”
“I confessed to Mia that you and I were sleeping together, and she then confessed that she and Dice were also regularly doing the dirty. She said he meant to share it with you today.”
“He did. It took me aback, but I’m glad. He’s been on his own too long. Even something simple and casual will be good for him. What prompted you to tell her?”
She hesitated. “I was approached by that blonde from your club. Mia said her name is Neta.”
At the reminder, anger zipped through both him and his entity. He felt his face go hard. “Ghost mentioned it earlier—he was watching over you today. What did she say?”
“She wasn’t hostile or anything. Just said she’s of the opinion that you’d only ever commit to a fellow celestial or descendant.”
Viper’s entity growled. “The fuck?”