Page 10 of Queen of Madness

The man next to Onyx jerks his face and my gaze flashes to him. He’s not much more than pale skin sticking to bones, with long legs. His eyebrows and lashes are near invisible against his face, and the wavy hair lying mussed on his head is paper white. The only color on him besides his clothes are the gray orbs that are bouncing from the paper in Onyx’s hand, to Maddy, to me, and back to Onyx.

He does this three times, all within a few seconds, before stopping on me. His eyebrows draw together and his head twitches to the side as he considers me. The notion almost seems as if he recognizes me, and I have to lean my weight on my heels to keep from shifting under the uncomfortable scrutiny. Thankfully, Maddy bounces farther into the room, and he breaks his dazed trance and peers back at Onyx, swiping a hand under his nose.

“I found him down at the Rabbit Hole. Thought you might like him.” Maddy pivots on her heels and gestures to me like a proud child showing off artwork. “And he likes my riddles.”

Before I can respond, Onyx finally glances up at me, her near-black eyes connecting with mine, and making my pulse twitch. I shouldn’t find this woman even the slightest bit attractive, but my body fails to get the memo and begins humming as blood rushes through me.

She’s fucking gorgeous, there’s no denying that, and her microscopic check down my frame pushes my nerves into a small frenzy.

Handing the paper to the jittery man next to her without removing her gaze from me, she takes a few slow steps forward, her heels clacking against the marble causing an echo.

“Does he?” She speaks to Maddy as her dark eyes remain on me, traveling slowly over the features of my face, before dipping down to my arms and hands and back up again. She’s looking at me as one would look at a new car they’re considering taking for a test drive.

I clench my jaw and tilt my head back as I feign a look of indifference.

“Why would you want to work for me?” Onyx’s voice is smooth, sultry even. Her words come out much slower than her employee here, and I assume it’s because she spends a lot more time considering her words before speaking.

I shrug. “I hear the pay is good and college is a lot of money.”

“You want to go to school?” Maddy squeaks, but still, I don’t break the standoff I seem to be having with Onyx.

“I’m pretty skilled with computers. Thought it’d be a good idea to go back and actually learn a thing or two that YouTube can’t teach me.”

Maddy twirls one of her curls. “Well, Shi can teach you more than one of those fancy schools can, that’s for sure. Right, boys?”

A unified hum of agreement sounds from the back of the office, but I pull down the corner of my lips.

Onyx erases the remaining space between us, stopping less than a foot away from me. She reaches just below my nose in her six-inch heels, but the power radiating off of her suggests she’s the tallest one in the room.

Her scent surprises me, the faint smell of lemons wafting over me and seemingly drowning out everyone else. There’s only she and I, stuck under the heavy air, an unexplainable tension swirling in the small space between us. Her focus remains fixed, and being the ass I am, I can’t help the small smirk that twitches the edges of my lips.

Onyx’s eyes flare briefly as they flicker to my mouth, but whatever veil she wears moves back into place, and a dull expression takes over her features. “There are other jobs that pay well. Otherfamiliesthat pay well.”

My eyebrows furrow slightly but I lift my chin, my voice made of nothing but resolve. There was a very real possibility this would come up, and that’s what we planned for. “It’s not as ifIsoughtyouout. Your girl approached me and offered me an interview. Who am I to—”

A tender hand with a strong grip forces my chin back down, her cold rings sending shivers through my jaw. “And who are you exactly?”

My heart hammers into my chest as I make her wait for my response. It’s a small thing—the brief pause—but it feels as though I’m playing a dangerous game with fire, and I can’t seem to help myself. Another second passes before she loses her focus on my eyes, and her hand slips, gliding with her gaze down the column of my throat. A sharp sting of pain follows her path and I realize she’s using her nail to cause it.

I swallow when she reaches my collarbone, my blood surging through my body. Her dark eyes flash back to mine, and it’s then I notice the small flecks of caramel hidden in the black irises.

She really is stunning.

“Ezekiel Kane.” My reply is flat, but my insides are fucking whirling. There’s something so intoxicating about her, and I can’t fight the tickling in the back of my head that would kill to dominate someone so... powerful.

“Hmm,” is all she says before the nail in my skin is replaced with a cold metal crescent.

I react before I can properly think, knocking the gun from her hand and holding in the internal wince when it clatters against the tile, sliding toward a nearby bookshelf. My breath increases, the realization that I probably just fucked up everything wrapping around my throat.

But then Maddy’s cackle rings out, reminding me we aren’t alone. “See, Boss? He’s going to be so much fun!”

Onyx doesn’t respond and moves to pass me, but pauses at my shoulder. I may be out of my fucking mind, but I swear she inhales deeply before continuing toward the door. Odd as it may be, the calmness in her stance flushes through me like cold water, soothing my temporary apprehension.

“Run a check. If he passes, get him suited.” Her voice is level, perhaps even a little bored, as she directs her errand to one of the twins.

In a room full of killers, you’d think I’d be more cautious, especially after knocking a fucking gun from Onyx’s hand, but in all honesty, the atmosphere feels more familiar to me than I’d care to admit. It’s the only explanation I have for why I smirk and peer at her from over my shoulder. “And if I fail?”

There’s a long pause and I almost take the bait and turn to face her, but I steel my feet and keep only my profile toward her. A moment later, she huffs from her nose.

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