Page 7 of Soulless Deeds

Vice was a pure banquet of sin, and it wasmyfucking domain.

The briefcase man with the secondhand suit stilted before our table, step faltering when his eyes roamed over Aster. My lip curled at his open appraisal.

He offered a hand for us to shake, which hung empty in mid-air. “Appleberry, at your service.” There was a beat of silence before Aster motioned for him to sit across from us.

Appleberry?I thought the damn fool was ordering a drink.

“You can call me Mistress,” Aster said. “And this is Echo, my second-in-command.” She tilted her chin in my direction. With the introductions complete, Aster sent the oversized Ludus bodyguards to the level below, Appleberry readily agreeing to the privacy.

With regimented timing, our waitress approached, offering wine, which we all accepted. I was still half-drunk from the nightbefore. Add a potent margarita to the mix and there was no point in stopping.

Appleberry hummed in approval as the expensive liquor hit his taste buds. “Thank you for meeting me today. I am an ambassador of sorts?—”

Aster’s perfectly manicured nails tapped against the table, the tipped claws—sharp enough to part flesh—coloured the same ruby red as her eyes. “Ambassador for whom? I’m offended that your boss isn’t here to meet me in person.”

“Ah, you see, she believes discretion is of the utmost importance.”

“And ours isn’t? How am I supposed to trust her when she can’t even grace us with her presence. That is not a solid foundation to build a relationship on.”

“Do not be alarmed, Mistress. I have been assigned to oversee your transition, and I’ll ensure everything runs smoothly.”

Aster gave a gleaming smile, which made me hunch lower in my chair, questioning whether he’d make it to the first course or if he’d beservedas the first course.

“Transition?” she asked, lips puckered into a tight line.

“Your transition to serve under our organisation, Khaos—with a K.”

Aster tsked. “I’m called Mistress because others serve underme.”

“We are not asking you to change your ways. In fact, you can keep everything as is. There will just be a fewextraincentives for both parties.”

“I’m afraid I disagree.”

Appleberry shoved his formal tableware aside, dishes and cutlery clinking together, creating a ghastly melody. He finished by thumping his briefcase down on the cleared table like an impertinent fucking heathen. If he chipped one of those ten-thousand-dollar plates—which was a high possibility—Aster was going to skin him alive.

The mistress in question clenched her jaw. “I refuse.”

“You… You can’t refuse.” Appleberry deflated.

“Do you want me to spell it out for you, or will my verdict process through your thick brain easier if I repeat it again?”

His tone raised in command. “You will not?—"

My Variant sparked in my veins at the perceived threat. No way was I letting him finish that statement.

“Quit acting like a dog without manners and get that fucking briefcase off the table.Now,”I said, my Variant triggered, making my voice deathly low, words echoing down his ear canal in threatening vibration.

Aster laid a hand on my arm, cautioning me to hold back.

Appleberry’s head shifted in panic, eyes bulging on the wine glasses that were cracked from the manipulated soundwaves.Damn, now Aster is going to skin me alive.

I raised my hand for another drink.I may as well get crazy wasted at this point.

The waitress scurried forward, stretching over the table to reach one of the remaining glasses that were unscathed. My gaze caught on her perfectly rounded ass, which was itching for my palm to caress down her thighs. When she shifted her position to pour a refill, light brown waves cascaded down her shoulder to display a tiny beauty spot located directly behind her right ear. As she retreated, the sweet scent of candy apples remained, causing my mouth to salivate for a taste.

Is this the same waitress that has been serving us the whole time?

Instead of taking that troubling observation as a sign to stop drinking, I decided to quench my thirst and gulped down another mouthful.

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