Page 61 of House of Pain
“You don’t believe it?” Alecto asked.
Jolene shrugged, eyeing the altar. “I believe everything unless you give me a reason not to.”
She sent a wink to Alecto and chuckled, bumping a shoulder into hers.
“Let’s clean up the place,” Jolene said, pushing the broken bone away from the altar, a cloud of dust rising in the air. Alecto sneezed. “Oh, sorry, babe. I forgot.”
Alecto took a few steps away, waving her hand. She sneezed a few more times, which only made Jolene and Val laugh.
“It’s kinda cute, don’t you think?” Val asked, leaning a hip on the altar.
“There are lots of things that are cute about Alecto Black.”
“Ain’t that the truth. Especially when she’s all mean and ready to get down to business.”
Alecto’s cheeks heated, but she didn’t avert her eyes. The girl stalked towards Alecto. When she finally came to a stop, she was so close Alecto could smell her spicy perfume.
“Blaze told me all about the meeting with the Dean,” Val said, lips curling. She tilted her head to the side and Alecto’s heart picked up its pace. “You handled yourself very well. I’m pleased, Black.”
Neither do they have it in them to be cruel or merciless.
Val didn’t think Alecto had it in her, but from the way she looked at Alecto now, it was clear that Alecto managed to change her mind. Satisfaction flooded her, but she didn’t get to reply as the door to the church swung open and a tall frame walked in.
“How the fuck did you know where to find us?” Jolene asked, eyes wide as she stared at Rogue.
Val rolled her eyes. “I got him to follow us.”
“You what? For what?”
“For my own gains, duh.”
Rogue took a few moments to glance around the church, taking in the ceilings and the paintings. And then, his amber eyes were on Alecto. His lips curled into a smile.
“I’ve got something for you.”
His long finger elegantly unbuttoned his gray coat, and he slipped a hand inside. Out of the inner pocket Rogue fished something out. And when he opened his palm in front of Alecto, there was a clear glass orb sitting there.
“You retrieved the thing that could have cost us a win this year?” Val asked. Alecto took the orb, rolling it between her fingers without looking at either of them. “Good job, Black. And good job to you too, Rogue. That’s the type of loyalty I wanna see. From everyone.”
Val strolled off towards the statue of the Gods to help Jolene clean it up, leaving Alecto and Rogue alone.
Finally, Alecto lifted her eyes to his. Rogue’s amber gaze was steady, his face solemn.
“Did you enjoy the view?” It was easier to will her words to be venomous than to give in to the embarrassment.
He pursed his lips and shook his head. “I didn’t watch it, Black. If I do choose to watch, I’d rather do it live.”
Alecto’s heart jumped to her throat, heat rising all over her body, and she had to clear her throat before she could speak again.
“Thank you for doing this.”
Rogue winked. “Anything for you.”
24
“Ithought it’s only going to be us?” Andro asked the moment they set foot in the Old Church. Blaze didn’t miss Rogue sitting next to Alecto on one of the benches carved out of bone.
Today Alecto wore her hair up, tied with that old clip she seemed to love so much, a few strands of hair escaping and waving around her heart-shaped face, framing it perfectly.
