Page 145 of Addicted
“Rook Jackson,” my brother replies, standing tall and shaking Ash’s hand. He knows who this guy is too if the way his eyes glow is any indication.
“I hear you’ve been doing good things with the Soldiers,” Ash remarks, still holding Rook’s hand. “We may have need of your services one day.”
I wonder what services my brother could offer this man, but whatever they are, Rook stands even taller, and I can feel the excitement pouring off of him.
“We’d be happy to help, whatever you need.”
“Lilly, you have to try the fucking—” a feminine voice interrupts us, and I look over to see a tiny girl with wild, blonde ringlets and bright, blue eyes pause as she reaches us. Her eyes take in me and my guys, then Rook and his guys. I notice Rook has gone still, his eyes eating her up, as are his guys behind him.
“I feel a match coming on,” Lilly whispers in my ear, her tone conspiratorial but loud enough for us all to hear. I have to bite my lip to stop the laugh from leaving them.
“Dead Soldiers, right?” the new girl asks and doesn’t even bother waiting for an answer before continuing. “I don’t fuck gangbangers or kids,” she adds, looking at Rook and the others with a sneer before turning on her heel and storming away.
“Ooohhhh! I love a good enemies-to-lovers,” Lilly squeals, and this time I burst into laughter, not even mad about theprickly attitude from the still-unknown woman. Lilly joins me until I worry about the integrity of our makeup.
The guys all look at us, frowns and perplexed looks on their faces, which only makes us laugh harder.
Just as we’re wiping underneath our eyes, there’s a ripple through the crowd, and our guys draw closer to us, Knox pulling me into him as the bodies in front of our group part and three guys walk towards us from the other side of the room.
“Well shit, I can’t believe they came,” Knox murmurs as they get closer.
“Who are they?” I ask, all the hair on my arms standing as they approach us. Each wears a smooth, black mask, hiding most of their face and adding to the unsettling vibe they’re giving off. Danger rolls off of them like a perfume, and by the way mine and Lilly’s guys are acting, these men are fucking dangerous. Which is saying something given what I know of my Tailor boys.
“Rumor has it they belong to the secret society known as The Fallen,” Jude whispers from beside me like some kind of gossiping fishwife. “They are said to base themselves on the fallen angels that God cast out of the heavens and that they follow their own version of scripture.” His words make sense. They look like angels, well, from what I can see of their faces and bodies, but not the kind that will come to save you. No, these guys look like the kind that will drag you down to Hell.
“They have unimaginable power in the world and their own very gray moral compass,” Tarl adds, his voice a hushed murmur.
“I heard that they have someone high up in every government across the globe,” Lilly comments next to me, her tone wary. “And it’s been that way for hundreds of years. No one knows who their members are unless you are a member too.”
“And the Fallen Trials are a matter of life or death,” Aeron remarks, stepping slightly in front of me. “Whichever of the rumors are true, they are men you do not want to piss off.”
Before anyone can speak again, they reach us, and I can feel the tension thrumming through the air like an electric current.
“Aeron Taylor,” the one with skin the cool brown of driftwood greets, his voice like the caress of a frosty night. “Thank you for the invite.”
“You’re welcome, Lucifer. It’s good to see you,” Aeron answers, and I have to hold in the scoff at this guy’s name.I mean, Lucifer? Really?I swallow hard when the devil’s namesake swings his startling, pale blue gaze to me. Knox’s arm tightens around me, and a low, rumbling growl vibrates through my chest from him.
“A pleasure to make your acquaintance, Lark Jackson,” he purrs, a small half smile pulling up his lips, the black mask allowing only them and his straight nose visible. I freeze, my heart thudding as I wonder how the fuck he knew my name. He turns to Ash and his guys, his eyes landing on Lilly. “Asher, Knights. Congratulations are in order I hear.”
I see Lilly take a sharp breath, Knox and Ash on either side of her, Loki and the one with glasses—Kai—at her back. “Thank you,” she answers softly, clearly as unsettled as I am by his attention.
“Thank you, Lucifer. Good to see you again,” Ash adds, and I wonder what business the Knights have had with the Fallen in the past.
The other two behind him, one as pale as the moon and the other golden like the sun, don’t make a sound, just survey us and the crowd with dark stares and intense gazes. It’s enough to make me shiver, goosebumps erupting across my skin.
His attention turns to Rook, and his guys are at his back, all of them standing tall. “The Fallen may have need of you oneday soon, Soldiers,” he cryptically tells my brother, but it’s not a question, more like a command from the devil that you can’t ignore. “I think the change in leadership will be of benefit to us both.” Rook just nods, although I can see that, unlike with Ash, there’s no excitement at the prospect of working with these guys. His hands are clenched into tight fists at his sides and they’re trembling. Who are these guys that can wield such fear over these powerful men? “We shall leave you to the party, have a good evening.”
And with that, they are gone, the crowd once again parting for them as if they know we have apex predators among us.
“Fuck me, those guys are scary.” Lilly laughs, breaking all the tension in our group as we all nervously chuckle.
I can’t shake the chill that the Fallen have left over me though, and I wonder what they have in store for us all.
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
“UNDER THE INFLUENCE” BY CHRIS BROWN
KNOX
