Page 81 of Like Grim Death: Part One
But the moment passes, and we’re both looking at Nikita again.
“She’s beautiful.” He stares at me as he says the words.
I feel Lucifer’s body stiffen beside mine, his fingers digging deeper into my flesh. A small smile pulls at my lips. I don’t think this is quite how Lucifer envisioned whatever this is working out.
“I know.” That’s his response, said in a low voice, almost a growl.
Nikita turns his gaze to my husband, amusement sparking in his eyes. This guy has fucking balls. Most people are terrified of Lucifer, myself and his brothers the only exception. I’m not even sure about the latter sometimes. Whoever this is, he holds some kind of sway somewhere.
After a moment, his grin widens, and he pushes a hand into the pocket of his pants and brings out a baggie.
My heart pounds faster as I suck in air. It takes an effort to stay completely fucking still as Lucifer’s fingertips dig into me, like his grip is a leash.
Nikita laughs, and I don’t know why. Maybe my expression. Maybe Lucifer’s, although I have no idea what kind of face he’s making, or why he’d be surprised. This is what he meant, isn’t it?
“On me, of course,” Nikita says, curling his fingers around the baggie. “I was in the city when I texted you to see if I could stop by and picked this up along the way.” Nikita jerks his chin toward my husband, and for a second, he clenches his teeth, the sharp lines of his cut jaw prominent. My eyes dip to his tattoos, and I wish I could see what they are. Maybe it would give me a clue to whoheis. “Got a little caught up, hearing the gossip. Some strange things are happening in Alexandria these days, yeah?”
Lucifer doesn’t speak, and Nikita’s eyes flick between us. Gone is the flash of anger on his face as he laughs, exposing white teeth and looking down at the coke in his hands. “Order of Rain is strangely silent.”
My stomach drops. I feel like I’m swaying on my feet, and I’m aware Lucifer is holding onto me so tightly I think it’ll leave marks, but I need his grip to keep me up right now.
Nikita continues talking, like it’s fucking nothing. “Maddox and Lazar are both in the ground, Dominus is nervous, andyou…”
Dominus.Elijah. Ezra’s father. I don’t know shit about him, but I know enough. And I know my husband is first in command with the Unsaints and Elijah is with the 6. The organizational hierarchy always seems far-fetched to me. Like playing pretend. But then I recall Sacrificium. The fear I feel over my son. I know it’s all very real.
“Well, you have a baby and a wife, and word is she didn’t come from any mob royalty.” He whistles low, bouncing on the balls of his feet. “You know, that's partly why we’re here. You kinda fucked up the lineage, huh? Can’t have you ascending ranks if you’re not toeing the line, right?”
I furrow my brows, momentarily distracted from the coke in his hand. Ascending ranks?Mob royalty?I’m as trashy as they fucking come. I thought everyone in Lucifer’s orbit knew that much, at least. I’m about to open my mouth and let Nikita know I might not be royalty for organized crime, but once upon a time I was an escort and I could show him some neat fucking tricks.
But Lucifer speaks before I do. “Careful.” The rasp in his voice makes the warning deadlier. “You’re in my goddamn house.”
Nikita lifts one hand in surrender, smiling as he drops it back to his side. “No offense meant.” That sounds like bullshit. “But I did hear you got a look at the new initiate, and it wasyouwho stabbed him thirteen times.” Nikita whistles through his teeth as shock runs through me, but I don’t show it.
The meeting Lucifer had on Monday…Mutilating a man for an initiation ritual.
Nikita sweeps his eyes around our house in a showy gesture, then keeps talking as my mind spins. “Have you met him yet? Pretty brave, walking out without him after your orders to the contrary. Though I think Boaz might have had a talk with Maverick to help him keep you in line.”
Lucifer says nothing. I glance up at him and see the blue vein in his neck pulsing under his skin, the way it does when he’s about to murder someone. This is all backfiring on him tragically, and I thought I’d like that, but in this moment, right here at his side, I only feel like I want to defend him and tell this guy to get the fuck out of our house. Invited or not, he’s no longer welcome.
Nikita smiles. “I remember when you used to disobey Lazar too, Malikov.” For the first time, when he says the new—albeit, Americanized—version of my last name, I hear the notes of an accent in his voice. Subtle, but certainly not Southern, or American, for that matter. “Got my sister tangled up in that shit when my father was testing yours?” Before I can make sense of what he’s saying, Nikita tosses the coke up with his palm, catching it as he nods toward Lucifer. “Anyway, that’s all in the past and this is just a little truce. Maybe you can invite Maverick to cut lines.”
His eyes flick up to the second floor, and my blood runs hot as he glances at the space my son currently occupies. I have the sudden urge to claw at his throat, but he looks away before I do something drastic.
I grit my teeth, but I don’t dare look at my husband. I want to tell Nikita that Maverick doesn’t do coke, but I know something worse will come out, so I stay quiet.
Nikita laughs softly as he examines the baggie. “You can’t turn down a present, of course. That would just be…” His eyes come up to mine.“Rude.”
I try to count to three in my head. I try to breathe. I try to remember this man could be armed, and considering he’s in my house, he’s dangerous. But so is my husband.
And right now,so the fuck am I.
Before I can stop myself, I shrug out from under Lucifer’s arm and stand in front of him, tipping my head up to hold Nikita’s gaze.
“No.”
For the first time since he’s been here, a look of real anger clouds his eyes and stays. No amusement, no laughter, no pretty smile. I note his fingers tighten around the baggie, and his gaze narrows on me. He’s as tall as my husband, but he’s a few feet from me, and I don’t back down. Besides, despite how we can’t seem to get along for fuck, I know Lucifer wouldn’t actually let anyone hurt me… would he?
“No?” Nikita echoes the word back to me. He doesn’t look at Lucifer, but as his nostrils flare and he starts to speak again, I know he’s talking to him. “Since when do Malikovs let their bitches speak for them? Is this new 6 protocol? Hide behind your women? I know for damn sure you’d never let Ophelia or Julie or any other woman you’ve fucked stand in front of you and make decisions for you, Luce.”
