Page 91 of Outlaw Witch

New magic-infused drugs are nothing new. But we usually keep a close eye on the shit that’s brought into our clubs. The last thing we need is to have the authorities sniffing around after a string of drug-fueled murders.

We might have an understanding with the Archarcans that lets us carry out our business in peace, but there are some things they won’t ignore.

“They’re fucking with our supply chain and bringing new shit into the city.” Zeph growls. “The fuckers aren’t even being subtle about it. They don’t give two shits if we know what they’re doing.”

After decades of the Nightshades and Hawkshead families running this side of town, it feels like things are tipping. And the way they’re heading is not in our favor.

“You know who they are?” Silver asks, scrunching her nose up in confusion and looking so damn cute. I have to fight the urge not to boop her.

Cute.

I don’t know exactly what’s happened to me recently. I’ve never thought of a woman ascutebefore.Puppies? Sure. Chubby toddlers? Okay. But most of the women that capture my attention are hot. Smoke shows.

Not that Silver isn’t either of those things. Maybe less so right now—I’m not being a dick, but she’s looking as tired as the rest of us, dressed in a stained hoodie.

Maybe the proximity is rewiring my brain. I’ve never lived like this before, where we’re in each other's pockets every day for the past week. Not with a woman, anyway.

... can’t say that I mind it too much, either.

Huh. Revelations all around.

“You guys seem to have a monopoly going on most of the less than legal stuff that goes on around here,” she adds. “That must piss plenty of people off. Why haven’t they tried before?”

“Pretty sure Fabian was the main thing stopping them,” Zeph grunts out, barely looking at her.

She waves a hand at him to continue.

Yep, damn cute. Especially the way those thick lips purse when she’s thinking. They’d look damn good wrapped around my—

“What do you mean, Fabian was the thing stopping them?”

“They’re shit scared of him,” I blurt out, hoping I got the words out right. Knowing my mouth, I just yelledcock, cock, cock.

Dammit. Ever since I kissed her, Silver’s mouth has been stuck in my mind. I literally dreamed of having her lips on mine last night and I don’t think I’ve woken up harder or more frustrated since I was a teenager.

“Scared? People find you scary?” She raises her eyebrows in surprise and it hits me that she really doesn’t seem to be scared of us. Hasn’t right from the beginning, when she was punching me in the back as I tried to save her from a damn fire.

Granted, the fire wasn’t real. And I was the reason it was there, but still. Silver came out swinging.

Most people have at leastsomereservations around us. Okay, maybe not me. I’m the fun one, the joker. The one that likes to fuck and fuck about in equal measure. Although I’ve not been doing much of either of those things recently. It’s been weeks since we last went out. Maybe that’s why my dick is so mad at me.

Most people are leery of Zeph. Partly because he looks like he could snap you in half with his pinky finger, and partly because he could actually zap you in the ass with lightning if he felt like it. But Silver hasn’t ever shown any fear of him. Even when he’s being a total ass to her.

“You must know what Fabian can do,” Zeph snipes. “The blood sword. The suffocating people with their own blood. The permanently disabling stroke he can cause with barely any effort. Surely you can do all of those things too, although I’d guess not to the same extent or you wouldn’t live like you do.”

I subtly kick his shin. Dude seems to forget we’re still meant to be keeping her on our side.

That’s at least part of the reason I haven’t tried to fuck her. She’soff-limits.

Probably why my dick is so interested. He’s not into being told what to do. And he fucking loves to break the rules.

Despite my dick being a martyr to the keep-Silver-on-side cause, for some reason, Zeph is doubly antagonistic toward her compared to anyone else.

“Blood swords,” she repeats. “Right. Never tried that one myself. Never even attempted a blood butter knife.”

There are lines around her mouth, like the idea pains her or something. Which is weird. You wouldn’t think a witch with blood magic would be so squeamish.

Fabian shrugs good-naturedly and I don’t miss the way he gives her hand a reassuring squeeze. “You show off a couple of times and you get a reputation. Word travels fast, you know? And when we were first starting out, we felt like we had to prove ourselves.”

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