Page 46 of Beautiful Things Obey
“Boss…” Valen stammers from behind him, which pisses me off even more because it’s not just Silas who’s inviting himself in. I don’t look at him, but hear the click of multiple guns. Goodie, more than one fucking person. I do not remove my eyes from Silas, refusing to back down to this asshole who pushes my buttons as much as he knows how to remove the tightening tension. And even now, as I consider shooting him, liquid warmth pools between my thighs in a hot rush.
“Put your guns down. If any of you dare shoot, you’ll end up in her morgue,” he commands. Sometimes I think he doesn’t fear me, but in the way he stares, I can tell it’s the opposite. Unfortunately, we’re both creatures drawn to power, even when we pretend we’re not. A match made in hell, some might say.
Looking past him, I see Valen and two of his men holster their guns as they keep a cautious eye on me. “Now, be a good girl and lower that gun,” Silas says, sounding irritated that I’d looked away from him. When I look back, his hand slowly moves and touches the waistband of my pants. I arch a brow at his movement and lower the gun, not because he asked me to, but because I want him to stop touching me. No one can know about us.
It was a one-off thing.
“Remove your hand or I will raise the gun again, and this time I won’t hesitate to pull the trigger.” He drops his hand immediately, and it’s the only thing that makes me proud to know that he does, in fact, take me seriously.
“Did you miss me?” he asks.
“No. I didn’t take you as the clingy type.” I turn back around and put the gun in place.
“Clingy?” he mumbles in disbelief, but I ignore him as I put my hands on my hips and face him again.
“Now, why are you here?” I ask him. He doesn’t back up. Instead, he stays where he is, hovering above me, but the way his eyebrows pinch together slightly tells me he’s still offended by the clingy comment. Turns out that comment works on all types of men—even the powerful ones.
“A body,” he says roughly as he clicks his fingers to silently signal for his men to leave. Valen hovers, I can sense him watching me, but does as Silas ordered. They’re most likely getting said body.
“And why are you here with the body?” I ask him. He leans down with a mischievous smile.
“Because it was me who killed him.” He smirks. Of course it was. “And I could not miss an opportunity to see you, of course,” he purrs.
“Vomit,” I say with an eye roll.
“See, when you say things like that, it turns me on.”
“It’s meant to do the opposite,” I tell him.
“Impossible,” he says. “I’ve seen you cut open bodies. I’m sure nothing you do will turn me off.”
“We only had sex. Don’t make this more than it is. It was fun. Leave it at that.” I go to push past him, but he grips my upper arm, stopping me and leaning down so his breath flushes hot against my neck.
“Let me take you back to your office right now. I’m craving a taste.”
My insides jump at his words. That subtle pounding between my thighs begging for another taste. Just a tiny one.
But it’s like a hard slap as I remind myself that I do not beg. Especially for no man.
“No, now remove your hand.” I harden my resolve because if I let it happen a second time, who’s to say it won’t happen a third and a fourth. I can’t let myself get lost in this man.
His lips tilt up as if he’s in on some private joke, but he removes his hand at my demand. Without a second thought, I push past him and go straight back to work, not looking back.
22
SILAS
My men have been asking questions regarding the witch with the emerald eyes. Especially after she brought a gun to my head in front of some of them. The only person I speak to about personal matters is Valen, and even then, it’s limited, especially when it comes to her. They all understand that she is off-limits. No one is to fuck with her, and all of them are to be respectful when they see her. If I find out under any circumstances that any of them disrespect her in any way whatsoever, they will end up on her table.
“Should we discuss who you are seeing?” my sister, Gia, asks. She’s been in a somber mood since our uncle’s passing and funeral. Now it’s just us two. Well, sort of. While my mother only had us two, my father had four brothers, and each of them had their own children, so we have many cousins. Many of them work for me, while some want nothing to do with the family business. Others I don’t like.
I’m not a particularly sentimental or attached person, but my family is the exception. Lotti is currently putting my niece down for a nap as I sit with my sister, quietly enjoying the scones Lottimade. Well, my sister is; I find them far too sweet as I take a sip of my black coffee while looking over some paperwork.
We haven’t spoken about Uncle Pietro’s body or the chase it took to get it back, when I’d all but given up. I try to keep my sister out of business affairs as much as possible, providing her with the lifestyle she deserves and the protection she needs. I still don’t know who the culprit is, but I suspect it won’t be long before I do. My meeting with Elias and Michalis wasn’t all for show. Some seeds need to be planted. I don’t think Elias will turn against his family or whoever he’s protecting; however, with the suggestion of taking over as the head, I know someone like Michalis will be tempted to do so. He’s the kind I can’t stand the most. Focused on ambition but lacks loyalty.
I wasn’t lying to Leonore when I went to the strip club because I had met with Elias. As I suspected, his family had started dealing in underhanded movement that he’s since closed down. I was surprised when he told me, but I suspect they’d caught on to us sniffing around where we don’t belong.
“No,” I tell her. She sits right next to me at the table and locks eyes with me. I immediately look away from her surprised expression.
