Page 55 of Villains Never Die

“Yes.” Agreement came easier now.

I think you need someone to touch you too.

It was like a song stuck in my head, a single line playing on repeat.

While his words haunted me, my usual ghosts had the decency to stay out of my bedroom that night, which meant they bothered me more than usual later, hungry for details.

He looks different.

Did you see him smile at Gray this morning?

Tell us what Rook said.

He’s talking to him now! You can tell by his face.

“Piss off, you nosy wankers,” I shushed, covering the phone with my hand so Rook wouldn’t hear.

“See you tonight,” he said. “Oh, and wear something you don’t mind messing up.”

That ruled out ninety-nine percent of my wardrobe.

***

The day and night crept by at a turtle’s pace until I stood in front of my full-length mirror checking the look of my t-shirt and sweatpants. I couldn’t imagine what was so messy that he’d warn me ahead of time.

For hours, the dead pried into my plans.

“I told you I don’t know what he wants,” I said when they asked me for the hundredth time.

Can we come along?

“If I told you no, I doubt you’d listen.”

I bet he takes one look at you and rips all your clothes off.

Oh, I love gray sweatpants season.

“Did you all not get shagged enough when you were alive? Why are you so fucking horny all the time?” I rolled my eyes and grabbed my things. I’d go without a driver tonight. No need to involve any of my people in whatever this was.

When I arrived at the club, a man in a uniform and sunglasses stopped me at the door.

“Fights are over for the night,” he said, pressing a hand flat against my chest. “Come back on the weekend.”

“I have a meeting with Rook,” I said.

“Rook’s busy.” He moved to take up even more of the space in the doorway.

“I have a fucking invitation,” I said. “Move!”

I couldn’t remember the last time someone other than Rook had the audacity to talk back to me. A curse—a little dark thing—hummed at my fingertips. Nothing fatal, just enough to teach him a lesson.

“Let him in,” Rook said behind him. The guard stepped aside and Rook’s eyes went wide at the sight of me. He grasped the man’s forearm and jerked him to face him.

“If he shows up here, he comes in. You don’t stop him. You don’t question him. Do you understand?” When he released the man’s arm, there were angry red marks on his skin where Rook’s fingers had been.

“Of course. Sorry, sir. I didn’t know.”

“Night’s over. Go home. Ward the door behind you,” he commanded. He motioned for me to follow him deeper into the club, past the bar and cage, to a darkened hallway and a steel door.