Page 25 of Villainous Rise

“Annie,” I said, my voice carrying just enough to make her flinch. “You look stunning tonight.”

Her eyes widened in warning, but I was already committed to this particular brand of self-destruction. Valor’s head snapped around and his arm tightened possessively around her waist.

“Cipher,” Annie said, her voice impressively steady. “What a surprise. I’d like to introduce you to Valor, one of Havoc’s newest protégés.”

“Actually, sweetheart, I’m a bit more than that.” He extended his free hand toward me while pulling Annie closer with the other. “I’m Annie’s boyfriend. Pleasure to meet you.”

Boyfriend. The word landed like a fucking grenade.

I stared at his outstretched hand, imagining the satisfying crunch his bones would make if I squeezed just a little too hard. Instead, I ignored it.

“Annie, care to get a drink? I’d like to discuss some Nemesis business with you.” I kept my tone light, like I wasn’t fantasizing about ripping out Valor’s spine and beating him with it.

Before Annie could respond, Valor answered for her. “No, she can’t.”

I turned my full attention to him. “I wasn’t asking you.”

Annie stepped slightly forward, placing herself between us.

“I appreciate the offer, Cipher, but I’m here in an official capacity tonight.” Her eyes pleaded with me to understand.

“Official girlfriend capacity or Keeper capacity?” I asked, unable to keep the edge from my voice.

“Does it matter?” Her expression was carefully neutral, but I caught the slight tremor in her hands.

“It does to me.”

Annie swallowed, her professional mask slipping just enough for me to see the strain beneath. “It’s my debut as Valor’s girlfriend.”

“Fascinating career pivot,” I said, my smile sharp. “From Keeper to arm candy. The Alliance must be desperate for good PR.”

Valor’s perfect smile faltered. “I don’t think I like your tone.”

“That’s the beautiful thing about not giving a fuck,” I replied. “Your preferences are entirely irrelevant to me.”

Annie’s eyes closed briefly, a pained expression crossing her face. When she opened them again, they were filled with something that looked dangerously close to desperation.

“Cipher, please,” Annie whispered.

“Cipher! What an unexpected pleasure.”

I recognized the voice. League representative, mid-level bureaucrat, forgettable name. I didn’t turn around.

Annie’s eyes were still locked on my mask, silently begging. I dreamed about her begging. But I wanted her beneath me in my bed, her body trembling, my name tearing from her throat. I never wanted to see her begging this way—her eyes wide with panic, lips pressed into a thin line, silently pleading for mercy I wasn’t sure I possessed.

“Please,” she mouthed again.

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. The murderous static in my head reached a deafening pitch and I leaned closer, close enough that only she could hear me.

“You’re buying time,” I murmured, watching her pulse flutter frantically at her throat. “We’ll discuss payment soon.”

Annie gave the barest dip of her chin in assent. No one else in this glittering ballroom understood what was happening. No one else saw the monster barely contained beneath my suit, the violence I was holding back by a frayed thread. Only Annie.

With herculean effort, I dragged my gaze away from her face, away from Valor’s possessive grip on her waist. If I stayed another second, I was going to snap his neck in front of two hundred witnesses.

I needed to go before I could change my mind. Each step was an effort, every instinct screaming at me to go back and rip Valor’s fucking hands off.

The League representative droned on about quarterly performance metrics or some equally irrelevant bullshit. I nodded mechanically, not hearing a single word.