Assistant to the Villain (Assistant to the Villain, #1) (73)

“You will not be doing that!” Becky gasped, standing up, spilling the cup of pencils that was teetering at the edge of her desk.

“Have no fear, Becky. I won’t drag you into our shenanigans. I know better than to implicate you in any kind of unsanctioned fun.” Blade smirked and ducked when Becky chucked one of the pencils at his head, and it knocked into Evie with the eraser side.

“Hey!” Evie whipped around to Becky. “Didn’t you lecture the boss last week about throwing rocks, you hypocrite?” She grumbled, rubbing at her head, before Tatianna appeared with two bottles and five glasses.

“I’ve brought wine, Blade! Let’s drink. You too, Rebecka—I don’t want to hear it.” Tatianna placed a glass on her desk and filled it to the top.

“We can’t…” Becky stared at the glass like it was filled with actual poison instead of wine.

“We can. The workday is technically over, and this wine is from my personal stash,” Tatianna said, brushing one of her pink ribbon–tied braids behind her before pouring a glass each for Evie and Blade.

Evie accepted hers gratefully and took a bracing sip, feeling the warmth spread down her throat and her aching limbs.

“Can you call it ‘my personal stash’ if it’s stolen from my personal stash?” Their boss appeared like an apparition, and while Blade was damp, The Villain was soaked to the bone. As was Kingsley, who sat high up on the boss’s shoulder, his gold crown dripping and shiny like the rest of him.

The Villain’s black shirt clung to every curve of muscle on his torso. Evie gulped as he walked toward her, a thick intensity cloying the air.

“I told them they shouldn’t be drinking, sir,” Becky said quickly, knocking her chair over in her haste to stand.

“Please relax, Ms. Erring. I realize being here overnight is an inconvenience I imparted on you all. You may cope accordingly.” Their boss looked to Tatianna and the last empty glass. “As long as that glass is for me.”

“But of course!” Tatianna said jovially, filling it to the brim and handing it to him with a flourish.

“No sign of the female guvre?” Evie asked, watching her boss down his glass in three long sips, then holding it out for Tatianna to refill.

“None.” He walked toward one of the stained glass windows. Kingsley leaped off his shoulder and onto Evie’s desk as he walked past. “But I’m not surprised. It’ll take time.”

“How will we know when she comes?” Becky asked.

He turned to the group just as a crack of lightning lit up his face. “We’ll know,” The Villain said ominously.

“Did you plan that?” Evie asked, nodding toward the storm.

Blade chuckled into his hand, and their boss rolled his eyes at them. “You two are incorrigible.”

“I agree,” Becky muttered darkly, sending her glass of wine a longing glance.

“Just drink it, Rebecka.” Tatianna walked over, putting the full glass right under her nose. “The boss literally told you to relax. Where’s your rule-following spirit?”

It was hard for Evie to tell if Tatianna hated Becky or deeply respected her. Their interactions had always teetered somewhere in the middle.

Taking a tentative sip of her glass, followed by a contented sigh, Becky sank farther into her chair.

“Atta girl.” Tatianna gave her an encouraging pat on the shoulder that Becky nudged off while taking another sip of her drink.

“Careful, lovely Rebecka.” Blade raised his glass like he was about to give a toast. “You may enjoy yourself, and your body may go into shock.”

Evie chuckled when Becky lifted her middle finger back to him, making steady eye contact as she drained her glass. Evie saw Blade’s throat bob as he tracked the movement.

Another bout of lightning struck down, the crashing thunder shattering a window and causing each of them to duck their heads, covering them with their hands.

Blade peeked out from under his and frowned at the shattered glass. “Who, uh—who’s picking that up? Because all the interns are off for the night and my fingers are very sensitive.”

“To glass?” Tatianna said dryly, pouring more wine for Evie and a slightly dazed-looking Becky.

“I’ll clean it,” Evie said. The warmth was beginning to settle in, making her feel lighter, the threads in her chest unraveling. She moved to the closet to grab a dustpan but was halted by Tatianna, who raised her hand. With a flick of her wrist, the shards of glass lifted and clattered into the trash bin.

Blade sighed with a mock frown. “I wish I could do that.”

Tatianna’s beautiful smile stretched wide. “You have your own special talents, my dear.”

“Like being irritating,” Becky added.

“Or getting injured.” Evie giggled.

“What about his complete lack of self-preservation?” Tatianna chuckled, sipping her drink.

“I don’t like this game,” Blade said darkly, downing his glass.

“The color blindness is also something to be admired.”

All heads turned to look at their boss, who was watching the interaction from just a step away, like he didn’t want to fully immerse himself with the living. His wineglass was empty, and Tatianna moved to uncork another bottle to top him off.