Excitement crackled like lightning inside the room.

Iris had slipped through the door but stuck close to the wall, positioning herself just so to see the front of the room where her target had been dragged some minutes before.

A metal collar was locked around his neck, a foot’s length of chain connecting it from a loop in the back of it to a post in the wall. If it was supposed to make him afraid or submit and start begging for his life, it wasn’t working.

He looked less like the victim and more like the one they should all be afraid of.

Like a rabid animal held off only by the chain that seemed so insignificant despite the strength she knew it held.

More curious, he didn’t seem to be looking at anyone in the room.

They weren’t alone—others were present, men who’d worked alongside him, others who wanted nothing more than to see him bleed, and Rosalie who looked far too pleased with the sight of him strung up—but for all the attention he paid them, they might as well have not been in the room.

From the moment Iris had walked into the room, finding a shadowed corner to stand and watch, his gaze had lifted from the dirty floor in her direction and hadn’t moved since.

He couldn’t possibly see her, not with so many people surrounding her, but she could practically feel his gaze—like his hatred was a tangible force wrapping around her.

If she were within an inch of him, he would have his hands around her throat, just as he had in the alleyway, and he’d choke the life out of her without a second thought.

The smart decision would be to turn her back and leave this room without ever looking back. Her job was done. Her target delivered. So why hadn’t she walked away?

“I’m so glad to have you home, puppy,” Rosalie said as she braced one leather-clad hip against the chair she stood next to, her hazel eyes trained firmly on Synek. “I’ve missed you.”

Iris thought she had known the depths of the woman’s infatuation with Synek, but she’d clearly underestimated what he meant to her. Her eyes were shining, her lips turned up in a cruel smile, and she was practically shaking with excitement.

Iris doubted she had ever felt even remotely as crazy about someone as Rosalie seemed to feel about Synek.

Yet if the feeling had ever been mutual—as Rosalie had always told her it was—he wasn’t showing it. Despite Rosalie addressing him directly, he still had yet to take his eyes off her.

Maybe it was his lack of acknowledgment to her goading that had the others realizing he wasn’t simply waiting to be addressed but that he was focused on something else.

Someone else.

Iris shifted on her feet, careful to keep her face blank though the rest of her was squirming. Ever since she had joined the Wraiths—ever since she had run from that courthouse in the pouring rain—she had always made it a point to stay in the background and not draw too much attention to herself.

Yet now, here, all eyes were on her.

She wasn’t the only one distressed by her newfound attention. A muscle clenched in Rosalie’s jaw, a flash of rage shining in her eyes before it disappeared, and she was smiling once more.

It was a look Iris knew well, though she didn’t like the sight of it now.

Rosalie swept her hair over her shoulder and started forward, calculating each step carefully. It was only once she was mere inches outside his reach that Synek slanted in his eyes in her direction and … no, there was no lingering love anywhere to be seen.

He’d seemed more furious with Iris for tricking him than he was upset with Rosalie.

Effortless was the way she’d described their love—she’d never said he would hate the very sight of her.

Despite what she thought she knew, Iris was curious why.

Rosalie leaned toward him, just enough to whisper something that made him lash out, her laughter ringing through the room as she ducked out of reach.

“Iris.”

She blinked when she heard her name, and though Rosalie’s tone made it clear she didn’t expect to be ignored, obeying was the last thing Iris wanted to do.

And she doubted whatever plan was brewing behind Rosalie’s eyes meant anything good for her.

This was what she’d grown weary of and why she had never wanted a permanent position with Rosalie or the Wraiths. She didn’t like mind games and hated playing them more.

Besides, she knew all too well what Synek was capable of. She’d never tried to break a lion, and she didn’t want to try now.

But without any other choice, she couldn’t ignore the summons even if she wanted to.

Iris forced herself to unfold her arms and cross the room, but unlike Rosalie, who liked to stand too close to the fire, she kept her distance.

Synek’s attention was back on her, the uncanny darkness of his eyes practically pouring out of him as he glared at her and took a step, the chain rattling as it pulled tautly.

No, she had no doubt what he would do to her if given the chance.

“You always did love the broken ones, didn’t you, puppy?”

Iris did her best not to glare at Rosalie, not wanting to alert Synek to the fact that those words bothered her. She didn’t like anyone knowing her weaknesses, or even perceived weaknesses, especially someone who wanted to kill her.

But even though she was standing across from him, and Rosalie was clearly trying to use her as bait, Synek still didn’t speak.

If anything, he stood straighter, drawing her eyes down to his now naked chest … and the scars that covered it. Sure, a few tattoos marked up his torso, but the multitude of scars had her attention.

For someone as good as he was, it amazed her that anyone had gotten as close to him as they had to leave this amount of damage.

And if she hadn’t heard him speak before—and remembered the dirty things he’d whispered in her ear—she might have thought he was incapable of speech.

He just stared at her.

And almost afraid to let him out of her sight, Iris could only stare back.

“Why are you making this so difficult?” Rosalie asked with a pout. “I thought he could have some fun now that you’re home.”

Right. Whenever the ‘fun’ started around here, Iris made sure she was long gone. “I’m going to g—”

“Are you afraid?”

She’d barely spoken before Synek interrupted, his voice deceptively calm and void of the anger she’d seen in his face earlier. With that single question, he managed to grab the attention of the entire room all over again.

He might have been chained like an animal, but his expression said he was exactly where he needed to be.

Iris glanced at Rosalie, wondering if she truly expected her to entertain the question, but Rosalie merely blinked, then turned to her expectantly.

Even as she knew she wouldn’t like what came next, Iris spoke. “Of you? No.”

She expected anger to follow her denial, but he didn’t give her that. Instead, he smiled.

Slow and steady.

Every inch the corner of his mouth gained made her want to take a step back. It was different, looking up at him when he was trying to charm his way into her jeans and now.

Now, his smile was the threat.

Synek tried moving toward her again, the sound of the chain making her flinch, and as she met his gaze once more, she could feel the blood draining from her face.

“When I get out of here, yeah? I’m going to show you what it means to be afraid,” he said, the thinnest twist of anger curling around his words.

Iris took a step back.

“If you think this lot can save you from me, they didn’t tell you enough stories. I don’t care who I have to kill—”

Rosalie started to smile.

“I don’t care if I have to hunt you to the ends of the fucking earth. I’m going to have you, dove, and there’ll be fuck all you can do about it. D’you understand? I’m going to make you regret this, I promise.”

The Wraiths were shouting once more, entertained and ready for a show. Rosalie now had what she wanted from him.

A reaction.

His anger. His violence.

Because Synek was no longer calm. He wasn’t subdued and careful anymore; he was lunging for her, and every jerk of the chain that prevented him from grabbing her only made it worse.

He was practically clawing at the metal to get free.

To get to her.

To hurt her.

Iris didn’t have to wait for him to psychically harm her to regret her part in this—she already did.

As she turned to the door, she could hear the sharp crackle of electricity and knew without looking that Rosalie now had her cattle prod in hand.

It was time for her to leave.