"Sit down, love," Poppy said.
Rohan grabbed her around the waist, speaking low into her ear.
My mouth fell open.
"Maybe we shouldn't have come," Samson murmured. Demon or psychopath, the son-of-a-bitch was getting off on my discomfort. Or, more accurately, the hateful thoughts I directed his way for having brought me here. The more I seethed, the more he relaxed. The more space he took up. It was like he was inflating right before my very eyes. Not in a physical way, more on a psychic or subconscious level. His eyes had an extra sparkle; his skin glowed with vitality. The release of my bitterness worked on him like a spa treatment.
How annoyed would Rohan and Drio be if I ended him right now? Except, I couldn't even bring myself to do that. I had this low grade urge to keep giving to him. My gut screamed at me that this was all the proof we needed, but I steeled myself to play it smart. This could simply be a master manipulator at work, in which case this was head games, my buttons being pushed by a pro, and proof of shit. Much as I burned to blast Samson and see what happened, I couldn't take the chance I'd be killing a human.
"I'm here to enjoy myself," I assured Samson.
"Celebrate with me." Rohan threw an unsteady hand over King's shoulder. Snowflake was smashed and I didn't think he was faking this time.
Samson laughed and any mild hold on me snapped. "What are we celebrating?" He plucked a couple of highballs off a tray, handing a glass back to me.
I slugged back half its contents in one go before passing it off to another waiter.
"I'm signing with you." Leading Samson back to the table with a swagger, Rohan snapped his fingers at Drio.
I tensed, waiting for Drio to punch his Royal Imperiousness but he produced two cigars, tips already cut, which he handed over along with a lighter.
Rohan patted his cheek.
Samson took the proffered cigar. "Glad to hear it. You'll be on top of the world again in no time."
I had to warn Rohan about that, about everything Samson was up to, but Rohan's new-found posse closed in on him, leaving me on the outside. I elbowed a couple of men aside and shoved my way into the inner circle.
Samson held out a hand to me, puffing away, and I joined him. Lazy circles of spicy-sweet smoke drifted upward.
Poppy and I eyed each other. She smirked like she knew I'd rather switch places with her, then made herself comfortable on Rohan's lap. He didn't push her onto the ground in a quivering heap. Nope, he ran his hand over her arm in long, lazy strokes as he chatted with Samson about record ideas.
Rapid-acting syphilis. It had to be eating away at his brain because What. The. Hell. Rohan would never let anger and control games endanger a mission and whatever was going on here tonight was so off our game plan I felt blindsided.
His fury over the photos hadn't been an act. Was he using that as an excuse to publicly ostracize me as a way for me to get closer to Samson or had I really been banished on both a personal and Rasha level?
If it was the latter scenario, he wasn't going to sideline me that easily.
"Share?" I batted my eyelashes at Samson and he handed the cigar over for me to take a puff. There was one herb I liked smoking and this fell far short, but it was a great way to call attention to my mouth.
Poppy narrowed her eyes and I could tell she wished she'd thought of that move.
Both guys watched my slow suck. Head tilted up, I looked skyward through half-lidded eyes, as if focused on the pleasure of this moment. The angle actually allowed me to see both Samson and Rohan. Samson looked amused.
Rohan brushed Poppy's hair aside to whisper into her ear. She laughed.
Exhaling a perfect smoke ring, I handed the cigar back to Samson. My coy smile hid my teeth grinding.
Samson patted my ass.
"Looks cozy," Rohan joked.
I examined my nails like they were the most fascinating sight in the world, willing my magic to quit crackling under my skin before it erupted.
Samson took a deep puff, his hand still resting on my butt. "You don't mind, do you?"
Rohan shrugged. "Plenty more." He winked at three women standing nearby, who preened under his attention. "Like shooting fish in a barrel."
"That's rather rude," Poppy said.
Rohan raised his eyebrows. "No one's forcing you to stick around."
T-Roy, on Rohan's left, laughed and tried to fist bump him, but Rohan left him hanging. The normally jittery minion pulled up his pants with the first show of swagger I'd seen from him. "Gettin' a drink." He hunched his shoulders and scurried off.
Poppy swallowed any feminist objections and stayed put. Big surprise.