Accomplice to the Villain (Assistant to the Villain, #3)

by Hannah Nicole Maehrer

“Hello? Whatever creepy sound you’re trying to make, can you kindly do it under the torchlight so I can see you? That way I can scream properly.”

The cobwebbed logical part of her brain sighed and rolled over so it wouldn’t have to witness what came next.

“Did one of the interns say good morning to you again? I told them pleasant greetings were strictly prohibited.”

“That was rhetorical,” he said, sounding almost unaffected, his voice losing its strain. “Those questions are the most fun to answer.”

He sighed; it was one of defeat. She knew it well.

And finally, and certainly most enjoyable, was watching his best friend—The Villain—a man who Alexander had never thought would open up his cold, closed off-heart, fall truly, deeply, and wildly in love with Evie Sage.

Lyssa Sage was a constant delight, as were all children who’d yet to be touched by the horrors of adulthood. And the depravation of common sense.

“Because on the off chance there is a spirit haunting my kitchen, I hardly want you to be its first impression of the living. You’ll scare it.”

Subordinate’ implies I have some sort of control over you, Sage,” he said quietly, turning away to cinch the ties of his own apron at his back. “And I would say, by all accounts, you’re hardly below me.”

look in on Bradley in our finance department.” Tatianna pouted and folded her arms. “Why?” “He fell down the stairs.” She gaped, tucking a braid behind her ear. “How?” “I pushed him.”

“Are you playing with me?” she asked. “Sage, I wouldn’t begin to know how.”

“You’re right. I was never very good at being a victim,” she choked out, feeling something sticky and warm running at the corner of her mouth. Blood. His blade came down. Evie closed her eyes and whispered, “Because I’m a villain.”

“I’d never. Even if all the magic in the land seeped from the ink on my skin and yours. If you’re hurt or in danger, I will find you. I swear it.”

“No one touches you right now but me.”

They all left slowly, like Trystan had sucked the spirits from their bodies. The mark of a successful meeting.

“Oh, you mean we torture him every day if he doesn’t confess!” She looked pleased to have

“I’m telling you because you deserve to hear it. I’m telling you because you deserve to know that someone does, very much, love you.”

Damn

Don’t, his mind pleaded. Please don’t give up on me. My pathetic, tortured soul is in tatters, and unfortunately, it’s yours.

“We are even, then. I’ve had so many inappropriate dreams about you I began to organize them alphabetically depending on whatever act of corruption we were committing.”

“I want you. And you want me. But for tonight? Forever? And what is it that you want? My lips? My body? My heart? My soul?” He shuddered, every muscle tensing. “Sage—” “They’re yours. All of them. Whether you want all of them or none. I gave them to you that first day along with that old wool scarf.”

you can come find me when you choose all of me.”

“I’m not doing this because of what they’d do. I’m doing it because it’s what I do.”

“Hasn’t the entirety of the journey been unexpected?” she grumbled,

He’d thought a taste of what it would be like to have her would curb the wanting. And it had curbed it, only to make way for the burning.

“Cry.” Her body followed the order, as if he commanded her faculties and not she. “And if anyone says a word to make you feel ashamed of it, I’ll drown them in the shallow puddle your tears make.”

This was Evie unabashed, and she liked herself like this.