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“Talia…” I warn.

She smiles sweetly and runs her hand along my arm. “Seriously, Tommy. Relax. Tonight is a celebration. We can discuss our issues later.”

She squeezes my knee and runs her hand up my thigh before pushing herself up and sauntering off into the darkness.

I swallow hard and take a sip, drinking the burning liquid down in two gulps, and nearly spit it out.

It’s putrid.

Shit…what the hell did I ingest?

Acid…Talia gave me acid. Which means she probably spiked the entire party.

I tilt backward as heat touches my face, preparing myself for the ride. I was doomed before I even got home.

Despite worshiping chaos, Talia meticulously calculates everything she does, and the way she is with me is no different. I’m a means to an end. But I’ll be damned if it doesn’t turn me on.

I sometimes wonder what caused the depths of Talia’s darkness, or if her behavior simply stems from being drunk on power. Most members kill when they have to, but Talia’s mission is different. She wants to expose the darkness in everyone, and she won’t stop. Killing is just one part of it. Her scars run deep, fueling an obsession that even Remy may not fully understand.

“Hey, man,” Bax says, nudging me and hands me the guitar. “Play for us, dude.” He’s blasted and out of his mind already. I grab the guitar out of his hand and begin strumming mindlessly.

I glance over at Remy with Lucy curled up next to him. He’s not paying attention to her. He’s staring into the fire with a dark expression, sweltering in his leather.

Talia pushed those two together after Didi died, though they aren’t actually together. He’s studying to be a lawyer, and she’s the housemaid. He’ll fuck the living daylights out of her, but he’ll never love her.

We haven’t spoken since Rollerland. I don’t know how to talk to him about Didi arising from the dead.

As mad at Talia is at me for lying, I can’t imagine the rage of betrayal between her and Remy. But sibling spats aren’t my damn problem.

I pull out a smoke and light it, letting it hang down my lips and cross my legs in front of me as more people show up by the minute. I pull a deep drag and when it’s done, I flick the butt into the fire and get ready to play.

As I do, a sensation hits my face—my vision blurs at the edges. The tingle runs down to my fingers and my toes. My acid trip is kicking in, and since I have no idea how much Talia gave me, I get ready for the ride of my life.

I grab the guitar, close my eyes, and play a few songs along with the crackling of the fire. I play fan favorites, like Hotel California, then Stairway to Heaven, and I can feel the energy of the group shift as I sing. The early part of my trip helps me let go.

Across the fire, a light flickers in the dark. I drop my guitar, and Didi stares at me, her beautiful eyes widening as we meet each other’s gaze. Her dark wig falls just above her shoulders.

I rise and walk over to her, and I half expect her to dash away. She wraps her arms around herself as I approach, and I rake my gaze over her body of pure perfection, and my insides turn to pudding.

Damn, I’m screwed. I’m crazy about her. My feelings for her were getting real before she was ripped away from me.

“What are you doing here, Didi?” I ask her.

She takes a sharp breath. “I was invited.”

My jaw tightens as I look around and realize the trees have branches that reach out to me. Everything here is a death trap. “You should go… You shouldn’t be here.”

She purses her lips. “Why would I do that, Tommy?” She says my name with an edge.

I cross my arms and flex my muscles. “Because I know you, and this isn’t a place for you. If you want to talk, meet me tomorrow.” She won’t be able to handle what Talia has in store for her tonight.

She pauses, her angelic features unflinching. “I don’t want to talk to you. Believe it or not, I didn’t come here for you.”

Damn. I thought Talia’s eyes were cutting, but nothing could prepare me for the look I’m getting from Didi right now. She’s hardened, and unbelievably sexy. I barely recognize the shy, innocent girl she was only a few months ago.

“Fuck, firefly,” I whisper, grabbing her hands with mine. “Just turn around and go.”

The trees behind her start to shift and morph, and in a few minutes, I’m not even sure I’ll remember my name.