He pressed a kiss to my throat. “Me too, baby, and if you’re on board, I’d like to explore this some more? This thing between us.”
“I’d like that.” I felt him smile against my skin. You’re being a stupid, reckless idiot. I ignored the voice in my head because I didn’t want to hear the truth. “Right, we better get dressed and go down to dinner.” I stepped out of his arms, and he let me, then I glanced at the clock on the wall. “Shit, there’s no time to shower.”
Lothar’s eyes glittered. “Good, I want you smelling of me. I want them to know what we’ve been doing up here in this room.”
My mouth went dry and my swallow was audible. “Yeah…well, it definitely makes our story more believable.”
He shrugged. “That too.”
My heart flipped in my chest, then thumped hard.
Lothar wanted everyone to know I was his.
At least for now.
Showtime. I tightened my hold on the small ring box as we took the stairs.
Lothar was beside me, looking ridiculously handsome. He’d opted to wear his own black jeans and a black shirt and dinner jacket that he’d found in the closet, the only items that fit him. His long, dark wavy hair was in a braid down his back, and he’d removed any visible traces of mud and dirt, but he’d refused to do any more than that.
I was trying not to think too much about why he wanted my scent on him, but it was hard not to let myself fall deeper into the fantasy of us being together again.
Was it even possible? Could I be with him again?
Could I hide the truth of our past from him, from everyone? What if we kept our relationship secret? Would Lothar agree to that? Could I convince him to without telling him why?
Stop.
I had to stop thinking like that.
If he was to ever learn the truth, the consequences would be dire. This can never be undone.
Lucifer’s voice echoed through my mind. If Lucifer used the word dire, you knew it was really bad. Allowing myself to think there was hope for us was dangerous, for so many reasons. What we were doing now was bad enough, especially if I was right about who was behind the bid for Lucifer’s throne.
“What is it?” Lothar said, his hands touching the small of my back, concern on his handsome face.
“It’s fine,” I said and forced a smile. “There’s just a lot riding on tonight.” I had to prepare myself to let him go again. I had to walk away. There was no other choice. It was impossible.
He nodded and his hand slid up and down my back. “I got you tonight, babe. Whatever you need.”
Hounds liked certain textures, things that were soft and smooth especially. Lothar liked the silk of the long slip dress I’d selected. It had thin delicate straps, and the burgundy fabric fell over my curves like liquid. “I know. Thanks, Loth. I appreciate it.”
His hand slid up my spine again, but this time his fingers curled around the back of my neck in a hold that was so utterly possessive, my breath caught.
“We’re in this together, yeah? We’re a team, so you don’t need to thank me.”
We hit the bottom of the stairs, and Grimmel materialized out of nowhere like a creepy spindly shadow.
“This way,” he said and strode ahead toward a set of ornate double doors.
“Just an FYI regarding dinner,” I said. “Lothar and I both have special dietary needs. Strictly no people meat.”
Lothar’s lips twitched, and my heart beat a little faster at the sight.
“Noted,” Grimmel said, then gripped both handles and shoved the doors wide.
We followed him into the large room decorated in shades of burgundy like my dress and lit by candles in a large number of silver candelabras placed around the room. There was a long table in the middle and several people sat around it. Their gazes all slid to us.
It seemed Drake had other guests attending tonight, though the host himself wasn’t here yet.
