“What do you think El wants?” Asmodeus asks.
I hesitate before saying, “He seems to want you dead.”
“I don’t die so easily.”
“It doesn’t matter; I’m not putting you at risk. He’s not like anyone you’ve ever fought against. You can’t touch him, you can’t hurt him, and he can move around so easily.”
He shrugs like I’ve told him a mosquito is after him. “I’m not afraid.”
“Well, I am,” I say. “Asmodeus, please stay here.”
Asmodeus turns invisible and I glower in his general direction.
“Listen to me,” I snap.
I look at Nolan, wanting help, but he just shrugs. “He does a phenomenal job of cloaking his mind.”
I sigh, wondering why I’m surrounded by such stubborn people. “Thank you, everyone, for all of your help. Please don’t trust me if you see me in the future. I don’t quite know how to help you tell us apart.”
“You really need to let us help you figure this out,” August says. “You didn’t ditch us during any of the times we needed help.”
“It was different. Asmodeus, do not follow me. Please.”
I head out the door and hurry to my car. The moment I’m in it, I lock the doors so Asmodeus can’t sneak in, but who knows if he’s already in here. I debate waving my arms around before realizing that my desire to not look like a fool outweighs my need to know, and I quickly drive off. I have one stop to make before going home and grabbing what I need. And then I’m going to stay somewhere far away from them until they find me a new assignment.
I pull into my mother’s driveway and park before reaching the house. My finger hovers near the doorbell, but I decide that I really shouldn’t have to ring the damn doorbell to the house I grew up in and let myself in.
“Mother?” I call as I walk. Her assistant finds me first and her lips pucker disapprovingly when she sees me.
“Did you let yourself in?” Patty asks.
“I sure did. I wish to speak to my mother.”
“She’s in a meeting.”
“Tell her to end it. Actually, I will,” I say, making my way toward my mother’s office. I knock once before letting myself in. My mother looks up at me in surprise but then waves to her computer.
“I need to talk. I don’t have time to wait,” I tell her.
She sighs and turns to the computer to end the video call.
“That was rather rude,” she chides.
“I don’t even care anymore.”
“We can talk in the living room,” she says, walking over to it. “That was a man who is interested in investing with us. He has the prettiest daughter. You two would hit it off, I just know you would.”
“I’m not interested.”
Of course Mother ignores me as she continues, “I’ll set you up on a date.”
“A date? How lovely,” Asmodeus says from where he’s tinkering with my mother’s knickknacks when she walks in.
Her face immediately sours. “Stop touching my things.”
“I only do it because I love the face you make when you see it,” he says. “Ellison can’t go on a date unless she’s interested in being the third wheel.”
Mother’s head snaps around to face me. “Are you dating this man?”
