Bradley’s grip on my thigh tightened, but the one on my cheek remained soft. “It sucks when someone you love leaves you. I get it. You did that to me, remember? So I know best what you’re going through. I know how much it hurts when you did everything right but were still told it wasn’t good enough. I’m here for you, Serenity. I’ll always be here. So come back to me now, Dollface. I’m the only one who can give you the love you deserve.”
I stared into his eyes and let his words drift into the hole in my chest. The dark wound sucked up the words like it was trying to cling to anything that could possibly fill in the crater. But instead of packing in the opening, it swallowed the words like a void, sending them up to my head with a dark voice.
Thisis what you deserve.
An empty love like his is what a worthless husk gets.
I closed my eyes and hung my head, surrendering to the haunting voice. Tears rolled down my cheeks, and Bradley pulled me off my chair to hold me in the floor behind my desk.
“I know, I know,” he cooed, rocking me gently. “It’s going to be okay now. I’ve got you, Dollface. I’ve finally got you.”
Chapter 27
Dante
THREE WEEKS.
It had been three whole weeks since Serenity walked out of the door. I was doing fine. Life was back to normal. I was going to Hell’s Gate solo or with the boys. I was engrossing myself in learning the new songs Zagan had written. When I wasn’t doing one of those things, I was reading.
I was living the life I’d always been.
Except for one thing.
I’d gone out a few days after Serenity left. I wanted to prove to myself that I was finally back on my game and putting these past months with her behind me. Not to mention, an Incubus like me needed to eat, which I could only do through sexual pleasure.
And I’d found a great partner for that—a tan, dark-haired, tall beauty. Did I purposefully choose someone the exact opposite of Serenity? No. It was a total coincidence. It was also a coincidence that I couldn’t get it up for her. Everyone had an off day, even a sex demon like me.
Granted, it was the first time that had ever happened.
I hadn’t tried eating again since then. I refused to acknowledge why that was. I refused to believe it was because I only longed for one person now. I didn’t want to believe it was because I’d found and lost something so precious that nothing else compared.
I’d spent the past three weeks trying to prove to myself and everyone around me that I didn’t care, and I thought I’d been doing a fine job.
Yet after twenty-one long, sleepless, and fuckless nights, I found myself walking through the morning cold. I pulled my black face mask higher and my ball cap lower as I wove along the many paths to my destination. My heart twinged with disappointment when I spotted the empty bench, but undeterred, I found my seat on that bench and leaned back to watch the capybaras, a lone book in my lap.
The zoo was quiet for a Saturday morning, probably because of the threat of snow. I didn’t mind the lack of chaos and people. It gave me time alone with my thoughts.
Steam rose from the water in the capybara exhibit, and even from here, I could feel the warmth exuding from the heated pool. Most of the brown lumps floated happily in the steamy water, but one capybara sat by the window. He seemed to be staring right at me.
I pulled my face mask down over my chin and tipped it in greeting. “Sup.”
He stared back monotonously at me.
“Are you Tom?” I asked him. “I can’t tell you guys apart. So we’re going to say you’re Tom.”
After greeting one of the resident oversized rodents, I looked over my shoulders nonchalantly, though I didn’t spot anyone venturing this way. I frowned and looked down at my lap, tracing the name on the cover with my gaze. When I glanced up, Tom stared at me with an even duller expression, one that I felt was far too accusatory.
“What?” I challenged him. “I’m reading the book, okay? No other meaning. And I’m not waiting on anyone. I was just … looking around.”
He huffed softly. Clearly, this little shit didn’t buy my lies, either.
Despair snaked its way through me. I leaned forward to brace my forearms on my thighs and hung my head to whisper, “I’m having a hard time, Tom. I-I miss her.”
“Then go talk to her.”
I jolted upright and watched as Zagan sat down beside me on the bench in his all black ensemble of a peacoat, jeans, and toboggan. Xander took the seat on my other side. His short black hair blew slightly in the wind as he pulled his puffer jacket closer around his frame. Perseus propped his shoulder against the capybara exhibit, grinning at the many critters swimming in the hot water. Coldin stood opposite the golden-haired demon and fixed his stare on the animals, too, though I imagined he didn’t watch them for entertainment the way Perseus did.
“What are you guys doing here?” I asked, sweeping my gaze between them.
