“That’s what Luc claimed. We shouldn’t have believed him, even after he gave our magic back.” Dante pulled out his phone and read something on the screen. “Onyx wants to come over.”
Harper nodded. “Good idea. Is he bringing Nico?”
“Wait.” Dex sat straighter. “Onyx as in the owner of Gallery Four?”
Ollie patted Dex’s knee. “He’s a demon, too. He, Dante, and Ash are like brothers.”
No. Dex didn’t want Onyx here. He was a mess. His pottery might never be shown in Onyx’s gallery, but that didn’t mean he wanted someone so connected to the art world seeing him like this.
Before he could figure out how to voice this new concern without sounding silly, his phone vibrated in his pocket.
Luc:
I’m sorry.
Please let me see you. I have to explain.
Explain? There couldn’t be an explanation unless Ollie was wrong about what happened to him. Which he wasn’t.
Dex showed Ollie the messages.
His eyes widened. “Luc is back in this realm already? Dante, look at this.”
Dante shifted to the arm of the couch, and Dex showed him the phone. “He didn’t stay away long.”
“I can’t believe he wants to meet,” Ollie all but growled.
Dante laid a hand on Ollie’s shoulder. “It would be good to figure out what he’s planning. See if he’ll meet with all of us, Dex, and maybe we can figure it out, but he’s not getting you alone. It’s not safe.”
Luc had been scheming, using Dex like a pawn, and it was pathetic how much that truth cut Dex up. He didn’t want to accept it.
“We’ll protect you,” Dante added as if he assumed fear kept Dex silent, rather than a crushed heart.
Dex’s anguish fueled the fire of his shame. He was disappointed about his ruined date, even knowing Luc had almost killed his best friend. What was wrong with him? He should be enraged and nothing else.
Why did Dex’s first chance at seizing life after years of holding back have to happen with Lucifer?
“He might not agree to meet with all of us,” Ash said.
“You think he’s messaging, hoping I’ll meet him alone so he can…”Hurt me.Dex couldn’t finish the thought out loud. And he was disappointed about their date? He was definitely broken inside.
Harper looked at Dex with heart-wrenching sympathy. “We don’t know what he planned to do. See what he says.”
Dex’s stomach roiled as he typed.
Dex:
You can talk to me with the rest of the demons or not at all.
He pushed down the hope that Luc could explain this all away. Nothing could excuse trying to kill Ollie. Every time Dex remembered that’s what Luc had done, he feared he’d pass out.
Luc:
Yes, we should all meet together. I didn’t realize you were friends with them. Tell me where and I’ll be there.
“He agreed.” Dex looked up to find surprise lining Ash’s face. “He says he didn’t know we were friends.”
Dante snorted. “Yeah, right. This wasn’t a coincidence.”
