Nate sat in a darkened corner, his back to the wall. No surprise there. Usually, one did so to take in the rest of the place and be alerted to trouble, but he wasn’t watching anything because he wasn’t alone. A female—a deeply tanned demoness sat at his side. His eyes were shut, features taut. His shirt was bunched up, and her hand remained hidden behind the table, slowly moving over his…groin?
Pain burst free, an excruciating punch in her chest. Nothing went in or out of her lungs, yet she was breathing because she was still standing. An agonized sound escaped her throat.
Nate’s eyelids snapped open and flashed around the whorehouse to slam into hers, where she stood frozen in the crowded den next to Aba. His brow furrowed, then his eyes narrowed. The demoness said something, snagging his attention.
Anguish abraded every cell in her body. Goddess, she was such a fool. She’d worked herself into an ulcer, thinking he was in a death fight and badly wounded. Obviously, he wasn’t when he was in this…thisbrothel, seeking solace with another female.
He couldn’t have made it clearer how he felt about her.
Why would he want her anyway? Why would he want the person who’d changed his life so irrevocably, setting him on the path to a fate worse than death?
“Hullo, beautiful,” a low, gravelly voice with a compelling accent murmured, breaking her out of the stranglehold of pain. It was the silver-haired demon from moments ago, standing at her side. His irises glowed a searing silver, eclipsing the ebony for a second, capturing hers.
“A face that beautiful shouldn’t wear so much sadness.” His voice, a sensual croon, wrapped around her. “Let me buy you a drink, hmm?”
Ely blinked, shaking off the haze, trying to gather her broken thoughts.
“I won’t bite, promise. Or maybe I will…if you want me to.” A slow, seductive smile curved his mouth. “I’m called Kyser. What’s your name, beautiful?” When she didn’t respond, he stroked her cheek with the back of his knuckles and lowered his head to her, his nose brushing her skin. “Don’t worry, my company is known to perk up anyone,” he whispered, putting his hand on her hips. “Come.”
A chair crashed somewhere, adding to the cacophony, jarring her free from his hypnotic voice. She pushed past him and dashed for the exit. As she cleared the doorway, a body flew past her to land in the dust. Another darker figure leaped for the fallen demon.
Nate.
They fought fast and furious, like blurs.
Aba appeared at her side. “This isn’t helping.”
Ely barely heard him, realizing then, the other part of the fighting duo was the demon who’d just spoken to her. Rage broke through her pain. “Stop thisnow!”
Her yell froze them both.
“I don’t belong to either of you! I’m with him!” She stuck her thumb over her shoulder at Aba, since he’d added his scent to her earlier. Gods, this unclaimed female nonsense was freakin’ irritating!
Nate swiped the blood from his mouth, chest heaving. His stormy gaze swept over her, searching for what, she had no idea. Probably for the capital L of theliarhe thought she was, one who broke promises easily, stamped somewhere on her skin.
But the fact he’d moved on so fast—without even giving her a chance to tell him everything—exacerbated her torment.
The demon gingerly touched his swelling jaw, then shoved his long hair off his face, revealing his pointed ears. A dark fae.
He cut her a smirk. “You are a regretful loss, beautiful. I might have to visit your mortal world and find another like you.” He strode off, ignoring Nate’s growl.
She wiped the sweat from her brow with her forearm. The fae thought she was human?
“Dammit, Aba! Why did you bring her here?” Nate demanded.
A harsh breath caught in her throat at his cold words.
“She’s probably the only one who can talk some sense into you!” Aba shot back.
“Fighting my own battles,” Ely retorted. And realizing how that sounded, she threw out the only excuse she had. “I want the one who put the bounty on me.” No way would she reveal the terror she’d endured worrying about him, only to find him with, with…
Breathing hard, it took a moment to be able to speak again. “What did you find out?” she reiterated when he continued glowering at her likeshehad done something wrong. Okay, she had, and she would live with that regret for the rest of her life.
Chest still heaving, Nate thrust back his tangled hair. “What the hell did you do to your hair?”
Thatwas important in this mess between them?
“Incognito.” She folded her arms beneath her breasts and waited, the pain of his betrayal shredding her insides.
