She was like his mother. Actually, she was better. His mother found fault with him all the time.
Helly had never done such.
With a frown, Helly closed the distance between them. “What’s wrong? Really?”
“I never realized until today that I’m alone.”
She pulled her head back and frowned. “You’re not alone, dominus. I’m here. Always.” She moved to pull him into her arms.
Normally, Luke would have rebuffed her for that gesture. But tonight…
He folded the tiny imp into his arms and held her tight against him. Closing his eyes, he savored the hug. “This is a first.”
She nodded against his shoulder. “Weird, isn’t it?”
Laughing, he released her. “Maybe. A little.”
“We never have to speak of this again.”
That actually made him smile and he was grateful for it. “Thank you, Imp.”
“I’m here to serve. In most ways. Remember, you’re like a son to me so there are limits to the serving. I hope. Please don’t ever ask me to serve like that. It would be all kinds of gross.”
Shaking his head, he gently pushed her away. She was right, they were family. And he should have seen it sooner.
In all his life, she’d been his only real constant. The one who’d been with him through the worst moments. Even now, he could see her popping in when he’d been banished. Determined to stay with him no matter where he went.
He ruffled her hair playfully. “Do you want to go back to Hell, Imp?”
“I will follow you to Hell itself.” She flashed a fanged grin at him. “Wherever you go, dominus, I go.”
He appreciated that thought, but it didn’t answer his question. “I’m not asking if you will. I’m asking what you want. Do you miss home?”
“Oh. I do not miss anything about it.”
For some reason that surprised him. “Nothing?”
She gave him a gimlet stare. “It was an entirely different experience for those of us who weren’t the prince of Hell.”
That made sense. And he felt guilty about it. Especially where she was concerned. “I never noticed.”
“Why should you? You had everything you wanted.”
Maybe. But he’d realized something after being around Sorcha…
He wasn’t the most important creature in the room at any given time. Others mattered, too.
Such a simple concept and yet it’d taken him far too long to realize it.
“Come, dominus…let’s leave your office and have some fun.”
“Only if you call me Luke.”
Helly choked. “P-pardon?”
“It’s time you called me something other than lord. I’m no one’s lord here and as you said, we’re family.”
“Okay, I’ll try. But I make no promises.”
