“Okay, great. And how are we going to do that?”
He stopped pacing and turned toward me. “There are methods. Ones I’d rather not use.”
Lovely. I shivered.
“If they’re bad enough that a demon finds them unpalatable, then maybe we should brainstorm a little more.” I gave him a weak smile. Truth was, despite my bravado, I was seriously regretting my idiotic decision to spy on some demons. Not only did Lucifer have my scent now, but I’d ruined any chance of a movie-esque reunion with the sexiest man I’d ever laid eyes on.
I stank. And I probably had goo on my face. Not my most shining moment, and he had to witness it all.
Of course, he’d also been the one to cause my current condition.
“It involves taking you deeper into the supernatural underworld,” he said with a sigh, running a hand through his dark hair. “And I’ve been trying to protect you from that.”
“Oh.” The supernatural underworld? That sounded interesting. I sat up a little straighter. “I’m alright with that.”
He gave me a dark look. “Did you forget how close you came to dying on multiple occasions the last time you got involved with supernaturals? You’re mortal. This life is far too dangerous for you. Honestly, Mia, why did you have to come back toInfernaltonight?”
I pressed my lips together, more to hold back the truth than anything else.
Because I’ve missed you.
But I couldn’t say that. Not when he looked at me like…this. Like I was a pesky child who’d stumbled in during an important client meeting. He couldn’t wait to hand me back to the nanny.
“Serena told me Lucifer was in town, and I couldn’t resist.” I shrugged. “No one is telling me anything. I wanted to see just how much he knew and how long he planned to stick around.”
“Well, he was close to leaving.” Az folded his arms, leaning back on his heels. “After tonight, it’ll be weeks more before he gives up. We need to change your scent and get you out of Manhattan.”
My hands fisted. “Not this again. You can’t force me to leave my home.”
“It’s the only way, Mia.” He strode toward me and took my shoulders in his powerful hands. Gently, this time. His eyes darkened as he peered down at me, like he was peeling back layer after layer of my soul. For not the first time, it almost felt as though he could see into the very depths of me. My deepest, darkest thoughts. My greatest fears. And the desire I felt for him still, after everything.
“I swore an oath to keep you safe,” he murmured, edging so close that I could smell the flames of Hell wafting from his skin. “And I never break my oaths. You can’t stay here anymore. You have to leave tonight.”
3
“What in the actual hell is going on now?” Serena bustled into Az’s glittering penthouse wearing a pristine pantsuit in shades of glorious blues, the bright color popping against her dark skin. Her hair cascaded around her shoulders in perfect waves, and the light makeup she’d applied highlighted the deep color of her eyes.
She looked like an absoluteboss.
One that was not happy to see me.
She glared and dropped her briefcase by the door. “Mia, please tell me that Az’s text was some kind of joke and that you didn’t decide to snoop on the actual King of Hell tonight.”
I grimaced. “Well…”
Her eyes practically rolled back into her head as she sighed. “Mia, why? I thought we all made it clear you couldn’t go near the place. What about the deal you signed?” She shot Az a panicked glance. “Is she going to lose her soul? Did she break the deal?”
“No,” he said around his clenched jaw. “She took a tumble while she was spying. She could have very well fallen through the window. But thankfully, she only slid off the top of the dumpster and landed on the pavement.”
Serena wrinkled her nose as she drew closer, her eyes flicking across my stained blouse. “Clearly.”
“Oh, don’t let him fool you.” I shot Az a glare. “I look—and smell—like this becausehetossed me into the dumpster.”
Arching her brows, she turned back to Az. “You did this to her? Don’t make me get out my claws.”
“It was to get rid of her scent.”
“Ah.” She nodded, relaxing. “Good going.”
