Page 32 of Hell’s Half Acre

“I can’t let you hurt humans, Envee. This is their realm, not ours.”

She blew him a raspberry. “Who makes the rules?”

“Big guy upstairs, and I don’t want to risk one of His assholes coming for you, either. Grab a tub and let’s head home.”

The joy on her beautiful face disintegrated. “I don’t want to be in the closet anymore, dominus! It’s cramped in there. And Zagun and Valefor fart all the time.”

Luke bound her powers before she could use them to teleport away from him. “It’s okay, Envee. I won’t do that to you.”

“Promise?”

“I do.”

He saw the reluctance in her pale eyes before she grabbed a bucket of Rocky Road and nodded glumly. She had every right to be skeptical. Where they came from, promises were made only to make the betrayal hurt more.

No one in Hell kept a promise. Unless it involved bringing wrath and harm to someone.

There was a time when he’d been one of the worst in Hell. He’d reveled in being his father’s heir. Had sought to make Old Scratch proud.

But that time was the past.

His one goal now was to never let Sorcha see that part of him. Humans might be weak and innately selfish, and yet those at Infernal Affairs had accepted him without reservation. They didn’t see the demonic Son of Perdition.

Or someone they needed to punish, betray, or humiliate.

They saw a fellow investigator.

And for whatever fucked-up reason, he never wanted to disappoint them.

I am so broken.

Never had he been happier. But honestly, he loved everything about his job. Especially Sorcha. She was…

There were no words for what he felt. All he knew was that he couldn’t stand the thought of being here without her.

Luke manifested what he hoped was enough money to cover the damage Envee had wrought to the store, then returned home with Envee in tow.

Standing at the door, Sorcha had his car keys in her hand as if she was about to get into Delilah.

He grinned at the startled alarm on her beautiful face. “What’cha doing, partner?”

She turned sheepish. “I was going to see if…” Her voice trailed off as she saw Envee. “Is that one of them?”

“Yeah. Helly’s friend.”

Her gaze traveled over Envee’s strange attire. Luke had no real description for it. It was reminiscent of a white Rococo Sacque dress. Except that the front showed the intricate boning and hoops that held the dress out. Adorned with green ribbons that matched her horns, it was something that had been popular in French brothels back in the day.

By modern standards, it was wholesome and cute.

Envee clutched the ice cream bucket to her ample bosom. “Do I have to share?”

Luke laughed. “No. Would you like a spoon instead of your hand?”

Envee gasped in pleasure. “Oh, yes! Please!”

Manifesting one, he handed it over.

With a happy cry, she took the spoon and went to his sofa so that she could sit and eat her pilfered goods.