Page 40 of Hell’s Half Acre

“Aye, aye, captain.” Sorcha gave him a mock salute.

Without a comment, he vanished.

Alone with the demon, Sorcha wondered if Envee would be as tight-lipped about Luke as Helly was. Because she’d raised Luke, Helly saw him more as a son she fiercely protected. Getting anything out of the imp was impossible.

“Envee?”

Licking ice cream from her fingers, she looked up. “Yes?”

“How long have you known Luke?”

She shrugged. “I was his tenth demon, if I remember correctly. So, it’s been a while. Why?”

“Can you tell me what Hell was like for Luke?”

She bit her lip while her gaze darted around the room as if she considered the pros and cons of answering. “I don’t think I should say anything.”

“The demon’s afraid of getting into trouble.”

Sorcha looked up to find Trinket in the bedroom doorway. Damn, he was a beautiful creature. His face was completely scrubbed clean, showing perfect masculine features. His short hair curled all over his head, letting her know that it’d been straightened earlier. “Are you afraid of it?”

He snorted at her question. “I’m a hellcat. We’re always in trouble.”

“Why?”

Trinket’s stare turned droll. “We’re born and trained to be sexual consorts for Hell’s elite. The problem with that is the elite tend to be sadistic bastards who get off on causing as much pain as possible.”

Those words sent a chill over her. “You’re Luke’s…” She wasn’t sure what word to use.

“Lover?” He shook his head. “I’m not on his menu.”

“Trinket was a gift to Luke from Xaphan who didn’t realize Luke wouldn’t find Trinket sexy. Xaphan was trying to bribe Luke.” Envee let out an evil laugh.

That confused her. “What’s so funny?”

“Xaphan wanted to dethrone Lucifer. And Luke reacted badly to it. Stupid demon picked the wrong child. One of Luke’s siblings wouldn’t have hesitated to help him. But Luke has never had any ambition for the throne.”

Luke had said as much to her and she understood why. Given all the “fun” occupants of Hell, she could only imagine the nightmare ruling it would entail. “What did Luke do?”

“Last I heard, Xaphan is still in the lowest pit, screaming and bleeding.”

Trinket nodded in agreement with Envee’s words.

Sorcha decided to change the subject. Every time they described Hell, it made her more determined to never go there.

I need to go to church on Sunday.

Trinket pushed himself away from the doorframe. “And to answer the question you’re too afraid to ask. Yes, I was Xaphan’s lover.”

“Trinket was passed around quite a bit before he was given to Luke.”

Sorcha winced at what they described. “But not by Luke.” She wasn’t sure why she needed that confirmation.

“You heard him. He gets angry any time I assume that’s what he wants of me. No idea why it makes him so mad.” Trinket walked around the small apartment, staring at everything.

“You okay?” Sorcha asked.

“Sure. It just looks different on this side of the portal.”