Page 47 of Hell’s Half Acre

Clearing his throat, he indicated to Terrabeth that he wanted a word with her alone. She handed Vedrana over to the bartender before she joined him in a corner.

“Thank you, Luke.”

“For what?”

“Coming in person with the news.” To his complete shock, she actually hugged him. “I won’t forget your kindness.”

Unsure of how to react, he patted her twice on the back and stepped away. “Look, someone let my demons out.” He knew it wasn’t her because she held a different scent than the one who’d been in his apartment. “If you see any of them here, let me know.”

“I will.”

He glanced back toward Vedrana, who took a seat on a barstool. “When I find out who did this, I’ll let you know.”

“Will you interfere?”

He scoffed at her question. “With justice? No. I hope she tears their throat out with her teeth and feeds them their heart.”

Terrabeth actually smiled. “I might just have a sibling I like. Has Hell frozen over?”

“God, I hope not. I barely survived the last human winter. I shudder to think of my home frozen.”

As he started to leave, Terrabeth took his hand. He turned back with a frown.

“There’s a lot of gossip that comes through here about your banishment.”

That was good to know. “Do you know who caused it?”

She shook her head. “Not yet. Just rumors and speculation.”

“I’m sure it’s one of our siblings. Do you know who replaced me?”

She snorted. “You know Dad. He’s holding a contest. One who shows the greatest loyalty will have your place.”

That hit a lot harder than he wanted it to. If his father was looking for his replacement, then Lucifer intended for his banishment to be permanent.

Bitterness rose up in his throat and choked him. “Good luck with that.” Their siblings were some of the most treacherous bastards ever whelped.

Terrabeth nodded. “If you want to bet the odds on who’ll replace you, Shaddix is in the lead.”

Of course she was. No one was better at ass-kissing than their “angelic” sister.

And as soon as that thought went through him, he went cold.

Shaddix…fucking Shaddix.

Who else would it be? I should have known.

“I’m such an idiot.”

“How so?” she asked.

He curled his lip. “She’s the bitch who betrayed me. I know it. She’s always hated me and wanted to curry Dad’s favor.”

Terrabeth’s expression said she wasn’t as convinced about it as he was. “That’s ninety-nine percent of our sibs. They all hate you. They all want to be on Dad’s good side, and we’d all like to have the favor he shows you”—if she only knew the truth—“I could see a dozen or more who’d take the shot to see you fall.”

Maybe and honestly, he’d be glad to let them have it. Grass was always greener, and he’d happily let them take over.

But Shaddix, alone, had made a point of being there when he was banished. Now he was thinking she’d been there to gloat.