Page 93 of Hell’s Half Acre

That made her eyes widen. “Dom… Luke, I don’t think you’re okay.”

He smiled at her and the loyalty she gave without thought. “I promise there’s nothing wrong with me. I’ve just learned to appreciate things I used to take for granted.” And while Senka had birthed him, it was Helly who’d been his mother. Yes, she’d been under orders, but he’d survived enough centuries in Hell to know the pain she could have allowed him to suffer … pain that she intentionally spared him.

If he had a heart, it was because of Helly.

And Sorcha was his soul. His conscience. She was the sole reason he was able to see the real Helly now. Sorcha had made him aware of others in a way he’d never been before.

It was why he was determined to protect her. There just weren’t enough people like her in this world. Those who cared about others. Those who cried when someone else was hurt. All his life, he’d been around those who gloried in the misery of someone else. Those whose schadenfreude was legendary.

He’d be lying if he didn’t say he still had epicaricacy whenever he saw those who deserved it get cut down. But that was his sense of justice…something he’d learned working for IA. It no longer stemmed from the simple joy of seeing someone suffer for the sake of misery.

No, it came from knowing that God wasn’t asleep at the wheel. That karma did come for those who brokered in pain.

And one day, he was sure it would come for him.

Why wouldn’t it? He’d been an evil bastard for the vast majority of his life. Human pain had once been a beacon for him. He’d gone to those suffering and had bartered for their souls. Put them in the path of Hell and reveled when they fell.

All to please a father who’d turned his back on him. A beast who’d exiled him from everything without giving Luke a chance to explain himself or even know what he’d done wrong.

He’d loved his father. Had protected him. He’d have done anything in the universe to please the beast. Even give up his own soul.

None of it mattered now.

Luke winced at the sting of that betrayal. Out of the blue, he’d been ripped from everything.

For no fucking reason. ’Cause, fuck you, Ken.

Raking his hands through his hair, he located Sorcha and teleported to where they sat outside Doki Doki Ice Creamery. His mother’s hounds lay nearby, watching and protecting while remaining out of sight of Sorcha and the other humans.

In the dark, he watched her, Simi, and Acheron as they laughed and ate while humans walked past them oblivious to the fact that Acheron held incredible powers along with his demon daughter.

And Sorcha…

He still didn’t know what exactly she was. Like Acheron, the powers he sensed were ancient.

Yet she appeared so normal and average.

Well, not average. Too few beings in the universe could match her heart. Her kindness and laughter were special.

And her laughter was infectious.

What is wrong with me?

He’d never been emotionally involved with anyone.

Not even his parents. There had been affection, sure, but there was a wall between them and what he felt. It wasn’t the same as his feelings for Sorcha.

In truth, these newfound feelings terrified him because he knew she owned a part of him that no one had ever owned before.

No one.

Not wanting to think about it, he headed for the group, then grimaced as he saw what Simi was eating. “Is that barbecue sauce on your ice cream?”

“Of course!” Simi beamed happily as she spooned a large bite into her mouth.

Ew! But who was he to judge? Helly had talked him into bacon donuts. He still wasn’t sure how and those had been delicious. Damn her for that addiction.

Taking a seat between Sorcha and Ash, he sighed heavily.