Demons Like It Hot (Demons Unleashed #2)(10)
Taking a deep breath, Lucy shook her head. “You want serious? I’ll give you serious. Serious is having your salon explode. Serious is finding out your father is still alive and is the King of Sex Demons. Serious is almost getting married to some stinky, egomaniacal demon. I’m quite aware what serious is. This—whether you choose to admit it or not—is very serious.”
Matthias’s eyes widened, apparently shocked by Lucy’s rant. With a slow, meticulous nod, he moved in closer. “I would listen to your friend, Ms. SanGermano.”
Lucy raised her chin and crossed her arms. Letting out a long huff of air, she leaned against the high-back chair. “Just humor us here. Even if what you say is true, a little extra protection never hurt anyone.” With a waggle of her brow and a lopsided grin, she threw a sidelong glance toward Matthias.
Rafe grumbled and nudged Lucy on the shoulder. “Lucy, please.” He angled lower and whispered something in her ear.
With a nonchalant shrug, she whispered back. Tossing Matthias another scrutinizing glare, she scrubbed her fingers through her chunked hair. “Take care of her, Matthias, or I’ll kill you.”
“I will,” Matthias replied, his voice stony.
His onyx glare continued to slice into her. Her stomach was tied in knots and her breath caught. He might not smell of Infernati, but he was still dangerous. He unnerved her. His entire presence seeped into her, drowning her. Part of her wanted to run away in terror. The other part screamed for something else—something she hadn’t had in a while.
A little extra protection might not hurt—my ass.
Chapter 4
“So now that we’ve got everything settled, we should head back to the shop. Kalli deserves a break.” Lucia laced her arm in Rafael’s and pulled close to him. It amazed Matthias how much trust and love the two had for each other.
“Should we leave him alone with her? They just met.”
“They have to be alone eventually. So why not now?”
Rafael’s silver eyes sparked as he angled a glance at Serah.
“Why don’t all three of you vamoose? I already have protection.”
“Your chimp of an imp isn’t going to protect you from the evil coming this way.” Matthias crossed his arms and turned a stern glare at her. “The Paladins need you safe. They need your help to fight the Infernati.”
Serah shrugged, then raised her chin. “Squeaky’s moved on to bigger pastures. And I’m a lover, not a fighter.”
“Oh. What form is of protection do you have now?”
“I have Mr. Whiskers,” she spat out.
“Mr. Whiskers? What kind of name is that?”
“He’s a cat.”
“You call that protection?”
“He is a certified attack cat. He’s good with his claws.”
“A cat is no match for an Infernati assassin.”
“He has claws. Twenty of them, to be exact. And they’re razor-sharp too.”
“Twenty?” Matthias asked.
“Polydactyl, or so I’ve been told.”
Matthias grumbled. She definitely needed more protection. “Where is Mr. Whiskers now if he is such a good protector?”
“He’s at my house.”
Matthias’s jaw tensed. Either she was clueless or just plain reckless. Either way, she needed someone to defend her. “And that’s why I’m here.” He leaned in, his jaw set and his nostrils flaring. Perhaps he could scare her into submission. He might not have wanted this mission to start, but now he knew its severity. He’d read the reports Deleon had given him. She was more stubborn than he thought. She was smarter than she gave herself credit for too. He sensed the energy surrounding her. He saw it in the spark in her eyes. It radiated from her every pore, hot and heavy, and seeped into his being. That sort of power needed to be controlled. She needed more than a bodyguard. “Your life depends on it.”
“Oh, well.” Her gaze glowed like two molten sapphires. His heart, despite the control he tried to muster, thumped in his chest, sending all the blood rushing to his groin, where an altogether different organ throbbed. Bloody hell.
She could very well be her own worst enemy—and his complete and utter downfall. One thing was obvious. The Fore-Demons wanted him to fail. And, with his previous history, it didn’t surprise him one bit. He’d heard stories about the Fore-Demons and their cryptic ways. Perhaps they knew more than they let on. Mayhap they believed he was doomed long before he even joined the ranks. He had news for the Fore-Demon Council. He would not back down. If he was meant to fail, he wouldn’t go down without a fight. Serah’s protection depended on it.
“Oh well?” he ground out, grabbing her by the shoulders. Heat pounded its way from the tips of his fingers and slammed him in the head. His whole body reeled with energy. Calming the rush of energy and emotions rushing through him, he sucked in a breath. “Your friend saved your life, did she not?”
Serah’s gaze widened. Her body trembled against him. He loosened his grip on her shoulders, reluctant to let go completely.
“Yes,” she whispered. She lowered her gaze to the gray, carpeted floor. Even though it had only been gone for a mere second, Matthias already missed that sapphire gleam. Maybe she was finally coming to her senses, because God knew he was surely losing his.