Demons Like It Hot (Demons Unleashed #2)(38)

“American Chef?”

“Lucy, do you know anything about American Chef?” He heard a faint click. “I’ve put on the speakerphone.”

“Fine,” Matthias muttered.

Lucia’s voice boomed. “It’s a show that travels around America and spotlights different chefs. Serah mentioned signing up for a while ago. Before… you know.”

“They’re coming here tomorrow for an audition.”

“Hell’s blood,” Rafael growled. “The last thing Serah needs is exposure. Especially if Balthazar is lingering around.”

“Who is he?” Lucia demanded.

Rafael sucked in a breath. “Belial’s second in command.”

“God! Even from the bowels of hell, Belial still manages to be a thorn in our sides.”

“He says he serves another.”

“Even better.” There was no masking the sarcasm in Lucia’s voice. “Not only is he vengeful, he works for another Infernati *.”

“I have everything under control.”

“Let’s hope you do, Ambrose.” The finality in Lucia’s voice said it all.

“We will further discuss this tomorrow, Ambrose. Early. Preferably before this TV show comes calling.” Rafael left no room for refusal.

“Good. There are other things we should discuss as well.”

“Very well.” With that the call dropped. Not one for familiarities. Then again, Matthias didn’t blame him one bit.

Then again, maybe Deleon knew more than he admitted.

He stalked down the hallway and yanked open the closet door. He grabbed a cotton sheet and flannel blanket and wrenched out a jumbo-sized pillow that was stuffed into the top. He kicked the door shut.

He turned his gaze to Serah’s miraculously closed door. “I’m doomed.” But just because he might have been doomed, didn’t mean the world had to suffer the same fate. He’d see to it. He only hoped Serah could forgive him, because he couldn’t forgive himself.

***

Serah awoke with a start. Warmth tingled its way throughout her entire body. Her toes curled. Whatever Matthias was doing to her needed to stop. No matter how damned good it felt.

She reached over to glance at the clock. Four a.m. She never should’ve gone to bed so early. She’d never get back to sleep. She glanced at the phone flashing next to her nightstand. Five missed calls. All from Lucy. Even if her friend hardly ever slept, it was still too late to call—Lucy and Rafe were probably busy. Lucky little demons.

Then again, they were perfect for each other. Rafe, with his stony reserve and Lucy with her no-nonsense attitude complemented each other perfectly. Truth be told, they were more alike than they realized.

“And they’re in love,” she whispered. “At least one of us is lucky.” Not that she wanted love. She was quite content with her nonexistent love life. Men only complicated matters. And she had a kitchen to run. She didn’t need distractions—not now.

Lord knew she already had one huge distraction as it was. Why did he have to be so big and muscular? And why did she have to fantasize about him—camouflage and all?

Her cheeks warmed and her stomach clenched. Moist heat flooded into her loins. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t stop thinking about that dream. Not the dream—the man.

“He has to go.” She’d talk to Rafe in the morning. How hard could it be to find a new bodyguard?

What about Rafe’s old partner, Dominic? He was able enough. Then again, he’d been sent back to limbo by the woman he loved. Rafe said he still hadn’t fully recovered.

A bodyguard with baggage—the second to last thing she needed right now. Why couldn’t demonic protection be easy? Why did her bodyguard have to spawn dangerous fantasies?

Not that fantasies are all that bad.

“Ugh!” She swiped a paperback from her dresser and perused the title. Private Protection.

Oh gawd.

She continued her scan of the cover. A bare-chested torso of a man wearing a shoulder holster filled the cover, his gun strategically aimed.

Almost as big as Matthias, but not quite.

“Oh, please,” she grumbled, tossing the book to the floor. “I should have bought that Martha Stewart cookbook instead.”

Frustration, sparked by desire, ignited like a furnace. She wanted to scream, but that would only fuel her frustrations more. Matthias would burst in like he had earlier. Her poor little door couldn’t handle any more abuse for the night. And she couldn’t handle any more devious fantasies either.

Why in the hell did he have to kiss her? Ever since then her hormones had gone bonkers. She’d liked the kiss too. That’s what really irked her.

With a low groan, Serah flung herself back into bed and bunched her pillows around her head. She couldn’t sleep. She’d have that stupid dream again. The sad part of it was it felt so real, as if he really were doing all those naughty things to her. And she loved every minute of it.

Maybe Lucy had given her a dose of succubus after all?

At this rate, her audition would be a disaster.

Then again, that’s probably what he wanted. He said it himself. The TV show was a distraction they didn’t need right now.

Had she known when she applied that her friend would turn into a sex-demon and she’d end up a whatever it was she was, she would have never signed up.