Demons Like It Hot (Demons Unleashed #2)(75)

She turned to leave, bumping one of her hanging pots, the clamor echoing through the room. Great. No way was she getting out of this one.

Kalli looked up and Matthias turned to meet Serah’s gaze, his onyx gaze still clouded with sorrow.

Matthias drew his lips straight, his jaw ticking. “Serah.”

“I was going to start supper, but I can do it later.” She’d never felt so out of place, to say nothing of feeling like an outsider in her own kitchen. Serah inched backward out of the room.

Kalli scratched her forehead, her eyebrows scrunched. “What the hell happened to you? You look like a raccoon.”

“Nothing. I fell asleep in the back room and forgot I had makeup on.”

Kalli arched an eyebrow. “Since when does sleep make your eyes all puffy like that?”

Kalli was always too smart for her own good. Even though Kalli said she couldn’t read her mind, Serah often wondered. “I had that dream again.”

“The fire?”

Matthias spun around, his gaze alert. “What fire?”

“It’s a dream. I’m with Nonni in a closet. There’s a fire and then I wake up.”

Kalli let out a sharp breath. “Still, I don’t like it.” She leaned over to Matthias. “Everything okay here?”

“Yes, but there are complications with my assignment.”

Kalli narrowed her gaze. “What sort of complications? I thought we got that issue resolved?”

“Another complication, I’m afraid.”

Serah slunk backwards out of the room. Maybe she judged Matthias too soon. Maybe he really was trying to redeem himself.

“I know Serah can be stubborn at times and a bit thickheaded, but she’s a good person and is in terrible need of protection.”

“I don’t deny she needs protection, but there are certain circumstances that prevent me from doing my job.”

What was he trying to do? Set himself up for failure? After what she just witnessed, that was the last thing he needed right now. He needed something to keep him occupied. Something to ease his pain. She’d at least give him that.

“What sort of circumstances?” Kalli massaged the back of her neck. “Because the Fore-Demons are not ones who reassign missions that easily. Just ask Rafe.”

Serah finally found her voice. “Matthias and I had a little disagreement earlier. It’s nothing that a little compromise can’t fix.”

Kalli waggled her brows. “Oh, really?”

Serah rolled her eyes. “Not that sort of compromise. Jeez.”

“Oh, darn. Well, my job here is done. Lucy wanted me to check on you. Despite the mascara, things look fine.” She brushed her fingertips over Serah’s face. “There, all fixed.”

Kalli reached back and loosened the leather thong that hung around her neck. She placed the pewter pendant that dangled from it on the counter and slid it toward Matthias. “Something tells me you need this more than I do.”

“Thank you, Kalli.”

“You’re very welcome. I’m relieved actually. I was afraid I’d given Josephine an empty promise. I don’t like breaking promises.”

Kalli swiped a red dreadlock from her cheek and stood. She held out her hand. “I’m glad we’re on the same side now. I always admired your abilities.”

Matthias’s lips curved into a wan smile. He took Kalli’s hand in his and clasped it in a sturdy grip. He shook his head and stood, crushing Kalli to him in a tight hug. “Thank you. Thank you for easing her pain.”

Serah’s breath hitched and her heart clenched. Seeing him embrace Kalli sent her skin crawling. She shivered. Matthias was not her ideal man, but something about him called to her. And now he was attracted to Kalli. Then again, Serah had told him he made her sick earlier and that she never wanted to see him again. What did she expect?

Why the hell did she have to like him so much? After all, he was the one who almost had her killed.

Almost. Didn’t he try to save you in the end?

Ugh! It was crazy what he did to her—what he still did. She shouldn’t like him. He’d been a demon for hire and had obviously done terrible things in his past. Kidnapping her couldn’t have been his worst crime. Why the hell did she care so much about him?

Even when he acted like a complete asshat, she cared. Absolutely crazy. She gritted her teeth and clenched her fists. Yep, she was pathetic.

Kalli pulled from the embrace first. She turned to Serah and arched a brow, a knowing smile curving her lips.

Yeah right, she couldn’t read my mind. That expression said it all.

“If you scowl any harder, your face will stay like that forever.”

“Sorry, I was just thinking really hard.”

Kalli shrugged. “If you think any harder, diamonds are going to pop out of your ears.” She yanked at her skimpy lace corset and blew a giant pink bubble.

“Are you saying I have a brain full of coal?” Serah crossed her arms. Then again, sometimes she felt like it.

“Good point. Not a very good quip, huh? As much as you try to hide the fact, there is more in your brain than you realize.”

Kalli strode toward her and wrapped her arms around Serah, pulling her into a friendly embrace. “It’s perfectly all right to be attracted to him,” she whispered. “Just so you know, he’s attracted to you too.” She offered Serah a sly wink.