Demons Like It Hot (Demons Unleashed #2)(76)

Yes, Kalli was much too shrewd for her own good.

With that, she pulled from their embrace. “Mind if I use your office? I know how all that poofing affects you.”

Serah nodded. Secretly, she wished Kalli would stay. She didn’t want to be alone with him. Part of him scared her. Part of him intrigued her, and, well, the other part of him—she’d seen where that had ended up.

So what if they were attracted to each other? So what if he kissed like a professional? So what if she was more than eager to jump his bones?

He’d been a mercenary. He’d battled for both sides. What’s not to say he wouldn’t switch sides? Maybe he was playing both sides right now? After all, hadn’t Balthazar said as much in the alley? That Matthias had upheld his part of the bargain?

And then there was Daniel with his always smiling disposition. Maybe they were working together?

“Thinking hard again?” Kalli asked, breaking her from her thoughts.

“Yeah, something like that.”

“I’ll leave you to it then.” Kalli threw her hand up in a dismissive wave and strolled off toward the office, the door clicking shut behind her.

“Why did you do that?”

“Do what?”

“Cover for me.”

“I wasn’t covering for you.” She crossed her arms in front of her. “I just didn’t think it was the right time to discuss it.”

Matthias nodded. “Well, thank you anyway.”

“Whatever,” she said, attempting to sound indifferent. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to start supper.”

Matthias blew out a breath and adjusted his shirt. Serah sighed. The naughty part of her wished it were still on the floor. “I need to talk to you about this, Serah.”

It was not the time or the place to have thoughts like that. And she definitely wasn’t ready to discuss his involvement in her kidnapping either.

Serah crossed her arms. “I’ve got other things to deal with right now. The TV show, remember?”

“As you wish.” He reached in his pocket and palmed his phone. “Rafael will be checking in soon anyway.” He swiped his finger across the touch screen. “I might just call him myself.”

“I’ll let you know when supper is ready. Maybe then we can talk.” She owed him that.

“Would you like me to get the pot at least?” Matthias offered a friendly smile. “I can’t have my shirt drenched again.”

“Fine, if you really want to.”

“Yes, I want to.”

“Knock yourself out.” She handed him the pot.

Matthias took the pot beneath his arm and filled it with water. He carried the pot across the kitchen and set it on the stove. “I’ll let you take care of the rest. You’ve seen what I can do to a kitchen.”

“Don’t remind me.” She reached for the knob to light the burner.

Matthias reached for her shoulder. “Serah, are you sure you don’t want to talk now?”

She stiffened. Part of her wanted to talk, but part of her still wanted to keep her distance. For crying out loud, could anything go easy once in a while?

“I’m not ready yet.”

Matthias nodded, turned, and headed toward the office.

She twisted the knob to increase the flame. With a deep sigh, she leaned against the counter and stared into the placid pot of water. If only those molecules knew what was going to happen to them in a matter of minutes. If it was anything like what was going through her heart right now, she really felt bad for that pot, especially when the water started to boil out of control.

It was better this way. It had to be.





Chapter 30


“Ye should gie him some haggis,” Farquhar said, his voice meowing in her ear. Serah adjusted the Bluetooth headset to turn down the volume.

“That’s just cruel.”

“Wha’s that sayin’? Don’t knock it if ye haven’t tried it.”

“I have tried it.”

“Wha’ever, lass.” Farquhar sighed. “Why did ye no invite me tae dinner?”

“I just assumed you and Inanna would be busy elsewhere.”

She stirred the sauce in the pan. She took a long breath, savoring the aroma of simmering tomatoes and spices. Her nose twitched. Something was off. She scanned the spices, spinning the rack. She never missed a spice before. Stupid Matthias. Now he was affecting her ability to cook.

She took a spoon and dipped it into the sauce. Maybe tasting it would help narrow the problem down. She brought the spoon to her lips.

Ick! She’d never tasted anything so vile in her life. The tomatoes had been fresh. Not a spot on them. Yet it tasted like rotten goat cheese.

She spit out the sauce. No effing way. She should have known Matthias was up to something. She reached for the knob to turn down the flame. It would not budge.

The flames burst from beneath the pot. A giant bubble burst, sending the stink up in the air. The rank odor of rancid Limburger cheese set her nostrils burning. The sauce continued to rumble and roil as the bubbles grew bigger. It was solidifying.

“My recipe didn’t call for this.”

She yanked open a drawer and grabbed the first implement she could. She gripped the shiny meat cleaver, ready to strike.