Page 43 of The Devil's Waltz

“Okay,” I repeat, flipping the lock and opening the door.

When my eyes meet Xander’s, the air is sucked from my lungs in a viciouswhoosh.

The prince of hell is standing in my doorway, wearing the most angelic smile I’ve ever seen. The sight of it punches a hole through my chest.

“Cami?” Harper speaks in my ear.

“I have to call you back,” I say in a monotone voice, ending the call without breaking eye contact with Xander.

“Hey,” he says in a light tone as he leans against the doorframe. “I wanted to surprise you with an early dinner after your meeting. I thought we could eat, then talk about the meeting with your mom. If you want.”

I open my mouth, but no sound comes out.

“Camille?” He tilts his head to the side. “Are you okay?”

“I…” My mouth is too dry to speak, but the pounding of my heart says it all. And fucking hell,he can hear it.

He exhales slowly and frowns. “You know.”

Those two little words make my pulse spike. The panic in my chest surges when he takes a step toward me, and I reel back to slam the door shut, but his foot is there too fast, pushing it open.

Xander steps over the threshold, closing the door as I shift backward in an attempt to keep some distance between us. My back hits the wall separating the living space from the bedrooms and bathroom before I get very far, and my stomach tightens.I need to get out of here.

He’s in front of me in the time it takes me to blink, his hands pressed against the wall on either side of me. His wrists brush my shoulders as alarm bells blare in my temples.

I swallow hard and force out, “Tell me it’s not true.”

Lie to me, I want to say.Let’s pretend you’re not evil and go back to how things were before I knew you were a demon.

He leans in close enough that his breath skates across my cheek, and I have to fight a shudder. “Really, Camille?” He sounds disappointed.

I shake my head, my jaw clenching until a dull ache pounds in my temples. “I don’t…How is this even…Why?”

He wets his lips. “Why?” he echoes with a short, quiet laugh. “Does it really matter?”

Before I know what’s happening, my palm cracks against his cheek, sending sharp pain through my hand.

Xander has the decency to look surprised, but he blinks it away in an instant. “Not bad,” he comments, “but you’ll have to do better than that.”

Angry tears fill my eyes as I try to shove him back.

He doesn’t budge.

“Get out,” I growl.

“So that’s a ’no’ to dinner?” he checks, and I shoot him a dark look. “Hmm. That’s too bad. I was hoping you and I could have a little chat.”

“There’s a team of hunters on their way here right now.”Every hunter in the organization is hunting you. I have no idea what’s keeping me from telling him that. Maybe he already knows. Either way, I can’t make the words form.

His lips twitch, and he finally retreats a step. “Is that so?”

Not exactly. Harper is, but she’ll most likely be alone. She’s a damn good hunter, but I’m not sure evenshe’sskilled enough to take on Xander by herself.

“You need to leave,” I say in a low voice.

“I should take you with me. Those hunters are a dangerous bunch. I don’t want you getting hurt.” His voice is laced with amusement, giving me the itch to slap him again.

This whole thing is a game to him.

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