Page 126 of The Devil's Trials

I end the call before I dig myself into a bigger hole of lies. Tossing the phone on the bed, I exhale a heavy sigh and head into the ensuite bathroom to take a shower.

After standing under the spray of water until it loses its warmth, I get out and wrap myself in a plush towel. I take my time drying off and moisturizing, enjoying the high-end products in Xander’s bathroom I’d venture a guess Blake purchased.

Wrapping myself in a robe off the back of the door, I return to the room I woke in yesterday and scour the fully stocked closet for something to wear. I dress for comfort in a light gray crewneck sweater and sweatpant set, then twist my hair into two French braids before venturing downstairs to the kitchen.

“Good morning,” Gio greets with a warm smile from where he sits at the kitchen island counter, sipping from a mug.

“Morning,” I offer with an awkward wave.

“How are you doing? Can I make you something for breakfast?”

“I’m fine,” I say automatically.

“Coffee?”

I shake my head, walking to the opposite side of the counter and leaning against it. “Not a huge fan.”

“Fair enough.” He finishes his coffee, setting the mug down before continuing, “Well, if you’re not too busy today, you should hang out with me. I plan to get wine drunk and bake a bunch of cookies.”

I nearly choke on a laugh.

How is this guy a demon?

“Are you serious?”

“Very much so. I’m leaning toward a classic chocolate chip but may also try a dark chocolate and salted caramel recipe I found last night. Interested in joining me?”

“Yeah, kind of,” I admit with a hint of a smile.

Gio beams. “Excellent. Now, are you a red, white, or rosé gal?”

“Hmm, usually white.”

His grin widens. “Perfect. I just got a few bottles from Niagara that you’re going to adore.”

“You know a lot about wine?” Xander mentioned him attending culinary school, so it doesn’t feel like a stretch.

“I like to think so. I worked at a hotel in Toronto for a number of years and was known in the kitchen as the wine guy.”

“That’s really cool,” I tell him, glancing around the professional grade kitchen. “I’m ready to dive into a sugar coma whenever you are.”

We spend the rest of the day sipping wine and eating cookie dough until my stomach aches. While I still worry about Xander and Harper and my parents somehow finding out where I am, the distraction of hanging out with Gio has been really nice.

I call it a night early after a delicious dinner of grilled cheese and tomato soup—all made from scratch by Gio—and head to bed with a light buzz that thankfully helps lull me to sleep faster than my thoughts can catch up.

The next morning, I wake only mildly hungover from the excessive amount of wine I consumed yesterday. After a splash of cold water on my face, I change into a workout set and wander my way to the gym.

Starting my usual warm up, I can’t help but think of Noah. A quick glance at the clock tells me he’s on his way to Ballard for class, and there’s a pang of something in my stomach, pushing against the pit that already exists there.

I miss Noah.

As much as he annoys me and complicates things, he’s also a significant source of comfort and assurance. He believed in me even when I didn’t. He fought for me to retake my test, and I can still clearly see the pride shining in his eyes when I passed it.

I exhale an uneven breath, turning off the treadmill and walking over to the wall of free weights. I focus on my arms, going through several sets of workouts Noah taught me until they feel like noodles. Then I utilize the squat rack to the point my legs are shaking when I reset the bar after my last rep.

Downing my water bottle on my way to the stairs, my stomach grumbles, and I go in search of the leftover cookies from yesterday’s baking marathon. Becauseyum.

It’s been three days since Xander left for the final trial. I understand time passes differently in hell, but the longer he’s gone, the higher my anxiety creeps.

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