Page 53 of Demon's Desire
Sorry, Nico. I’ve got to pass this on to the demons before I tell anyone else.
Shit. Nico scrubbed a hand over his face.
Nico:
Got it. No worries. I’ll text when we’re on our way over.
After double-checking that everything was in order, Nico left the shop and closed the metal grate.
He’d wanted to invite Onyx over to game this weekend, and was uneasy having to contact him about Rowan. Onyx probably wouldn’t like it and might use it as an excuse to convince himself that Rowan and demon business were the only reasons Nico kept him around.
It wasn’t true, but Onyx was sensitive about people only getting in touch when they needed something. The argument with Ash and Dante was enough to make that clear.
Fuck, Nico was overthinking. It wasn’t like he was dating Onyx. He only wished he were. That way, this thing between them could grow until it was solid and undeniable.
As he walked home, Nico brought up Onyx’s contact and hit call. The phone rang, but Onyx didn’t pick up. Instead of leaving a message, Nico sent a quick text asking Onyx to call him back.
Nico stopped in the coffee shop on the corner of his block and ordered a double espresso. However the evening played out, he had a feeling he would need the caffeine.
As he sipped his coffee out on the sidewalk, Nico contemplated calling Onyx again. He didn’t care about coming across as needy. He wasn’t letting Onyx push him away, regardless of how urgent Rowan’s request was.
A car backfired, and Nico’s head whipped around. Across the street, a man spoke animatedly with two others, gesturing wildly with his arms. Nico’s eyes narrowed. That looked a hell of a lot like Michael.
So, hewasback in the city. What in damnation was he doing on Nico’s block? Fuck, maybe he had been the one to break in. Nico didn’t recognize the man Michael was with, but the woman seemed familiar. Nico wasn’t sure from where.
Before he could decide how risky it was to confront Michael when he wasn’t alone, an SUV pulled up, and the three climbed in. Perhaps one of the others lived on the block, and Michael’s presence was a coincidence. It was possible, but Nico wasn’t about to assume all was well.
He strode over to his building and went inside. The gate and front door could easily be unlocked with magic. Witches didn’t usually protect shared entrances unless everyone in the building was magical and part of the same coven.
Inside, everything seemed fine. Nico hurried up the stairsto his floor. As he approached his apartment, he noticed Lucia’s door was open.
“Nico,” she called from the doorway. “Are you just getting back from work now?”
He stopped in front of her. “Yeah, why?”
“There were these people yelling in the hall.” She glanced disapprovingly up and down the corridor.
Nico’s heart skipped. “Yelling? About what?”
“I didn’t quite catch it. I had the music on. You know me. But the commotion went on for a minute, and I turned it off. By the time I pressed my ear to the door, all I heard was a string of bad language.”
“How long ago was that?”
She frowned. “Maybe five minutes. Any idea what it was about?”
Nico’s grip tightened on the to-go coffee cup. “I saw a guy out front who’s been involved in some shady witch dealings in the past.”
Lucia tutted. “Someone like that wasn’t in the hall yelling for me, so why’s he poking around your front door? Everyone knows you don’t tolerate nonsense.”
“If I had to guess, he wants payback for not turning a blind eye to his business, or for tipping off Rowan to what he was up to.” Nico didn’t mention Evelyn, though Michael could be angry that he’d helped her. It was probably a combination of all three.
Lucia gripped his hand. “You’re such a good man, always doing the right thing, but you never remember there’s a risk to you too.”
“Can’t let that stop me.”
She squeezed. “I know. But be careful.”
“I am.” Nico’s phone began vibrating in his pocket. “I’ve gotmy place protected. No one’s getting in. Want me to see about getting your security enhanced?”
