Page 36 of Demon's Desire
ONYX
Onyx tossedhis phone onto his desk. Why was he obsessing over Nico? He was the last person Onyx needed right now.
He had to call his brothers and tell them Luc had snuck up on him, but couldn’t bring himself to do it. What good would it do? Luc was gone, and he didn’t want to argue with Ash and Dante. Not today.
Onyx paced the office. His tattooed wings itched, his skin crawling. All he wanted was to fly, the spacious room suddenly feeling as confining as a locked cell. Onyx flexed his fingers, cracking his knuckles. Everything in him pulled tight like he was about to snap.
What was Lucifer trying to do, coming to him like he needed help? How dare he, after everything. Onyx owed him less than nothing, yet a sliver of guilt persisted. What if this time, Luc was being genuine?
No. Onyx was a fool. No wonder Luc had spent eternity hurting him. Onyx made it too easy.
He wrenched his office door open and marched down the hall, forcing himself to calm his movements by the time he reached the upstairs gallery space. He had an appointment witha buyer in twenty minutes and needed to get out of his funk. The artist deserved this sale. Onyx needed his head in the game.
“We’ve had a request for a last-minute appointment this evening,” Scott said as Onyx came downstairs, his familiar voice as refreshing as a cool breeze on Onyx’s overheated skin.
“Oh?”
Scott turned away from the computer. “They can be here by five, so I said yes. Apparently, the lead from that action movie everyone is talking about is moving to the city, and her decorator just found out that the penthouse needs to be photo-shoot ready in two weeks.”
Onyx paused in front of the desk. “I have no idea what movie you’re talking about, but that sounds perfect for us.”
Scott stroked his chin, swiveling in his chair. “Mmhmm. Bet I can sell at least three pieces. They want a cohesive theme for all the art in the house. All I need to figure out is which artist they want to go with, and they might take a whole series.”
Onyx turned toward a row of paintings along the back wall. “Cam does sculpture and oil on canvas. If the designer likes their work, they would be perfect. Unless the designer is only trying to fill the walls?”
“No, I was thinking Cam. Though I’m always thinking about their work.” Scott paused, looking more closely at Onyx. “Are you all right?”
Onyx resisted running his hand through his hair. He’d mess it up. “Didn’t sleep well. Is it that obvious?”
Scott cocked his head. “Not overly. You look impeccable as always, but I can feel the tension pouring off you.”
“There goes my attempt to claim it was a fun kind of not sleeping,” Onyx joked.
“I wouldn’t have bought it. It’s almost creepy how well I can spot when you’ve gotten laid.”
Onyx laughed, and Scott smiled. “Don’t remind me how long it’s been.”
“Wouldn’t dream of it.” Scott turned back to the computer, nose ever so slightly elevated. “I’m glad the recently-laid sense between us only works one way.”
Onyx had to agree. “I prefer to keep a little mystery in our friendship, even if I’m not the mysterious one.”
Even with his mood lifted, the day dragged. Onyx wasn’t exactly worried. Luc wouldn’t burst into the gallery. He’d sought Onyx out in the middle of the night on a deserted bridge for a reason, but that was hardly comforting.
If Onyx could figure out his brother’s new angle, he could stay ahead of whatever new hurt the Devil had in store for him.
The interior designer ended up buying four of Cam’s pieces, three paintings and a sculpture. She also hinted heavily that her client would love to come to Cam’s next showing at Gallery Four.
It was a ridiculously successful day. Onyx should have been over the moon. He hated Luc for ruining it. Hated that his brother could affect him, even after so long. But most of all, Onyx hated that a silly, desperate part of him wanted to heal things with Luc, and still craved his brother’s love.
The hollow feeling in his chest opened unbearably wide.
He needed an escape. To not think.
After wishing a very pleased Scott good night, Onyx closed the gallery. Walking through the city wouldn’t help tonight, so he went to the roof and freed his wings.
The relief was only momentary, chased away by an oppressive sense of obligation. He had to see Dante, but couldn’t stomach the inevitable argument with his brothers any more now than he could that morning.
Onyx launched into the air, wings singing as he caught an updraft. He longed to jump from the tallest cliff in theEternal Realm, let himself fall, tumbling through the air until he almost hit the ground.
