Page 19 of Demon Queen
“You said the kitchen,” I repeated, not looking at him, because he was terrifying, and I needed to not be terrified of our past or his demon reality while we negotiated this deal. Which was not dishes in the kitchen. That couch would be a fabulous place to lose your inhibitions or to nap. Also to have a mental breakdown. Nothing dishes related.
“This is as close as we get to a kitchen. We do drinks and easy snacks that come packaged, but there is no conventional kitchen.”
I looked at that cheese wheel with those fancy crackers with the seeds in them. “Why did you say I would do dishes until three?”
“You could wash glasses. There is a sink, but it’s behind the bar.”
“So, you lied.” That time, I looked up, giving him my serious business face. Hard to do to a demon who oozed, ‘I might crush your skull or accidentally rip out your spine,’ but I did my best. “I’m here. I’m obviously in your power. I stole money from you, and you aren’t a human with a sense of compassion. Not that a human would have felt much compassion towards someone who stole that much from him. Just tell me. What are your plans for me? If you didn’t plan to follow through on the payment, I wish you’d told me before I bothered getting papers in order.”
He blinked at me and then threw himself on the couch. It was incredibly sturdy because it didn’t so much as rock. His tail, that massive sinewy thing grabbed a bottle of water from a fancy cooler and brought it to his hands.
“You want me to be honest with you?”
“If it’s possible for a demon to be honest. Demons aren’t supposed to be big on virtues.”
He flashed me a smile. “No, we’re not. Sit down and eat, and I’ll be honest until you show signs of fainting.”
“Why do you want me to eat? Did you drug everything.”
He laughed, low and rich, a sound that reminded me of how well he gave foot rubs. “No, Cherry Candy, I didn’t drug anything. I don’t need to. As you already admitted, you are entirely in my power. I want you to eat so you’re less likely to faint. Please, sit.” He gestured to the couch beside him.
Finally, I did, but because of the curve, our knees touched.
I winced from my stupid chair injury. He frowned and shifted so his knees to the side, not touching me. I should be bruised all over so he’d keep his distance.
“I’m sorry. You must have really hurt yourself,” he said, studying my leg where it was hidden beneath my sensible jeans. They weren’t the cute kind, but the sort I wore to work on the next candy display. I was here to do dishes, not play CEO of demonland.
“It’s nothing. Did you want to see the paperwork? You can look things over while I snack.”
He nodded gravely. “Excellent. I wouldn’t want to waste your efforts.”
I rolled my eyes and opened my bag while he filled a black plate with gorgeous gold marbling around the edges. It reminded me of his skin, not that the magma streaks were visible now. He was wearing a shirt. Good thing because I didn’t need to be distracted by his ridiculous muscles.
“Trade me,” he said, taking my papers and leaving me with the gorgeous plate. “Please, eat.” He stared at me until I ate a bite of cheese, then he nodded slightly and focused on my papers instead.
For a second the lump of cheese stuck in my throat, but when I washed it down with a sip of water, I was okay. The next bite of cheese was absolutely perfect, particularly when I bit herb bread that had the precisely perfect amount of chewy. The fire crackled and I slowly sank back into the downy delicious couch until I was curled up around my plate feeling more content than I had in years, in spite of everything.
I looked over at Dorian, expecting to see the man I loved, but he was a demon with spikes coming out of his hair, his eyes dark gold flecked with flames, and he was staring at me instead of the papers. He looked so…hungry.
I shook my head and put the plate down. I’d eaten enough. “So, what do you want me to do to pay you back if you don’t want me to do dishes? I’m not a stripper anymore.”
“I’m not interested in your money,” he said, putting the papers on the table and leaning towards me with a burning gaze that had me wanting to run or pass out. This is the part where he expected me to be terrified enough to faint again. I wouldn’t give him the satisfaction.
I swallowed hard and straightened my spine. “It’s your money,” I stated, raising my chin.
He raised a dark brow over intent eyes. “Do you think so? I think that I set you up to take that money so that you could escape before it was too late. I left you an even million. I’ve often wondered why you didn’t take all of it.”
I blinked at him while my heart pounded and my stomach twisted. “What do you mean, you set me up?” I leaned forward, anger giving me courage to get in his face, fangs or not.
He cocked his head with a slight smile. “I left the combination of the safe taped to it. That was an invitation, but for months it wasn’t enough. You didn’t leave until you also felt betrayed.”
His words didn’t make any sense. “What do you mean, I had to feel betrayed? You mean that you intentionally hurt me so that I’d leave? You set me up to be a thief? Is it the demon thing? Do you need to corrupt the goodness out of people and break their hearts? Why would you do that? Why couldn’t you just break up with me like a normal person?” I threw out my arms like I was trying to fly away.
He snapped his wings and I jumped, looking up at those massive spread of deadly, deepest red above his head. “I’m not a normal person. Unfortunately, last night you chose to come publicly into my world and announce our connection.”
I blinked at him. “Unfortunately? Why unfortunately? You don’t have to give me more money so that you never have to see me again. I’ll just go.” I stood up. I’d never wanted to see Dorian in the first place. I started stuffing my things into my bag with shaky fingers. Seriously, what was wrong with demons? You didn’t pay people money to go away unless you had no other options. Did he think I was so obsessed with him that I’d keep stalking him forever if he didn’t completely annihilate my heart?
“You can’t go,” he said, tail moving to curl around my waist, tugging me back.
