Page 119 of The Prince of Demons

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I didn’t botherto keep up with demon news. The last thing I wanted was to help him when he could figure it out all alone.

Presents kept appearing on my windowsill. I assumed that was Gaksi’s way of comforting my post—whatever this was.

A mother-of-pearl jewelry box lay there today. It had deep navy hues underneath pearl birds and flowers. It must have cost a fortune. Gaksi surely stole it.

A note rested inside.

We should talk.

“Gaksi?”I reached out tentatively with my mind.

“Yeah, I’ll fetch him,”Gaksi said. Fetchhim?

Him? Reaper?

My morning gifts hadn’t been from Gaksi?

I was going to throw up.

A moment later, Reaper leaned against the doorframe, looking elated. Joyful, even. Like I’d made his whole day by calling him.

Two-faced bastard.

I observed the relaxed stance, the handsome grin from ear to ear, and cursed. “Why are you here?” I put enough venom into my voice that he seemed shocked.

“Avoiding me is making you moody, is it?”

I shoved the box out at him. “Explain yourself.”

His shoulders sagged slightly as he glanced between the box and me. “You dislike it.”

“No, it’s beautiful,” I said. “But why?”

“Why not? You used or ate all my other trinkets.”

That confirmed it. He’d sourced them all himself.

“Do you buy your other lovers gifts?”

Reaper dropped his arm from the door. “What nonsense is that?”

“Did you buy me gifts concurrently or in spite of bedding Aubrey?”

Reaper moved forward in practiced, elegant waves. “Is that why I haven’t seen or heard from you in weeks? Because you think I’m interested in your friend?”

“I don’t think. I know. I have it on good authority. Even the oracle knows, Reaper!”

He arrived at my side, just a hair’s breadth away from me, and took me in with a piercing gaze. “Threatened, seraphim?”

“What’s there to be threatened of?” I asked icily. “You’ve been just as I expected. Toying with your food until something exciting and new comes along.”

Reaper bared his teeth like an animal. “Do you think I enjoyed Aubrey’s company? That I wasn’t repulsed by her ministrations? That I wasn’t just biding my time with her to see if I could get a reaction out of you?”

“The oracle seems to think so.”

His hiss was low—dangerous. “I do not care for her. And I did not bed her either. She might have thought we were something—I regretfully admit I should not have led her on—but I assumed you knew of my commitment to you first.”

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