Page 26 of Demon Apathy: Sunderverse

“I’m off the market,” Drevan added, his gaze quickly flicking in my direction and back.

Roderick’s baby-blue eyes focused on me, and there was such hatred in his gaze that I felt myself falter. He scanned me, his upper lip curling as he took in my hoodie and filthy jeans.

“You mean you and her—?” Roderick began, but Drevan cut him off.

“Ah, ah! Don’t say something you’ll regret.” The words were sharp with a threat.

Roderick shrunk into himself, looking properly chastised. Shaking himself and stretching to his full height, the guy put on a pleasant smile, whirled on his heel, and said, “Follow me. I have the perfect table for you.”

We followed him, snaking through many tables to get to the other side of the room where a view of the East River welcomed us. The gray water sparkled with morning sunshine, and the Brooklyn Bridge stretched toward Manhattan’s high-rises in the distance. The view was simply breathtaking. Talk about location, location, location.

I’m off the market.Drevan’s words echoed inside my head as I wondered why he looked in my direction when he said that. Could that mean—?

Don’t be stupid, Lucia.The voice of reason cut through that train of thought.Of course, it doesn’t mean what you want it to mean. He’s just being Drevan, a demon who plays games and tricks for a living.

Yes, his body and mine shared undeniable chemistry, but that was all.

I’d been so lost in my own thoughts that I hadn’t noticed several people giving Drevan and me ugly double-takes just like Roderick had. Though, to be honest, the ugly part was reserved for me. He mostly got ogled by women and men alike.Great!

We sat at a small table for two while Roderick promptly walked away, leaving two menus with us. Drevan ignored his.

“I’m having the eggs Benedict. They’re excellent. You should too,” he said.

I had no idea what eggs Benedict were and had no intention of finding out. Pancakes were more my style. I quickly spotted them on the menu and found my stomach rumbling at the thought of syrup, butter, and whipped cream melting off of them.

Soon, I had a nice cup of hot coffee in my hands. It smelled delicious and tasted even better. Drevan was lounging on the chair, one leg crossed over the other. He smiled at a young woman sitting across from us. She was dressed in a pair of flowing linen pants and a delicate white blouse. Her perfectly highlighted blond hair was arranged in a fancy braid that looked as if someone had spent hours arranging. It didn’t look like anything she could’ve done on her own. She probably had a hairstylist at her beck and call every morning. Imagine that.

She was beautiful and seemed slightly familiar. Though, for the life of me, I couldn’t tell from where. I knew I’d never seen her at the league. Maybe I’d seen her in a magazine? A billboard? An ad on the subway?

To my surprise, she ignored Drevan’s attention and seemed preoccupied with her phone. An empty seat sat across from her, and from the way she was impatiently tapping her foot, it was clear she was waiting for someone.

“You’re wasting your charms on her,” I said.

“Jealous, are we?”

“Pshaw!”

I sipped my coffee and stared at the river, feigning deep interest in a ferry passing by.

“Where are you?” The blonde asked into her phone, her tone annoyed. “Solar, please, I don’t have time for your games.” A pause. “I’m only waiting five more minutes then I’m gone.”

Solar?Was that someone’s actual name? Who in their right mind would call their kid Solar? I almost burst out laughing.

“Did you see Jenna?” Drevan asked, the sunlight filtering through the windows shining in his eyes, lighting embers of fire in their depths.

“I did.”

“Did she try to convince you to stay?”

“Yes.”

“How about Grant?”

“He tried too.”

“But like I said. You’re stubborn.”

“I guess I am.”