Page 19 of Demon's Desire

Was he trying to say they didn’t need Onyx? But they’d made such a big deal out of it. “Yeah, well, my assessment should be less biased than Nico’s.” He turned to go. “If you spot Luc, don’t forget to tell me.”

They’d need him to help open the prison for Luc, so it wasn’t likely they’d forget, but honestly, if it weren’t for that, they probably would.

Onyx left before they could dismiss him.

6

NICO

Was invitingOnyx to poker night a mistake? Probably. It was too late to do anything about it now.

Nico wished he could say he didn’t know why he’d done it, but that wasn’t true. Onyx had pushed him away and then gotten mad when he’d left him alone. Onyx clearly wanted to be involved despite all his proclamations to the contrary.

Was it a test or something deeper? Nico needed to figure it out. Onyx had been on his mind all week. If Nico didn’t know better, he’d almost believe his incessant thoughts had summoned Onyx to his apothecary shop.

Nico arrived at Rowan’s club and found Onyx sitting at the foot of the center stage, sliding money into a dancer’s thong. The demon looked downright gleeful, smiling smugly, eyes bright. Another dancer, wearing a tiny blue outfit that matched Onyx’s dyed locks almost perfectly, sat on the arm of his chair, playing with his hair.

Onyx seemed to bask in the attention.

Nico strode over, hands in his pockets. “Enjoying yourself?”

Onyx spared him a darting glance before refocusing on the woman on the stage. “Is it a crime?”

“Certainly not.” Nico grinned.

It was early in the evening, and the club wasn’t busy. The dancer performing ignored the few other men hanging around in favor of Onyx. He threw money at the stage, and Nico caught sight of more than one twenty-dollar bill.

A woman with bright pink hair approached. “Are you two together? Pull up a chair, handsome.” She batted thick lashes at Nico.

“We aren’t together.” Onyx slipped more money into the performer’s thong. “At least not like that. I don’t even know if he’s gay.”

She probably hadn’t meant it like that, but okay.

“Either way, want a dance?” the pink-haired woman asked Nico.

“I’m actually here to drag my friend away.”

She pouted, and Onyx beckoned her closer. She leaned forward, and he slipped money into her top. Beaming, she blew him a kiss.

“You’re here to see Rowan, aren’t you?” asked the woman in blue, eyes sweeping over Nico. “Thought you looked familiar.”

“Yeah. You’ve probably seen me around.”

Not everyone who worked in the strip club knew about the magic world, and a quick, silent spell looking for any signs of magic showed both women were human.

“I’ll be back another time,” Onyx promised them. “Especially since no one I’m here to see holds a candle to any of you gorgeous girls.”

The women giggled.

Onyx stood and brushed back his hair. “Lead the way.”

Nico showed Onyx to the stairs. “Was that you asking if I’m gay?” He hadn’t known how Onyx identified, and couldn’t help the spark that had ignited at the confirmation that Onyx wasn’tstraight.

Onyx’s eyes went wide. “No, I wasn’t asking or making any assumptions. I only mentioned it when I arrived so the girls knew they could give me as much attention as they liked without worrying I’d get inappropriate.”

“I think tipping with twenties was getting you more attention than anything else.”

“That too.” Onyx didn’t sound bothered.