Page 15 of Demon’s Desire (Lovers of the Damned #3)

ONYX

Onyx tossed his 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 with a 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 the Eternal Realm, let himself fall, tumbling through the air until he almost hit the ground.

Onyx hadn’t thought about that kind of reckless flying in centuries, let alone done it.

He climbed into the sky, higher and higher until a chill shocked his overheated skin, and his lungs strained against the thin air. Then he plunged, wings folded in tight to his back.

Onyx hurtled toward Earth. Everything twisted inside him, the hollowness growing until he gave in and screamed. The sound tore from his throat and was whipped away on the wind, taking none of his anger with it.

Onyx spread his wings and pulled up, shooting back into the sky and narrowly missing a building. He slowed and flew aimlessly until he ended up near the river, following it all the way to the Banks.

He cut inland and landed on top of Nico’s apartment building.

Why was he here?

Nico would think Onyx was clingy if he showed up unannounced, but Onyx didn’t care. He hadn’t been this settled since he’d looked into Luc’s eyes.

The adrenaline rush from his flight must have leveled him out. It wasn’t Nico.

That didn’t explain why he put his wings away, pulled on his shirt, shed his invisibility illusion, and climbed down the fire escape.

Inside his apartment, Nico stood at the counter in his little kitchen, his back to the room.

Onyx crouched outside the window and inspected Nico’s broad shoulders and firm ass. It wasn’t fair how attractive the man was. Onyx could look at him all night. It didn’t seem like a bad way to spend his time, which was absurd. He usually had better things to do.

Except tonight, it seemed he didn’t have anywhere else he wanted to be. Was he going to knock on the glass like a stalker or lurk like a stalker?

He was saved from deciding when Nico turned around and spotted him. He froze, dark eyes going wide. After a moment, he shook his head.

Nico walked to the window and opened it. “What the hell are you doing?”

“Checking for cats.” Onyx did his best to look indignant while crouched in an undignified position. He tossed his hair. “Didn’t spot any, so you should be safe for now.”

“It’s a good thing you came by. However would I have relaxed not knowing?”

“Shut up and move.” Onyx shooed Nico out of the way so he could climb through the window. He stood straight and readjusted his shirt, another designer piece with a V-neck. “What are you making?”

Nico closed the window. “Nothing. I’m reheating some pozole.”

There was an awkward silence.

Maybe Onyx should have let himself smash into that building. Then, he’d be dead to the world, waiting for his body to heal, instead of here feeling like his cheeks might actually burst into flames.

“Well, don’t let me keep you from dinner,” he snapped.

Nico opened his mouth, apparently reconsidered, and closed it. He returned to the kitchen and retrieved a bowl from the microwave. Maybe he’d be polite and pretend that Onyx showing up like this wasn’t weird.

“Would you like some?”

Onyx shifted his weight. “No, thank you.”

Nico snorted a sharp laugh, and Onyx’s embarrassment intensified. He shouldn’t have come, but standing in the apartment was so much better than being anywhere else. Just looking at Nico soothed the tangled mess in Onyx’s chest.

He watched as Nico ate his dinner, then washed and put away the bowl and spoon.

Nico leaned against the counter. “So, what brings you here, besides cats?”

Fuck, what could he say? Best not to make it about him at all. “I figured you had nothing better to do.”

“Oh?” Nico smirked, not even pretending to believe him, damn it. “You sure you didn’t miss me?”

Onyx shot forward at an inhuman speed, halting a couple of feet from Nico. The witch didn’t even flinch. “I didn’t miss you.”

“I think you did. I think you’ve been daydreaming about me since you left,” Nico taunted.

Onyx blushed. Why wasn’t there a spell to prevent the stupid bodily reaction? “I have not. I don’t even like you. If anything, I was thinking about how annoying you are.”

Nico bit his lip. “So you came over to tell me you don’t like me and that I’m annoying?”

“Yes.” That sounded like something Onyx would do.

Nico nodded, the motion clearly mocking. “I see. And all the times you told me to leave you alone and go away, you meant that too?”

“Yes.” He was making fun of him, and Onyx shouldn’t care, but the scene on the bridge filled his mind—demanding Luc go away—and Onyx’s eyes burned. He snarled, “I want everyone to stop bothering me.”

Nico took a step closer, his brow furrowing in something like concern. “I don’t think that’s true. Come on, you didn’t show up at my window to remind me how annoying I am.”

Words stuck in Onyx’s throat.

Nico went on. “I think you want me to bother you, and that’s okay. You can tell me why you’re really here. I’ll listen.”

He’d listen? No, he fucking wouldn’t.

All the tension inside Onyx pulled to a point, and he snapped like a thousand-year-old string, longing and hot fire exploding inside him so powerfully he couldn’t take it.

“Yeah, well, you listen to everyone’s problems. Pretending to care is so pathetic.

So desperate. Your good-guy act makes me want to hurl. ”

Nico stepped closer. “It’s not an act.”

But it was. Onyx hated lies like this. Fake concern was worse than dismissal.

“Yes, it is. Just stop. Leave me alone. It’s stupid how much you pretend to care. Everything about you is stupid.” Onyx heaved, breath rushing in and out.