Page 17 of Jezebel’s Liberation (Hellfire Hackers #1)

“ S hit.”

My eyes spring open at the whispered curse that comes immediately after an elbow to my gut.

What the fuck?

I try to curl in on myself, but my knees meet resistance because Demon is thrashing around in his sleep. I scoot away to dodge his flailing limbs and look past him at Jez, who’s staring at me with wide eyes.

“That looked like it hurt,” she whispers.

I smirk. “Ya think. Man’s built like a brick shithouse.”

“I’m sorry. Please don’t cry. I’m sorry,” Demon cries, caught in whatever nightmare he’s stuck in.

“We should wake him up,” Jez says, sliding her hand to his chest in what I assume is an attempt to soothe him.

Demon’s body settles, but only a little, so I settle my hand next to hers. He might be able to fight whatever he feels for me when he’s awake, but in slumber, he can’t resist.

“That’s it,” Jez coos as he relaxes, and his eyes blink open. “It’s just a nightmare. You’re safe.”

Demon rolls his head to look at her, but he stiffens when I rub my thumb back and forth across his pecs and darts his gaze to me. I remove my touch and sit up.

“You were having a nightmare,” I tell him unnecessarily. “Wanna talk about it?”

“Not even a little bit,” he snaps, his voice hoarse.

Jez rolls over and stands to walk around to my side of the bed. Demon’s eyes track her every movement, and a scowl appears on his face.

“Well, too damn bad,” she retorts. “Something has got you all twisted up, and you need to talk about it. So, the three of us are gonna go downstairs and dive into the bottle of Jack Daniels I’ve got in my cupboard, and you’re gonna fucking talk.”

With that, she spins on her heel and walks out of the room, not bothering to check if we’re following.

I slip off the mattress and glance at him over my shoulder. “You heard her,” I bite out. “Let’s go.”

Jez and I are on our second shots by the time Demon joins us in the living room.

“I hate you both,” he mutters, flopping down in the chair across from the couch.

“No, you don’t,” I say, confident that his feelings are the exact opposite of hate.

Jez pours each of us a tumbler of liquid, and Demon downs his in one gulp before holding his glass out for more. After she fills it, he leans back and stares past us at the wall.

“That fire didn’t take out all the right people,” he says, his tone hollow, his gaze vacant.

Confused, I look at Jez, and her lips are parted on a silent gasp. “What fire?” I ask.

“No,” Jez says, shaking her head. “No, we took out Father Brine and Deacon Block. We got them both.”

“Yeah, you got them ,” Demon mutters. “But you missed Stewart Crane.”

“Uh, can someone enlighten me, please?” I interject. “I mean, I know Stewart Crane was one of Ted’s known associates, but how do you know him, Demon? And, I repeat, what fire?”

Demon doesn’t reply, so Jez looks at me and wrings her hands in her lap. It breaks my heart to see her so distraught.

She takes a deep breath and blurts, “Father Brine and Deacon Block were the men who…” Her voice trails off, and she glances at Demon, who jerks a nod. “They molested Malice. My brother and Grim found out, and the three of them set the church on fire with the two men trapped inside.”

“Fuck, wasn’t expecting that,” I mutter. “But that still doesn’t explain how Demon knows Stewart.” Jez’s eyes widen in shock. “What?”

“I was expecting you to run outta here after hearing that,” she admits.

“After the things we’ve done to people?” I arch a brow. “C’mon, what’s a little arson and murder among friends?”

My question does what I intend, and they both huff out short laughs. Then Demon’s vacant stare is back.

Over the next hour and a half, I listen as Demon shares horrific details of sexual abuse, among other things, and by the time he’s done, Jez is in tears, and I’m doing everything I can to suppress the rage burning through my veins.

“So, yeah, Stewart might not have been on anyone’s radar, but he was evil all the same,” Demon finishes, his voice cold.

“Why…” Jez swallows, trying to gain some composure. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

Demon flinches. “What was I supposed to say? I never wanted you to know any of it.”

“And then I went and got overpowered by McCormick,” Jez mumbles.

That seems to be all it takes for Demon to snap out of the memories. He jumps to his feet, rounds the coffee table, and lifts Jez to reposition her on his lap.

“None of this is your fault, babe,” he tells her.

“But you wouldn’t hav?—”

“Stop,” I order, scooting down the sofa to sit closer to them. “He told you it wasn’t your fault, and he meant it.”

After a beat of silence, Demon smirks. “You didn’t correct me,” he says to her.

She lifts her head and looks at him. “About what?”

“I called you ‘babe’.”

“He did,” I confirm.

“Seriously?” she snaps, a little of her sass returning. “After everything you just told us, that’s what you’re focusing on?”

Demon’s smirk falls. “Yeah, Jez, it is. Because if I focus too much on the rest, I’ll lose my goddamn mind.”

She whips her gaze to me. “And you? You’re just gonna let this all go?”

I shrug. “What else am I supposed to do? I’m here to help Demon with any of his, well, demons, but I’m following his lead on this.”

“I thought you were here for her,” Demon comments.

“I am, but…” I shrug again. “I don’t know. It just seems like you could use a friend, too.”

Demon swallows, and I follow the bob of his Adam’s apple. My cock throbs at the sight, and a feral groan escapes my throat.

Jez lifts her brows. “Uh, what was that?”

“What was what?” I ask.

“The sound you made tells me you’re more interested in friends with benefits with Demon than just friends.”

“And if I do?” I counter, desperate to see his reaction to this conversation.

She grins. “I’m here for it.”

Demon levels his gaze on her. “You’re mine.”

“Even if I was okay with that possessiveness,” she begins. “Why can’t you be his, too?”

“Jesus,” I mutter, adjusting myself.

Demon’s eyes dart to me. “Is… What the fuck is happening right now?”

“Do you need me to spell it out for you?” I ask.

“Clearly.”

“I’m bi, dude,” I tell him. “I came here for Jez, and you were a very pleasant surprise.”

“I’m not gay,” he snaps.

Jez and I exchange a look, and she sighs before focusing on him. “You know there’s nothing wrong with being attracted to men, right?”

Demon shakes his head frantically. “But I’m not?—”

“Gay,” I deadpan. “So you said. And I’ll let you stick to that for now, but let me ask you this… You say Jez is yours, and I say she’s mine, so what’s to stop us from sharing her?”

“Uh, you do realize I’m right here,” Jez gripes, crossing her arms over her chest.

“Share her?” Demon says, ignoring Jez. “How would that work?”

“I dunno, exactly,” I admit. “Never been in a poly relationship. But we could figure it out as we go. And if you really aren’t into me, then I’ll respect that. No swords have to cross if that’s what you want.”

“Dammit, guys!” Jez barks. “I’m right fucking here.”

“I’m not a man who likes to share,” Demon growls.

“Well, you better get used to it because I’m not going anywhere.”

Jez throws her hands up and jumps off Demon’s lap. “You two are fucking ridiculous. You’re acting like I don’t get a say in this.”

Demon smirks at her. “Like you’d be all that disappointed with two cocks. You’re forgetting that I’ve known you since we were kids.”

She pouts, and it’s adorable. “Well, yeah, it wouldn’t be bad, but you’re one of my best friends, Demon.” She shifts her eyes to me. “And I’m your boss. There can’t be anything between us.”

“Why?” Demon demands.

Jez rolls her eyes. “I mean, what if it all goes wrong? I can’t lose you because we let our hormones get the best of us.”

“And me?” I ask.

“I’m. Your. Boss.”

“Then I quit.”

“You what?”

“I quit.”

“But you… No, I… That’s not…”

I arch a brow. “Use your words, Jez.”

Her lips curls just before she whirls around to head upstairs. “I’m going back to bed.”

“Right behind you,” Demon and I say simultaneously.

A string of muttered curses floats on the air to us, and all I can do is laugh. Jez wants to explore this… whatever this is. The way her nostrils flared and pupils dilated when Demon mentioned two cocks told me that.

And Demon? He’s so twisted up in what happened to him that he’s afraid to admit what he wants. His heated stares tell me that. All I have to do is be patient and not allow either of them to run away from what’s right in front of them: me.

Demon reaches the bedroom before me, and I stand in the doorway to watch him climb in bed behind Jez.

I expect her to pitch a fit, but she doesn’t.

Maybe it’s because she’s giving in to the temptation, or maybe it’s because she knows he still needs comfort after sharing what happened to him. Doesn’t matter.

Once they’re comfortable, I stride across the room and around the foot of the bed to crawl in on her other side. She doesn’t say a word, and neither does Demon, but she does slide her hand forward to rest on my chest while he has his arm wrapped around her waist.

Scooting closer, I settle my arm right next to Demon’s, and heat floods my system when he doesn’t pull away.

Yep… I just have to be patient.