Page 36

Breezing through the doors of Infernal later that evening, Naomi glanced around. Wow.

She’d heard plenty about the gambling den, but she’d never actually been inside before. The rumors were evidently true—it was stylish and striking and inviting.

It also wasn’t lacking in patrons. But then neither were any other gambling venues available for demons. Her kind became addicted to the rushes.

She knew where to find Luka—he’d given her clear directions to the VIP area when they’d telepathically chatted earlier today. Heading that way, she slowly wound through the various machines and tables.

Originally, they’d planned for her to go to his place. But, as it sometimes went, he’d gotten called away. Rather than them reschedule, he’d asked her to instead come to him. She’d agreed.

He’d make it worth her while for sure.

As Naomi approached the manned set of steps that led to the VIP area, she gave the demon there her name and informed him that Luka was waiting for her. He confirmed it with someone through his earpiece and then unclipped the rope, allowing her to pass.

She’d no sooner reached the top step than she came face to face with Ella.

The redhead cast her a bright smile. “Oh, hi. Luka said you were coming. How’re things with you?”

“Great. You?”

“Never better.” Her brows slid together as her gaze dipped down to Naomi’s neck. “What happened?”

“Hmm?”

“Some of your concealer is smudged, and I can make out a small bruise. Did someone hurt you?” Outrage flared in the incantor’s eyes. “Luka’s gonna freak. ”

Unlikely. “Luka has already seen it. Belial put it there, along with several other fingerprint brands that look like bruises.”

Amusement chased away the ire in Ella’s gaze. “Oh, I see. Belial’s kind of a law unto itself.”

“Yeah, I got that.” It branded Naomi often, and the marks were never pretty. Welts, bites, stuff like that.

Ella edged forward. “If I wasn’t in a rush, I’d ask you to give me the gossip on you and Luka.”

Naomi felt her brow crease in surprise. “He’s your anchor. Surely he talks to you.”

“He’s tight-lipped when it comes to a lot of things—you included, as it turns out. He won’t even confirm any guesses I make.”

“Sounds like he’s just dicking with you.”

“Hmm, maybe. Well, I have to go, or I’ll be late for the movie; the girls will be waiting for me.

I’d invite you to come along, but Luka would kill me if I managed to drag you away.

Hey, you should come to our girls’ night next Saturday at the Xpress bar.

Originally it was only supposed to be me and Piper.

Somehow, it became all her co-workers plus one of Knox’s sentinels, Larkin. ”

Naomi pursed her lips. “Should be an interesting evening. I’m up for it.”

Ella beamed at her. “Great! I’ll get Khloe to pass on specifics once we have them.”

Sensing the weight of someone’s attention, Naomi looked to the side and saw a glowering waitress standing at the bar. “Is she glaring at you or me?”

Ella sighed. “Both, I expect. She tried to befriend me, but only because she wants to get in Luka’s pants. He turned her down and told her to stay away from me. Also, he’s now in your pants. Draya doesn’t like any of that.” The redhead flipped a hand. “Just ignore her. She isn’t important.”

“Here you are,” said a gravelly, panty-dropping voice.

Naomi looked to see Luka almost on her. That easily, slivers of excitement rushed through her blood. Her system had quite simply come to associate him with mind-blowing pleasure. God, he had such sexual power over her body that it almost hurt.

Reaching her, he skimmed his fingertips up her bare arm and planted a soft kiss on her mouth. “You’re late.”

“Habit.”

“I’ve noticed,” he said, his hand clamping on her hip, heavy and blatantly possessive.

Guys had often touched her with possession—being a siren brought that trait out in them. But with Luka, it was more intense. Yet not creepy. Her demon had come to like it.

“Aw, you guys are cute,” said Ella.

He frowned at his anchor. “I thought you’d left.”

“I wanted to talk to Naomi a little first. I was just telling her how tight-lipped you are regarding her.” She pouted. “It’s not fair.”

He shot her a look of mild exasperation. “Go home to your daughter and what’s-his-name.”

The redhead sighed. “I really wish you’d stop pretending you don’t like Viper.”

“It’s no pretense, I assure you.”

“Right,” Ella drawled, all skepticism. “See ya later, Naomi. You both have a good night.” She jogged down the steps and headed for the exit.

Naomi turned her attention back to Luka, almost sucking in a breath as he pinned her with a look so scorching it gave her goosebumps.

He leaned in and inhaled deeply. “You smell good.”

“I try.”

“You look good, too.”

“Good enough to eat, if you catch my meaning?”

A slow, predatory smile curved his lips. “That’ll come later, when we’re alone in my office. For now, I need to be visible. There’s a big fight happening in the basement. Issues are far less likely to crop up if members know I’m around.”

“Issues like men so riled up from watching and betting on fights that they turn mean when they lose?”

“Something like that.” Luka placed a hand on her back and guided her to an L-shaped sofa. A waitress appeared and took their orders before melting away just as fast. “How did your day go?”

“Fine.”

“You have a tendency to overwhelm me with details,” he deadpanned.

“There’s nothing interesting to say, really. I woke. Ate breakfast.” Painted a while. “Did some grocery shopping. Had lunch. Chilled out some. Ate dinner. Picked my mom up from work. Shopped a little with Tobe. Went home. Showered. Dressed. Dragged my ass here.”

“Konstantin mentioned that your anchor got into an argument at your mom’s store.”

Freaking Chatty Cathy. “That was the guy who hired the PI. Your conversation with Daniel Phillips definitely did the trick, because he quit, so the client came straight to Tobe. It was no big scene, and he left pretty quickly. By the way, your anchor just invited me to go on a girls’ night out with her and a bunch of females that includes Khloe and Harper Wallis. ”

“When and where?”

Naomi loved how he asked that with only curiosity.

Her previous bed buddies and boyfriends hadn’t liked her going out with friends; had wanted to keep an eye on her every moment, filled with a jealousy-induced paranoia that she’d betray them if left unwatched.

They’d complained and made silly passive-aggressive comments.

Luka didn’t do any of that, and he was never upset if she had plans.

“The Xpress bar in the Underground next Saturday,” she replied.

“I’ll pick you up afterwards.”

“Will you?”

“It makes sense, don’t you think? You won’t have the other girls to catch a ride with. Their mates collect them for the same reason I want to collect you: you’ll be plastered, and I want to be sure you get home safely.”

“To my home or your home?”

“Either works for me.” Luka didn’t care so long as he got to ensure she was safe.

“Be warned that Ella may do her best to adopt you; make you her new best friend. You might find it an overwhelming experience.” His psi-mate was a very strong personality.

But then so was Naomi, though she possessed a quiet strength.

“So I won’t have to worry about anchor-based jealousy?”

“No, Ella is very happy with Viper.” Almost sickeningly happy, really.

“Was it hard for you when she took a mate?”

“In a sense. My issue was never that she committed to somebody—I wanted that for her. My issue was that she committed to Viper.”

“You have something against fallen angels?”

Luka paused. The question had sounded idle, but he felt like his answer was somehow important.

“No. I had something against my anchor being involved with someone who’s rumored to be a very dangerous fallen archangel.

And relationships between demons and fallen celestials aren’t always known to end well.

Things became slightly strained between us, but I came to realize that—in his way—he is good for her. ”

Her lips kicked up. “You say that so grudgingly.”

Luka only grunted.

“It’s pretty normal for demons to react weirdly to their anchors taking mates.”

“It is, yes. In my case, it wasn’t jealousy.

That isn’t an emotion I’m prone to feeling.

” Though, admittedly, Luka didn’t like that another male had a deep, strong connection to Naomi.

“You said that Tobe isn’t jealous of your involvement with me.

You two never slept together?” he asked, since it wasn’t uncommon with anchors.

Naomi hesitated. “Did you and Ella ever cross platonic lines?”

Luka felt himself squint at her evasiveness. “You didn’t answer my question.”

“I will if you’ll answer mine.”

“We did it only once. It was a long time ago. Your turn.”

Naomi’s hand flexed slightly around her glass. “Tobe and I slept together a couple of times, but that was years ago.”

As something very dark swirled low in Luka’s belly, Dagon rushed to the surface and complained, “The imp should not have touched you.”

Her eyes widened. “Why not?”

“Because I do not like it.”

“Luka slept with his psi-mate.”

“Irrelevant.”

Naomi felt a tired sigh ease out of her. Entities could sometimes operate on a whole other kind of logic. One that was often childlike in its entitlement.

“Did your demon touch him?” Dagon asked.

“No.”

It studied her closely for a few moments. “You are telling the truth. Good. Never lie to me. I will always know.”

She smirked. “No you won’t. And that bothers you.”

It grunted and then subsided, its black gaze quickly returning to Luka’s own dark eyes.

“Dagon is a pure grump, huh,” she muttered, amused.

Luka drank from his glass. “It feels chronically inconvenienced by life itself, so it’s often in an unpleasant mood.”