Page 48 of The Devil and His Sparrow

Her chin nearly hit the floor. “What? You—You’re—Holy fucking shit! Are you serious? You’re joking. Oh my God. You’re dating Zagan?”

I quickly shook my head. “No. We’re not dating. We’re—” I sighed with a shrug of my shoulders. “It’s complicated. I’m not sure what we are.”

Her mouth was still a gaping hole, so I placed a finger under her chin and closed it. “Careful. You’ll catch a bug like that.”

“I can’t believe you’re fucking Zagan,” she breathed out in a string of words. “Like, you’re partners. He’s texting you.”

I grabbed my phone to read his text again. Last time I’d taken too long to respond, he popped in. Not wanting a repeat of that, I quickly typed out a reply.

I’m studying for midterms today.

“Studying my ass,” Nahla shouted. “You already know everything.”

I rolled my eyes. “I don’t know everything. So dramatic.”

“You know everything for these stupid exams,” she argued, gesturing to all my notes and books still littering the counter.

My phone buzzed again.

?: Bring it with you then. I need that pretty pussy on my cock. Maybe I can fuck you while you study.

Nahla choked on her coffee, completely oblivious to the brew now dripping down her chin and onto her sweater. “Oh, hell yes. You’re going.”

“Nahla—”

She snatched my phone and typed out a reply for me, letting him know I was going to get ready and be there soon. She beamed at me as she handed me my phone back. “You’re going. So get out of those pajamas, and get your ass in gear. I’ll be waiting to hear all the dirty details later.”

Chapter 15

Iyla

AN HOUR LATER, I WAS knocking on Zagan’s front door in a school-themed sweatshirt and shorts with my backpack slung over my shoulders. Nahla’s persistence and constant supervision remained right up until I got into my car. She’d been grinning from ear to ear as she watched me leave, and I was fairly sure she was more excited about this hang-out than I was.

Looked like my study buddy for the day was a demon. Yay. I briefly wondered if he was even any good at this stuff.

The door swung open, and a damp-haired Zagan stood there in nothing but black sweatpants, which meant his many tattoos and pierced nipples were on beautiful display for me. His human-looking blue eyes spotted my backpack, and he sighed. “You really did bring your stuff to study.”

I gave him an incredulous look as I breezed past him. “Obviously. I told you. I have to study for midterms.”

“Right,” Zagan said, drawing the word out. “Where do you study best? The couch?” He gestured to the lush, black furnishing. “Or the bed?” His lips tipped up with the last word.

I knew which one he’d prefer, but too bad for him, that wasn’t happening right now.

“The couch is good,” I answered. I sank onto the L-shaped couch and dropped my bag by my feet.

Zagan watched me with an annoyed purse to his lips as I unloaded my books, notes, pencil bag, and laptop onto his coffee table. I didn’t say another word as I heaved my Government textbook onto my lap and leaned back against the cushions.

“Remind me what you’re studying to become,” Zagan suddenly requested as he stood over me.

I glanced up at him before refocusing on the book. “An attorney.”

He made some sound of acknowledgement. “What made you want to be an attorney?”

“It’s a good career,” I answered, even as the disdain for the words burned my tongue. They were what I’d been fed by my mother. A good career. That was all I needed.

“Really?” he asked disbelievingly. He grabbed my legs, and I gasped in surprise. He held them up as he sat next to me then draped them over his lap, staring at me over my textbook. “What do you love about it?”

My brow furrowed. “What I love … about becoming an attorney?”

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