Page 24 of Premonition of Peace

“Because I don’t think the people at my food bank would take kindly to seeing the devil back to life.”

“So glamour me?”

“Not this time. Maybe later. Trust me, word has already traveled that you’re back.”

Lucifer raised an eyebrow in challenge. “You wouldn’t happen to be avoiding me, would you, little witch?”

“I’m not avoiding you. I came to lunch, didn’t I?”

“Which was cut short. We didn’t even finish our food thanks to the imposter, then I got shot. You’re still hungry and I never got my time with you.”

“We can have lunch again, no distractions.”

“Stay,” he hummed. “Just for a little while. You need to eat. Can’t have you losing even an inch of that delectable ass.”

“Lucifer!” I choked, smacking his side.

“What? I’m just being honest.”

I sighed as we stepped into the elevator. “I can’t with you sometimes.”

“Oh, but you can, don’t think I missed what you were about to tell me before Not-Sasha interfered. You’re not fooling anyone.”

“See?”Bad Nat said.

Before I could say anything, he leaned over and kissed me thoroughly. His soft lips pressed against mine with a heat that left me breathless. Despite all, he was right.

I’d fallen for the devil.

And there was no going back for either of us.

eight

LUCIFER

It was late.Past midnight.

After lunch, Nathalie disappeared to flit around the city tending to her business. Despite the massive problems going on in her personal life, the woman was determined to keep up her presence in New Chicago. It was funny, when I ruled New Chicago, I didn’t do half what Nathalie managed for the people here.

Granted, I didn’t care quite as much.

But still, my power over New Chicago had done something I hadn’t realized I would miss—fill my time. I was working hard to respect this inane need for “space” from my little witch. What I hadn’t expected was to actually experience true boredom for the first time in my nine thousand years. While Nathalie spent the day fulfilling her purpose, I moved around this apartment coming to the realization that having a person who didn’t want to be around me all the time meant that I had nothing to do apart from them.

That was a problem I didn’t even know how to solve.

I was serious when I said I was not going to return for my throne. Not only did I not want to face a demon conduit as powerful as Piper, but I genuinely had no desire. Ruling didn’t fulfill me. It’s part of why I’d grown complacent. Something greater was now leaching into my existence. Anhedonia.

Nathalie saved me from that.

But it appeared she could not save me from boredom. Not when she had a life of her own she was hellbent on living. So what the fuck was I supposed to do?

Nathalie’s teasing voice from weeks ago telling me to pick up a hobby came to mind, but I didn’t have the first idea of what I’d want to do.

Thinking about the things I enjoyed in life . . . there were very few. Fucking. Punishing. That was it.

The only person I was interested in fucking was my little witch. So that left punishing.

Maybe I could take to hunting down scum and making them pay for their crimes. It’s not like Piper could be everywhere. Surely she could use the help . . .

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