Page 42 of Loki

Val scanned the room and then looked at him again. Loki stood from his seat and followed Val. They’d barely gotten inside her apartment when she rounded on him.

“What’s wrong?” She crossed her arms over her chest.

Loki shut the door and took in her sparse apartment. Efficient and with no frills, it contained all the items Frigg usually furnished and nothing more. No knickknacks. No personal items. Nothing to signify anyone had even moved in.

“I found out who is looking to cash you and Elle into Surtr.” He walked to the small wooden table and sat.

“What’s the problem? Tell me who he is and where to find him, and I’ll end it.”

Loki unbuttoned his suit coat and crossed his legs. “That’s the problem. I can’t tell you.”

“Why not?”

“Because he is a client of mine, and there are laws I have to follow.”

“Human laws?”

“Yes, but still laws. I am expected to follow the same rules in the Underworld as I do here. My clients rely on my discretion. If I break that oath, I’ll lose my clients.”

She shrugged. “So what? You don’t need to work. I’m sure you have plenty of money. And I’m sure the humans pay better.”

“It’s not the money, love. It’s the boredom. I have to do something to fill my eternity in the underworld. You have bartending; I have my law practice. That right was bestowed on me by Lucifer himself. If I break it, I’ll have more problems than losing clients. I’ll probably be expelled from the underworld, locked up and tortured, or both. And I’ve had enough torture for one eternity.”

“Well, if you aren’t going to tell me, why did you call me up here?” She shook her head and stomped toward the door.

Loki blocked her way. “I can’t tell you who he is, but I can tell you where he will be.”

She chewed the inside of her cheek. “Okay.”

“Trust me, I want nothing more than to rip him apart, but I’m not allowed. However, I made him a deal.”

“What kind?”

The kind she wasn’t going to like. “He’s agreed to meet you at Valhalla’s Throne. He said if you can beat him in the arena, he’ll stop looking for you and tell Surtr you aren’t in the Underworld.”

“And if I lose?”

“He gets to take you and Elle to Surtr.”

“What? Hell no. Why would I agree to that?”

“You don’t have to. If you don’t show, he’ll leave and keep hunting you. If you don’t want to chance it, continue hiding here and wait him out. But you’ll never have to watch your back again if you do.”

Val chewed her lip and stared at him. “Do you think I can?”

“Absolutely.” He threw her his best reassuring smile.

She cocked an eyebrow at him. “The truth.”

His smile faltered. “I do. It won’t be easy, but I think you can since he can’t use magical abilities. Though I can’t say what state you will be in when you are done.”

She thought for a moment. “Will you nurse me when I’m injured?”

Loki’s penis jumped to life.Hells yeah, he would. “Anything you need, love.”

A slight smile played over her lips. “You better not promise something you aren’t willing to or can’t do.”

“Is this a test?”

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