Page 74 of Legendary

I looked at his hand for a minute and then cleared my throat. “Hmm, maybe I did. That was a very long time ago.”

He shrugged looking out across the room and then back at me, leaning in closer. “I remember you highly enjoying other things as well.” He squeezed my knee, and I thought about what those words would have done for me years ago. We probably would have gone upstairs by now if I was being honest.

I ruffled my hair. “I also remember you being able to focus when someone wants to speak to you.”

“Touché. Can you blame me though? Look at you. Sexy as ever with that attitude I always adored.” He spoke right to my lips, and I thought better of it, flicking my eyes quickly towards the bar. Nicholas didn’t look happy, but there wasn’t anything I could do about that at the moment. I probably should have been more forthcoming about my prior relationship with our demon of interest, but what’s done is done.

“Dimitri, this attitude will become a lot less adoring if you don’t listen and answer accordingly,” I threatened, making eye contact with him and holding it. He was a worthy opponent when it came to a stare down, his eyes two large intoxicating emeralds.

He smiled at me, squeezing my knee. “Alright, Dani, what is that you want to ask?”

“It’s about Lilith.”

His eyebrows raised slightly, but not enough for him to look truly shocked. “Is that so?”

“Yes, and you two are still close, I presume.”

He tilted his head left and right. “Sort of. Her and my father spoke more, about boring matters and such, but once he bestowed the club to me, we had more conversations, yes.”

I mulled this over. “Did you speak at all when I got here?”

He stretched his fingers out and tapped him right below my knee. “Of course we did. Lucifer and my father weren’t completely happy with how the demons acted with that whole fight in Oculus and they were increasingly upset with her for not being able to keep her minions in line. Lucifer thoughtshe was punished enough, having a portal lock on her exit out of Purgatory, so he remained out of her way, only coming to see her after she set the anti-aging and procreation curses. Don’t ask me why he did that, I’ve asked and gotten no response.” He spoke so casually about past deeds as if he hadn’t given anything much thought until he was asked to retrieve the memories and speak them aloud.

He looked at me to make sure I was still with him, and I made a hand motion as if to saykeep going. Dimitri chuckled. “My father was running this club, but he hated being here, he hated how Lucifer and everyone else essentially babied Lilith and how Purgatory was now this place of wild Enchanters and rogue demons. So, he told me I could have the club. When I started making changes, two demons came to me, told me I was being summoned by the dark queen and I was intrigued so I went. She’s something else, your creator.”

“So that’s when you two became friends?”

“Mm, I wouldn’t call us friends. We both just like power, granted we use our power in different ways, but I digress.”

I bit the inside of my cheek. “What does this have to do with me?”

He looked over to the bar again for a second and then his emerald eyes were back on me. “Hm, what amIgetting for telling you all of this?”

“The happiness of helping out an old friend.”

He flexed his tattooed hand over my knee. “Oh, Dani, the things I’ve done to you are far from friendly, so unfortunately, that isn’t going to cut it.”

“I’m not sleeping with you.”

“So presumptuous. As much as I would love that, I just meant we’re sitting so formal, and I would like some playfulness between us.” He leaned in a little as if he was going to touch my lips with his own, his hand skirting up my thigh just a little. I pushed him back and kicked my leg over his body, straddling him. My hand was still pressed to his chest, driving him into the back of the couch.

“Is this less formal for you?” The position didn’t look good, I knew that, but I wasn’t going to walk away without new information. He didn’t give me that thrill he used to and as much as I knew he would rather us benottalking, I actually wanted to hear his answers. If this was the best way to go about it, then so be it. I felt eyes at my back instantly, they felt intense but familiar.Nicholas. I could virtually smell his heightened level of testosterone from here.

Well fuck.

“This is much better, if I must say,” Dimitri smirked down at my hand and raked his eyes over my body. He repositioned himself a little, so that hewas more comfortable, causing his pelvis to thrust up against me. I felt the material of his pants rub against the inside of my thighs.

I tapped his chest. “Start talking.”

He let out a sigh and licked his lips. “Lilith had told me she was figuring out something, that she couldn’t tell me all the details, but she wanted me in on it. She said that if she was successful in her planning I might have more than just this club. I could make something bigger in other realms.”

“Realms like Heaven’s Gate?”

He tickled my legs with his fingers. “Yes, exactly like Heaven’s Gate. She told me that Oculus would be a good spot, good land for what I could conjure up and from what I’ve heard about Oculus, well, I couldn’t pass up the offer. I simply asked her what she wanted in return, and she said she wanted me to keep an eye on something.”

I narrowed my eyes as he continued to speak. “She had brought that pretty unpleasant blonde Enchanter with her to our next meeting and told me that she was calling in her request. She took me to that torture room she has at that castle of hers and I saw you. Just as beautiful as ever.” He twirled one of my curls around his finger. I accepted the compliment, but him forming a spiral with my hair felt weird. There was an odd feeling in my stomach that told me I only wanted one person playing with my hair, forming ringlets with their fingers.

“She told me that you would be frequenting the club soon, seeing as you kept the company of Elise. I was told I should take good care of you because you were our key to getting what we wanted.” I knew Elise came to Leviathan a lot and I also knew Dimitri knew of her, but there were pieces that didn’t sit right.

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