Page 7 of Knotted
The lack of spark had driven me to cast the spell in the first place. My parents had been harping on me about being single, going into my thirties and wanting grandkids. They kept going on and on about wanting to make sure I settled down and before they died. Which was ridiculous becausethey were both very healthy, active people in their mid-fifties. But I’d been depressed and lonely and was willing to try anything to get them to back off. Even the occult, apparently.
And that worked out so well for me.
“It’s my pleasure.” I hiked the backpack over the shoulder opposite of my tote bag and looped the gift bag over my wrist. “Are you ready to rock, Lil?”
“Yep!” She threw herself against her dad’s legs. Experienced with her fierce tackle hugs, he already braced for impact. “Bye Dad!”
I took Lily’s hand in mine and we went our separate ways.
“C’mon Violet!” Lily said, pulling on my hand. “I’m so ‘cited! I’ve never been roller skating before.”
“Yep, let’s go skate.” I allowed her to drag me into the building, thankful to finally have something to focus on besides my demon problem.
Chapter
Seven
“Are you sure you don’t want to go to the hospital? You shouldn’t take chances with head wounds.” Logan reached up to touch the lump and growing bruise on my face, but stopped short and returned his hand to the gear shift between us.
“I’m sure. It’s just a bump. I’ll be fine.” I turned to smile at Lily in the back seat. “Are you okay now?”
The little girl nodded, her face still buried in her teddy bear’s neck. The bob of her pigtails was really the only indication she’d heard me. I wanted to soothe her again, but my face was throbbing and my head started to hurt. Her father would make sure she knew I wasn’t angry, and she wasn’t in trouble.
“If you start feeling sick or getting dizzy–”
“I’ll have someone take me to the emergency room. But it’ll be fine.” I could tell by his expression he didn’t believe me, and didn’t want to leave me alone in my house with a head injury. “Don’t worry, I have a friend staying with me at the moment. They’ll make sure I’m taken care of.”
There was no telling what the demon’s version of care would look like. And it would amuse him to no end, knowing I’d called that beast my friend.
“Well, that makes me feel better.” I pushed open my door and grabbed my bag from the floor by my feet. “Take care of yourself. And go ahead and take Monday off. I’ve got some vacation time. I don’t want you pushing yourself too hard.”
“You really don’t have to.” I’d been planning on being with Lily to avoid the beast and his hoard of demons who had taken over my house.
“I really do.” His hand came up to brush my hair back and gently probe the lump over my eye. It was a sweet, gentle move that briefly had my stomach clenching. But even with my body physically reacting to his touch, I simply wasn’t attracted to him. “I’m so sorry this happened.”
“I’m sorry too,” came a small voice from the back seat. It was filled with tears and I wished I could make her believe it really was okay.
“It was an accident. No one was to blame.” Honestly, if anyone was to blame, it was me. I had no business being on roller skates. “Are you sure you’re okay to get my car back to me?”
Logan nodded and pointed to my car keys in the cup holder between us. “I’ll get someone to help me drive it over here. It’s the least we can do. Now go take care of yourself. I’ll check in later.”
I nodded and got out of the car, closing the door behind me. Logan sat idling at the curb as I walked the short path to my front door and got the key in the lock. I waved him off as I headed into the house.
Dropping my bag and house keys on the floor besidethe door, I headed to the kitchen and the ice pack I knew was somewhere in my freezer. My face was throbbing. I hadn’t looked at it since we left the skating rink thirty minutes before, but I could feel the skin getting tight and just knew I was going to have a hell of a bruise.
“What the fuck?” Asmodeus said from behind me. My body was heavy as I slowly turned around, holding the ice pack to the lump above my right eye. “You’re hurt.”
“Powerful observation skills.” I said dryly, too tired to get into it with him. From the growl in his voice and the agitation in his stance, fighting is exactly what he had in mind. Leaning back against the counter, I held my ground as he stalked across the room to me.
“Who did this to you?” Asmodeus’ voice was a deep rumble I could feel in my chest. He reached a hand up to brush against the bruise on my face, the touch gentle on my skin. “Tell me who hurt you.”
“No one.” I brushed his hand away from my head. I didn’t want him to be nice to me. The part of me that loved reading dark romance loved being on the receiving end of a good “who hurt you,” I didn’t want it from Asmodeus. I wanted nothing from him.
“Violet,” his voice somehow, impossibly, got lower. “I’ll have their name.”
“Well, I don’t stop to ask the name of the pole I slammed my face into.” I prodded the growing lump and winced. As much from the embarrassment of falling face first into the handrail, as I was from the pain. I was counting down until I could take another dose of painkiller.
“Oh love, I’m as old as time. Do you think I haven’t heard every excuse in the book?” He grabbed my upper arms, his claws digging into my flesh. He broughthis face close to mine and growled. Actually fucking growled at me. “Now tell me who did this.”
