Page 25 of Her Darkest Devils (The Seven Sinners of Hell's Kingdom 3)

This fucker. I can’t believe him.

“As you desire, my liege.” The man nods and smiles at Tamia, completely ignoring the rest of us.

He leads the way through the decently crowded bar of nothing but mortals. This isn’t a demonic hangout. This is probably the demon’s territory where he collects souls on behalf of Lucian.

“I always knew Bart was a fucking traitor,” Dante mutters under his breath. “He’s going to have fucking Hell to pay.”

“We’re going to have to re-evaluate our legions.” Kase’s voice remains low, ensuring that no one outside of the four of us hears. “I knew he’d come here and try to encroach on our territories.”

“I suppose what I’ve offered him isn’t good enough.” Micah tightens his jaw, speaking for what feels like the first time.

“Nothing ever is,” Dante replies, hissing and flicking his tongue.

I gobble up their conversation, unused to how they talk about their demonic affairs in front of me. They usually hide that part—except for Micah, who has let me in on what goes on—and it’s strange to grasp.

The demonic bar owner, Bart, stops at a corner booth and swipes a reservation card off the table and pockets it. Tamia follows Lucian into the booth, and my devils wait for me to join her, but I hesitate. I swear I see Lucian’s hellfire reflect in her eyes.

It sets me off.

Huffing a breath, I press my hand to Dante’s chest. “I can’t do this. I’m done with his bullshit. Just keep an eye on me, okay?”

Dante frowns. “Pretty soul, I—”

“Lucian, we need to fucking talk. Now.” The words snap from my mouth before Dante can talk me out of facing Lucian. Last time, I was thrown into Hell, but I know better. He’s never going to let up, and trying to mess with my family crosses the line.

Lucian offers me a cocky-bastard smile and nods, sliding back out of the booth. He has the nerve to touch Tamia’s chin and wink, sending her face flushing even more. Kase, Dante, and Micah tense, all of their muscles clearly flexing through their tight shirts, but none of them try to intervene.

Steeling myself from his darkness the best I can, I don’t fight as he laces his fingers around my arm, guiding me toward the back of the bar and into a hallway with the restrooms and another door to the employee-only section.

“We’re right here if you need us.” Micah’s thoughts trickle into my mind, giving me the reassurance I need to face the asshole before me.

Lucian guides me out of everyone’s line of sight, and purposefully corners me, pressing his palm against the wall, caging me in. Usually, I’d love this. Dante and Kase do this to me all the time to trap my attention. But with Lucian? I want to knee him in his cock. Too bad I’ve found out the hard way that he has balls of steel and a love of getting his junk manhandled. He’s both a sadist and masochist and a dickhead. I feel almost defenseless facing him alone, but at least now, he’s in his mortal form. It’s when he goes complete devil with his fire chains that really scares the fuck out of me.

“Lucian, backup a foot. This wasn’t an invitation to crowd my personal space.” I keep my voice low, stopping it from quivering. If only there was something I could do about my racing heart.

“Is that so? Your soul says otherwise, Ray...” His long inflection of the nickname my cousin uses prods at me. I wish he wouldn’t. I never liked being called Ray, because there was a jerk in high school by the same name, and he ruined it for me. Funny how something like that sticks with me.

“You obviously can’t really read my soul then. It hates you. I hate you. What you did to me—”

Lucian shoves his hand against my throat, stealing my breath away. Leaning in, his dark eyes blaze with hellfire as he searches my face. I still under his restraint, his fingers shifting to release the constraint on my airway but his strength doesn’t ease. He’s putting enough pressure on my arteries to slow the blood flow to my brain. I know this. I’ve learned a lot of kinky shit from Dante.

I open and close my mouth, my fear growing wild yet my body relaxing with the shadows edging my vision.

“Listen, Raven. You were the one who started a fight you couldn’t finish. You cannot blame me for your failure.” Lucian bows even closer, his breath hot yet minty, and for that, I’m thankful. “All I’ve wanted this whole time was to show you your worth to be in my presence, and you’ve done nothing but fight me. Blame me. Think I’m the bad guy.”

I inhale slowly, afraid I’ll pass out. Still, I can’t find my words. He’s forcing me to listen to him while he ignores me.

“Things could be so easy, you know. Your soul calls to me.” Lucian finally loosens his grip on my throat, and I gasp, sharing my breath with him. “Don’t deny it.”

His stare breaks away from mine and flicks to my mouth. Something dark crosses his gaze, suppressing the flames glowing from his power. It sets me off, turning my knees weak, my heart ricocheting around my chest. It feels like our first encounter in Hell when he merged his soul with mine.

“I don’t give a fuck what you think my soul does,” I mutter, my chest heaving with my deep breathing and bumping into his. “I want you to stop trying to torment me. Leave my cousin alone and don’t get her involved.”

He smirks. “Why not? She’s seems so fun.”

I claw my nails into his chest, trying to break his skin through his shirt. “Stay away from her.”

“Perhaps if you give me something I want.” He moves closer, planting his feet between mine where I have to practically straddle his legs and stand on my tiptoes. Sliding his hand into my hair, he locks me in place and licks his lips. “Like I said. Things could be so easy, Ray. A lot of fun.”

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