Page 48 of Lust

"No, we were asking you on a date?" The first guy clarifies.

My attention snaps back to them. "Sorry, what?" I ask, slightly caught off guard. The two look at each other in confusion. “A date. you know a few drinks, maybe some dancing?” He shrugs. “A threesome afterwards?”

I swallow as Dade steps toward us. His aura is overwhelming. I can feel the anger emanating from him, even at this distance.

“I’m sorry. I already have a date tonight.” As soon as the words leave my mouth, Remy appears through the door. I swallow back the lump in my throat and point him out.

“I should have guessed you’d be fucking one of the pretty boys,” the first guy grumbles before they both walk away.

“What was that?” Remy asks, kissing my cheek.

“They just wanted my autograph… and a date.”

“I can't say I blame them,” he responds, his gaze sweeping over me appreciatively. “You are looking beautiful tonight. I hope you said no.”

I laugh and nod my head. My eyes gravitate to the spot over Remy’s shoulder where Dade was standing in the shadows. He’s no longer there and now that I think of it, I can’t feel his aura anymore.

“Where do you want to go?” Remy asks, taking my hand.

I shrug and give him a smile. “Anywhere but Infernos.”

I don’t particularly want to go to Unholy either. I doubt Felix will want to show his face today, but after what he did, he might decide to drown his sorrows, so I steer Remy toward the Brimstone Bistro.

It looks just like its counterpart in Purgatory, but I know that I won’t be served water and maggots here like I was there.

“This is the first time I’ve been in here and can order my own meal,” I point out as the demon maitre d shows us to our table.

“I remember. You pissed the demons off.” He pulls out my chair and waits until I sit before taking his own seat. “I have to admit, I was surprised to get your message this morning. I thought you’d changed your mind about us.”

I shake my head as doubt and regret run through my mind. Now that I’m sitting with Remy, it forces me into another uncomfortable position. If Dade didn’t kill Michael and Lucia, who did? And more importantly, why are they trying to frame Dade? However much I hate to admit it, Remy has the most reason to. He’s not the only one by any means. Anthura despises me. Felix hates Dade and me.

“Are you okay?” Remy asks, looking concerned. “You have changed your mind about us? I told you that I didn’t do anything with Candice in the second part of the trial.”

“Did you do anything in the first part?” I finally ask.

He looks down at his empty plate and my heart sinks. “I had sex with Candice.” He looks up. “I’m sorry. I should have told you. She begged me. I didn’t know what to do. I thought she was going to die or something. I should have told you.”

Unease creeps into my stomach as the waiter appears to take our order. Dade did the same thing for me. Okay, we didn’t sleep together, but I would have welcomed it.

“No.” I say firmly. “None of us are innocent in all this and all of us are being manipulated. My mind wasn’t my own in the first part of the trial, and Dade helped me.” I don’t elaborate on what that help was and thankfully, Remy doesn’t ask. “We weren’t together when the first trial happened. What we did or didn’t do wasn’t wrong.”

“I’ll come back in a minute,” the waiter says and turns to help another table.

Remy looks at me hopefully and his ocean colored eyes twinkle. “Does that mean we’re together now?”

It’s a question I wasn’t expecting. The sting of Dade’s words yesterday is still painful, tugging at my heart and I know any answer I give Remy will be tainted by that. I can’t play these two men. “Will you answer a question for me?”

He shrugs. “As long as you answer mine.”

I swallow back my fear. “Did you actually see Dade killing Michael and Lucia? Not on the screen. In real life?”

Remy suddenly looks uncomfortable.

“Did you?” I repeat. “Please, just tell me the truth. This isn’t about Dade, it’s about our relationship. I need to know I can trust you.”

He holds out his hands and gives me a charming smile that almost disarms me.Almost. “I literally just told you I had sex with Candice.”

I hold his gaze, refusing to be swayed. “Did you see Dade kill Michael and Lucia?”

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