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Asher reached back into his suit jacket and produced a larger manilla envelope that had been folded up to fit. He took his time smoothing it out. By the time he tugged the photographs out from it, Marcillo had lost all color to his skin. He simply pulled one out of the stack and flipped it around for both angels to see. “Isn’t it curious that you were also caught on the same video feed, associating with a condemned human organization? Were you bribing them to join your cause?”
“That is ridiculous!” Marcillo’s voice shook.
Nico reached into his suit pocket and pulled out a folded piece of paper. He smoothed it out before sliding it down the table toward the angel.
The angel drew his head back with a scoff. “What the fuck is this?”
“The cost you’re going to have to pay if you wish to avoid war.” Asher seized the wine glass.
A part of me expected for Marcillo to retrieve the paper and see what had been written down. Shock leaked into my veins when Azialle stepped forward to retrieve it instead. The way she initially hesitated reminded me of Samantha’s role for the demons. While she had been given the task to test their wine, Azialle seemed to take the approach of handling anything physical before her companion.
“It’s clean,” she murmured.
Archer snorted. “If I wanted to assassinate you, angel, I wouldn’t take the lazy route of coating the paper.”
Marcillo’s expression darkened. The edges of his lips twitched as he struggled to suppress his rage. He snatched the paper from Azialle and scanned the contents. By the time he read the entire demand, his face had turned a deep red. “What the fuck are you thinking, asking for twice the territory?” He flung the paper away. “I won’t stand for this bullshit.”
Asher kept the glass near his mouth while fixing his gaze on the angel. “So you’d prefer open war?”
That was enough to suck the wind out of the angel’s sails. He deflated immediately. “No.”
“Fantastic. I’ll have someone draw up the papers to include the additional territories required that would suffice to avoid it.”
Marcillo’s nostrils flared. “Fine.” He shoved his chair back, forcing Azaille to scramble out of his way to avoid getting hit. Instead of asking for the jacket back, he simply tore it from her arms and pulled it open. "We’re done here.”
“And Marcillo?”
The angel paused, his expression stuck between rage and shock.
Asher’s lips curled into a wide grin. “I wouldn’t leave town until you’ve signed the papers or that will come across as an act of war.” He sipped on the wine to indicate that the conversation was now over.
Marcillo stared at him for a moment before he scowled and stormed from the room.
Azaille scurried after him, neither of the angels bothering to pause long enough to tug the door shut after them.
Not a single demon spoke after the angels left. It was almost like they were quietly tracking the pair through the building until they were gone. Archer leaned back in his chair and cackled. “I haven’t tried the poison on a paper method in centuries. I might have to try that sometime to see if they’re still anticipating such an amateur method.”
“Don’t give them the pleasure of proving them right.” The demon with the copper eyes grumbled as he shoved his chair back. “Fucking hell, I need a drink. The smell of angels always gives me such a headache. I will never understand how you drink their blood, Nico.”
The red-eyed demon scowled. “Does it look like I give a damn if you do?”
While the demon lords were content to succumb into a mild conversation amongst each other, Asher remained silent. His golden eyes were fixed upon the abandoned photographs at the other end of the table.
“When are you going to let me tap that fresh piece of ass over there, boss?”
I squeaked as Santino’s silver eyes swung my way.
That remark seemed enough to remind Asher that I had even been delivered to the conference room. His piercing gaze slid my way. As soon as our gazes locked and my breathing hitched, the edges of his lips twitched. He set the wine glass down and gestured for the demon lord to press the red button.
As soon as the chain attached to my collar jerked violently, I immediately seized it with both hands and pulled back on it. There wasn’t a part of my body that was eager to approach the table. Santino had already made it known that he wanted to have me in a way I wasn’t eager to give so soon after Beau’s betrayal. Pain tore down my spine as the back of the collar threatened to dig into my skin, but I refused to move.
Several of the demon lords appeared annoyed by my resistance while a few of them threw curious glances at the prince. It wasn’t a secret that a human shouldn’t have the strength to pull back on such a well put together device like this, yet here I was…refusing to move.
Asher’s eyes narrowed slightly, although the emotion swirling beneath the surface wasn’t irritation. He seemed intrigued. All it took was a gesture of his hand for the other end of the chain to fly into his waiting hand. As soon as his fingers curled around it, he tugged on it hard.
A yelp escaped me as he managed to pull me up onto my feet with one swift pull. I immediately threw my weight back in a desperate attempt to glue myself against the wall. Now that I was on my feet, it became even more difficult to resist his silent demand. Over the next agonizing minute, I was losing ground fast with the table drawing near.
His hand lashed out and seized me by the collar once I was within range. All it took was a sharp pull and he brought me within inches of him. “I think we already know you have a dirty little secret that you’ve been hiding, don’t we, pet?”
