We fell into another awkward silence, and I stared around the party, my eyes landing on Raphaela.
“I don’t like her,” Dani growled, glaring over at Raphaela and Tonia, who were laughing with each other.
Dressed in a fitted black latex dress, Tonia looked like she was flirting with the one woman I was sure didn’t belong here.
“She came onto me last night,” I said with a clenched jaw.I hadn’t wanted to tell them, but I found myself saying it anyway.It was the fucking right thing to do even though I hated doing the right thing.Dani growled, and Eros tensed, so I continued because I hated to see the look on their faces, “We didn’t do anything.”
But I couldn’t tell her thatIwas the one being affected most by this.I never backed down from a challenge, not even if that challenge was Raphaela.I should’ve done it the other night.I should’ve let her try to fuck me, to prove to me that she was here for me and not for anything else.
I stared at my empty glass, fingertips turning white on it.But … I couldn’t.I couldn’t stop thinking about Dani and Eros the other night.Heavens, I never fell in love, but I couldn’t stop thinking about how I’d felt like I was betraying them.It didn’t sit well with me.
“Well, she’ll prove it to us now,” Dani said, grabbing my wrist and nodding to Eros.
She pulled me toward Raphaela, who watched the chaos in the castle with wide eyes.Lusts were stripping in the hallway, their tits or cocks hanging out.Sloths were handing her blunts, and Gluttons were pushing food into her face.
When we reached her, she glanced from me to Eros to eventually Dani.There was something in her eyes that made her almost immediately glance away.Dani had something inside of her that made Raphaela afraid, terrified.
“Raphaela,” Dani said, brushing her finger under her chin and forcing her to look up at her.
Raphaela stared into her eyes and sucked in a deep breath.
“I heard you wanted to get with Lucifer last night.”Dani leaned closer to her.“Well, now’s your chance.”
I swallowed hard, wondering what the fuck Dani was up to.Dani curled her fingers around my bicep and pressed her breasts into my arm, hanging off me like she wanted to fuck me.
“You’re coming into the Lust Room with us,” Dani said to Raphaela.“And I’m going to see exactly why Lucifer likes you.Maybe you can be my plaything from now on.”
Forty-Two
As soon asthe words left her mouth, I tensed.Dani wanted to take Raphaela and me and Eros and, heavens, everyone here to a Lust Room?I wanted to ask if she was crazy or if she was jealous, but I knew the reason she had done it.
Dani hadn’t said it because she wanted to do anything with Raphaela.She had said it to prove a point, and that point was how Raphaela didn’t belong in the Kingdom of Lust.She didn’t belong in Pride either.She would be cast out, unaccepted in both kingdoms because she froze like one of the statues in the Garden when Dani said it.
Her eyes got all big and wide, bugging out of her head.
Dani brushed a finger up the side of her neck and smirked at her.“Sin with me, Raphaela,” she whispered in her ear from behind her, flickering her gaze to meet mine.
To say I was turned on was an understatement.That woman didn’t need to do anything, and I would be ready to take her to bed any night.Dani didn’t have to try like Eros did sometimes.It came so naturally to her that I knew deep down that Raphaela was scared shitless.
Raphaela swallowed hard and pushed her shoulders back.“Where?”
Dani looked surprised for a moment.She glanced at me, her smirk widening even more.I tensed as I watched them, knowing that this would not go over well.Dani would try to take Raphaela’s soul, kill her without mercy, and enjoy every moment of it.
I didn’t like Raphaela anymore … but I didn’t want her dead.She could be a useful tool when Hell rose from the ashes and we fought the angels and Mother.
Dani sat on one of the couches, crossing one leg over the other, her dress riding up those damn sexy legs, and patted the seat next to her.A look of fear crossed Raphaela’s face.All that confidence from last night totally disappeared.
Did she fear Dani because she was powerful?Or did she fear Dani because she was both angel and demon, an anomaly in Heaven and Hell?
But Raphaela sat next to her, letting Dani run her fingers down her arm.I cleared my throat to try to empty my mind, my head feeling like shit after all those drinks, but … I was too gone to think straight.All I could feel was the hardness in my pants at watching Dani work her magic.
“Don’t push it, Dani,” Eros said from beside me.
Dani giggled and reached for Tonia’s hand.“Oh, it’s fine, Eros.Don’t be so good.”After snatching up Tonia’s hand and pulling her down onto the couch with them, Dani leaned back against the backrest, her finger curling around Tonia’s hair.“You love taken women, don’t you, Tonia?”
Tonia smirked and nodded her head, yet didn’t say anything.Heavens, nobody did.
“Raphaela is taken,” she said, grabbing Raphaela’s hand.“She still has a ring to prove it.”Dani drew her finger against Raphaela’s wedding band.Why the heavens did she still have that thing?“Taken by the most powerful man in Hell.”
