Page 78 of A Chip on Her Shoulder

To me.

Had I not known some of the fucking assholes destined for my aquarium tormented other victims, I might’ve been satisfied with setting Belial or one of the other devils loose on them. My knowledge barred me from taking the easy way out, however. At least one family deserved a better life, one free from the mafia’s hateful and greedy clutches. The dress served several purposes. First, it would draw attention to me, with the intent of capturing the mafia’s notice. Second, it would draw attention to me, with the intention of keeping the Devil’s eye on me rather than some succubus.

I’d rather not have to go rummaging through Belial’s things and transform his demonesses into fish for my tanks. I would, too.

Sometimes, I was not a nice person, and I had zero intention of playing fair. Until I obtained my goals, which included laying a claim on the Devil and securing revenge for my brother’s transformation into a chipmunk, I would redefine what it meant to be ruthless.

Any other day, I would have disliked wearing heels, but the black stilettos served several purposes. They did wonderful things for my legs, put me closer to eye level with the Devil, and offered me the illusion of power with an added bonus of being easily converted into weapons.

The kittens curled up on the bed for a nap, and I emerged from the bedroom armed with my new purse. The Devil sat at his desk, an elbow resting on it while he propped his chin up and observed his whining succubi sprawled on the floor and complaining at him about his cruel mistreatments of their persons.

As they amused him, I decided to leave it be unless one of them tried to paw at him, at which point I would discover if I could use a stiletto to sever hands from wrists. “Enjoying yourself?”

“I’ve been told I should keep my influencing to myself.”

“But why?” I tilted my head, puzzled over why anyone would want to skip the influencing for whatever the hell women got without a hefty dose of devilish affection tossed in. “I had no idea heaven could be found in hell, but here we are.”

“They’re tired.”

“That’s not your problem.”

“Why aren’t you at all tired? This is not right. You should be an exhausted puddle resting in my bed so I can indulge in tucking you in and sneaking peeks at you while I do it. I obviously didn’t influence you enough, and I find this both elating and disturbing.”

“May you have better luck next time,” I replied. “Am I over dressed, under dressed, or sufficiently dressed?”

“You’re making me question taking you out for dinner by wearing that dress.” The Devil looked me over. “I’m either going to have to recant tearing you out of that dress or I’ll need to buy several more of them so you can have one at all times while I methodically tear the other ones off of you. I’m going to have to thank Carmella. I had no idea she was so talented at dressing you. I’m going to have to ask her to help you with your wardrobe. You’re perfectly dressed, and I’m going to have issues holding my temper when Gallo gets a good look at you.”

As turnabout was fair play, I took my time admiring his suit. “We want to catch his attention so we can be involved with making him disappear under mysterious circumstances.”

“I have succubi. I’m not afraid to use them.”

“That would not be very satisfying for me, Lucifer.”

He scowled.

I smiled.

“You’re going to be obstinate about this, aren’t you? I could take you to a different steakhouse. Perhaps on the other side of America? Or I could wine you and dine you somewhere exotic. I can show you the world. Then I can unleash the legions, they can deal with Gallo, and we’ll have a great time where he cannot come close to you.”

“Showing me the world doesn’t win me revenge or help the victimized family members gain a better life. I’m sorry, Lucifer. You’re just going to have to do good deeds in an evil way. You’ll cope somehow. I’ll turn around if you have to handle him in a gruesomely violent fashion, however. That said, I would really like to put him in one of my tanks, perhaps next to Alloces?”

“If I tell you no, you’re going to put up a fight about this, aren’t you?”

“Absolutely. I’ll just ask your brothers and Belial to help me do it if you won’t.”

He narrowed his eyes. “I demand spots.”

“You can demand all you want, but that doesn’t mean you’re getting them.”

The Devil grunted his frustration, wrinkled his nose, and straightened, shooting a glare at me. “You were so docile in the tub, and your ears are really cute when wet. So is your tail.”

The spot obsessed freak might do me in if he kept it up—or I might be inclined to shred his nice suit to gain access to his chest. I bet he would heal scratch marks in record time. “You can earn some docility through good performance after dinner and mayhem. Also, I will resent if I’m poisoned again, so we’ll have to do something about that part of things. That headache was not my idea of a good time.”

“Your spots. I require them.”

“And I require new fish. And?”

The Devil screamed his frustration, startling the collection of succubi whining all over the sitting room floor. “Please.”