Page 59 of The Devil and His Ghost

“Protection?” I questioned, shooting Xander a sideways look. “From what?”

“It’s better if you don’t know,” Perseus answered with a wide grin. He scanned the busy sidewalk the three of us stood on. “Where are we headed to?”

“We’re shopping, right?”

I turned at the sound of a new voice and found the rest of the members of Sinners Do It Better closing in on us. The three newcomers—Zagan, Dante, and Coldin—stood around us and pointed in different directions to different stores. They all wore normal street clothes with masks pulled up over their mouths, most likely to conceal their identity as much as possible. They were becoming increasingly popular after all, and while their target audience wasn’t plentiful at the family centered amusement park, their fans could be anywhere here on the streets of New York City.

“What are they doing here?” I asked under my breath.

“Your boy apparently needs a lot of protection,” Perseus revealed with a whisper in my ear.

I whipped around, glaring at the demon for getting so close to me but also unable to stop myself from asking again, “Protection from what?”

Before he could answer, Xander grabbed my hand and pulled me against his side. He held the brown nameless bag in his other hand, and with the appearance of our new companions, I found myself glad that the bag didn’t suggest what store we’d just left. I’d die of mortification if all of these guys knew what Xander and I had picked out and bought together.

“This is Kendyll,” Xander introduced me to the guys. He smiled at me. “You’re a fan, so I guess I don’t have to tell you their names, do I?”

“You’re a Sinner?” Zagan asked with a raise of his pierced brow.

“Yes,” I confirmed, happily accepting the name of their fanbase. “Your band is my favorite.”

“Hmm. You have good taste.” Zagan’s teasing blue eyes flicked to Xander. “Well, not good taste in everything apparently.”

“You’re a class act comedian,” Xander responded with a sarcastic smile. “Now that everyone’s here, let’s go shopping.”

I wasn’t sure how today’s plan had gone from a party of two to a party of six. Walking around the city with a famous rock band flanking me on all sides was pretty nerve-wracking. Being a genuine fan of their music added another layer of nerves, because I was fan-girling just a little from being so close to all five members. But oddly enough, the easy and familiar energy between all of the guys rubbed off on me.

The longer we spent going into name brand department stores to shop as a group, the more comfortable I grew. Normally, I’d never be able to relax in a setting of so many people. I wondered if it was easier breathing around these guys because they were demons. I mean, I’d always preferred the dark and inhuman to people.

I never knew shopping could be so fun, either. It took time for me to accept letting Xander buy things for me, and I still wasn’t sure how to allow myself to want anything. But with Zagan acting as my personal stylist, Perseus as my sounding board for things I should get for my shoebox apartment, and Dante and Coldin as the bag carriers, I began to feel less on edge and more excited.

Xander watched it all with a light smile constantly on his face. Every time I caught sight of the tender gaze with which he regarded me, something in my chest would fly around like a cluster of dandelion petals scattering on a warm breeze.

By the time the sky above the city was dark, we’d hit every store the guys wanted for both themselves and for me. There wasn’t an inch of arm space on Dante’s, Coldin’s, or even Xander’s arms from all the bags they carried. We all returned to Xander’s penthouse where the bags were immediately deposited in Xander’s room by a slightly grumpy Dante and an indifferent Coldin.

“Thank you guys,” I told the band members. “I’m sorry you all got dragged into today’s shopping spree. Did the protection against whatever you guys were there for work?”

Xander coughed lightly from where he dug through the fridge in the kitchen while the remaining four members of the band shared glances.

Perseus pursed his lips as he met my eyes. “Probably not. Good luck.”

All four guys vanished in a swarm of shadows. I raised my brow but dismissed the confusion to join Xander in the kitchen. I perched on the barstool and propped my chin in my hands while watching him down some water.

“Thank you for today,” I said softly. “For all my stuff. For letting me hang out with you and your friends. It was … a lot more fun than I expected it to be.”

He sat his water down and watched me from across the island. It almost felt like he’d put the marble piece between us as a sort of barrier. More protection. From what? I was starting to wonder.

“The day’s not over,” Xander finally answered, his carefree grin returning to his face. He braced his hands on the island’s edge and cocked his head. “Do you trust me?”

The question rattled me, but not with fear. It was the same one he’d asked before he taught me that it was okay to explore myself, and my answer now was as firm and sure as it had been back then. But again, I didn’t give voice to my gut answer. Instead, I simply nodded.

“Go change into something comfy,” he ordered me.

I complied, going into his bedroom to change into a sweatshirt and leggings. When I returned to the kitchen, he’d manifested himself new clothes as well, now standing shirtless and in sweatpants. I noticed that seemed to be his go-to lounge attire.

When our eyes met, he asked, “How about we do that tattoo you want now?”

“Now?” I repeated with a flutter of excitement. “I thought you weren’t going to do it until I admitted you were my favorite member of Sinners Do It Better.”