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Mammon looked alarmed as he grabbed me, shaking me viciously as if that might reset me. “Eden!”
“Put … me … down …” I coughed, pushing his shoulders before he deposited me on top of one of the steel tables. Banging a fist on my chest, I caught my breath and exhaled shakily. “Hit my back next time,” I muttered, rubbing the sore spot before taking another deep breath. “While we’re discussing our desires, I think this is a good time for me to tell you I don’t want to work here.”
“Here?”
“The butchers. I told you, I never wanted this. I took the first chance to escape, and now you’ve trapped me back in this life. You’re fronting as the Outfit. Surely you have lackeys who could work here instead of me. I’ll train them—”
“Eden.”
He said my name so sternly it made my stomach plummet along with my hope, and I steeled myself for the rejection.
He cupped my chin firmly, forcing me to look at him. “I told you I would take care of you. If resuming your jewelry business is what makes you happy, then we will make the necessary arrangements. You only need to tell me what you want, and I’ll give it to you.”
“Hah, I’ll take a million dollars.”
“Done.” He was so swift and serious I almost choke-laughed again. When his expression didn’t change, I leaned over and opened my phone to my bank account. There, where a moment ago was a red number deep in the negatives was seven digits—an amount I would’ve never imagined possible.
“Ho-how did you do that?”
“I’m a demon. I make things happen in exchange for souls. Do you know how many people ask for that in a day? I barely have to blink to make it happen.”
“People sell their actual soul foronlya million dollars?”
He shrugged. “It sounds like a big number, but they don’t realize it doesn’t get you very far anymore.”
I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. It was all so crazy. Demons were real, out in the world collecting souls for … well, I didn’t know. I’d never considered asking what they were up to. I was comfortable in the safe bubble Mammon had put me in. Whatever their plans were, they wouldn’t affect me. Not while we were together—and from the sounds of it, “forever” was on the table.
“So, if I said I wanted an Aston Martin One-77, you’d say?”
“Nothing.” He stared impassively at me before holding out his hand. Slipping mine into it, he helped me off the table and led me to the back door.
Stepping into the alley, I gasped as I took in the gorgeous and rare sports car. “Holy fuck.” I breathed, stepping closer to it as I ran my hand lovingly along the hood. Turning to Matteo, my eyebrows lifted. “It’s real?”
“It’s yours.” He nodded, and the doors clicked open, allowing me to peer into the interior.
“But what if I wanted the green one?” I offered him a cheeky smirk, enjoying the small huff that escaped him as he rolled his eyes. Then, he clicked his tongue, and right before my eyes, the color of the vehicle changed.
“Is there anything you can’t do?” I climbed behind the steering wheel, slowly running my hands over it as I took in the craftsmanship.
“Generally? No, but everything I do requires the promise of a soul.”
I went cold for a moment as my eyes lifted to meet his. We hadn’t spoken about it yet, but I always knew this reality hung between us. What did it mean for mine if I was with him? At some point, had I given it to him without realizing it?
“You’re fine,” he said as he slid into the passenger seat beside me. “I don’t want your soul, baby girl, just your body … and your heart if you’re willing.”
I ran my hands along the steering wheel again. “I don’t know. You might have to compete with Sir Aston Martin here.” I grinned and turned to look at him. “Of course, I love you, Mammon. But what about the fact that—”
“That you’re human?” He shrugged. “Immortality is something I could give you too if it’s what you want. But that’s a bridge we can cross when you’re ready. You could stay like this forever,” he nodded at me, referring to my current age, “or you could wait and then pause time. Or—” He inhaled slightly. “Well, we won’t talk about that right now. Why don’t we go for a ride instead?”
We should carry on this conversation, but he was right. I wanted to drive this beauty. Turning it on, I moaned, savoring the engine's purr as it rumbled through me. “Oh, God, yes.”
Reversing out of the alley, I pulled onto the street and couldn’t stop the smile that split my face as we took off through the city. It wasn’t lost on me how many heads turned at the sight of her, and I loved the stares. Hooting excitedly, we drove until we were out of the city and onto the highway.
I glanced at him. “How fast can I go?”
“As fast as you want. I’ll keep you safe. Forever.” He reached out, gripping my thigh and his touch was electric as my foot floored the gas pedal, and we launched into the highest speeds I’d ever driven.
After a while, Mammon gave me directions, and we pulled up to the gates of a massive manor. I glanced over at him before staring at the house once more. This had to be his home. Was he bringing me here because of our earlier conversation?
