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Piper slipped her hand up to his neck. “He’d never given you a reason why you couldn’t. So all that guilt I can see you’re feeling … it’s senseless. He spent years cultivating the image of a reformed criminal. You gave him a second chance. Lots of people did. That was the right thing to do. He’s the one who was in the wrong.”
Levi only grunted, guilt still plastered all over his face.
“I didn’t once suspect him of being the person who wanted me dead,” said Piper. “Not even for a millisecond. Do you blame me for that?”
Levi’s head drew back as his brow pinched. “What? Of course not.”
“Then you shouldn’t blame yourself either.”
He sighed. “It’s easier said than done.”
“I know.” She began massaging his nape. “How’s your demon?”
His eyes going half-mast as her fingers kneaded and glided, he replied, “Now that it’s calmer and more settled … it’s actually kind of smug.”
She double-blinked, her hand pausing its movements. “Smug?”
“The way the entity sees it, the death ballad brand ‘saved the day.’”
She rolled her eyes. “Enzo would have been taken down with or without the ballad.”
“Of that I have no doubt. But my demon still intends to take the credit.”
“Of course it does,” she said dryly, resuming the massage.
He groaned. “Feels good.” His hand squeezed her hip. “How’s your demon doing?”
“It’s sort of sulking right now.”
“Why?”
“It didn’t get to kill anyone.”
He snorted. “I see.”
“It might not be so annoyed if I’d gotten to kill either Frick or Frack—it’s often content to live vicariously through me.”
“Will the entity feel better if I buy it lots and lots of diamonds?”
Piper found it almost pathetic that her demon’s mood immediately switched to gleeful. Like all such entities, it liked pretty, shiny things. “To my disgust, yes. Yes, it really will.”
“Diamonds it is.” His mouth curving, he rested his forehead against hers. “I fucking love you, you know.”
Warmth bloomed inside her. “So you didn’t only say it earlier to mess with me?”
“I’d never give you those words unless I meant them.”
“Good.” She kissed him sweetly, softly. “Because I love you.”
His smile kicked up a notch. “My demon feels you should also love the death ballad brand, but we’re gonna ignore that.”
“Yes. Let’s. Now, hello, why isn’t your dick in me?”
A chuckle eased out of him. “No patience.” He rolled her onto her back, humming again as she wrapped her legs around him. “It’s going to be rough.”
“Just when I think I couldn’t love you more …”
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
Two months later
“My God, she is such the cutest.” Khloë smiled down at the baby in her arms. “I want to eat her.”
“No, no eating,” bossed Asher, hurrying over to the sofa.
Khloë chuckled. “I was just kidding, little man. No eating Anaïs, I promise.”
He narrowed his eyes, apparently unconvinced.
“My boy already knows better than to take the word of an imp,” said Harper.
Larkin snickered. “Like it’s not something you make him recite as if it’s a mantra.”
“Well it’s pure truth,” Harper defended.
Piper would really have to agree with that. So it didn’t surprise her that Asher, who had enough Wallis in him to know his mother was right, watched Khloë closely as she cooed over Anaïs.
He seemed to have appointed himself as the hellpup’s protector—probably because, for him, it was the norm for people to have a personal bodyguard. Although his protectiveness was utterly adorable, they were all a little worried that he’d start pyroporting Anaïs into his arms whenever he pleased.
Piper exchanged an amused look with Levi, who stood off to the side with Knox. They all often turned up at Devon and Tanner’s after work to check in on the new parents and Anaïs. Larkin was temporarily taking over for Tanner as Harper’s bodyguard, since Levi had been reinstated as Knox’s bodyguard and was once more a fully active sentinel.
Levi had done as promised and cut back on his hours, only working however long he needed to. Not that she’d expected any different, given he was fully committed to their relationship and—by his own admission—didn’t like being away from Piper for long.
It was crazy how much her life had changed in such a short period of time. In addition to finding herself with a bunch of new friends—including Ella and Mia, who she’d finally met a month ago and clicked with instantly—she’d switched jobs, sold her house, and found herself with both an anchor and a mate.
A mate who’d slipped a black diamond ring on her finger a week ago.
It had shocked the shit out of her. Demons didn’t do such a thing lightly since, for them, a black diamond ring was a symbol of the ultimate commitment. So she’d been certain to make sure he wore one, too. Her demon was rather smug about the whole thing.
Sitting beside Khloë, Piper gazed down at the baby, her mouth curving. Only two weeks old, Anaïs was spoiled rotten. An endless amount of people from both their lair and Devon’s old lair had dropped by to visit, bearing numerous gifts. Raini in particular regularly went on shopping sprees and came back with clothes and toys. Hence why Khloë often accused her of jockeying for the position of best aunt—a position that Khloë felt should be hers.
