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He let the man’s corpse fall to the floor.
Chapter19
Aurora
When we woke up, Paxton kissed me good morning, then disappeared in search of coffee and sweets. He already knew I liked to start the day with a good sugar high.
I brushed my teeth in the adjoining bathroom, then padded out into the suite’s living room. Stellan lay on the couch, looking paler than usual. He was shirtless, and there were bloody bandages covering his tanned shoulder, where Cain had stabbed him.
I pulled a face at the sight as I sat down next to him. “I’m sorry about that.”
He scoffed. “Please. Cain will be Cain… I knew what was going to happen when I carried you off.”
“But it was worth it to you.”
“I’ll do anything to find my sister. To bring my mom…” He trailed off, then said, “Well, I don’t know that she’ll ever have peace. But at least she needs the chance to say goodbye.”
“We won’t give up,” I promised him, resting my hand lightly on his knee.
He gave me a long look that I couldn’t quite read. “Cain will want to go home.”
“Well, luckily for you, I don’t have a home. And I don’t care what Cain wants.”
“Oh?”
My hand was still on his knee, and I didn’t quite know what to do with myself. Stellan threw me for a loop like no one else.
“I need to go see the Demon today,” I murmured. “I want to ask him if he knows anything about Sophia.”
He looked skeptical. “Do you think he’ll tell you the truth?”
“I don’t know,” I said. “I spent a lot of time with him. I…know him. I think it’ll be useful, or I wouldn’t put myself through visiting him.”
He nodded. “I don’t want you to have to see the Demon.”
“Believe me, I don’t want to go either.”
The hotel door opened, and Pax walked in—carrying coffees for all of us and a white paper bag. He set the coffees on the table in front of the couch, then I pounced on the paper bag. Pax gave me an indulgent smile.
“Donuts!” They were yeasty and light and still warm. “At least there can be some joy in my life before I face the Demon.”
Pax frowned. “The Demon?”
“I need to see him.” I tore a glazed donut in half, then sank into the couch to enjoy the fluffy texture.
“Well, I hate that. But we’ll go with you,” Pax said.
“You can drive me,” I agreed. “But the Demon isn’t allowed any visitors who aren’t on his authorized list, and that’s only family. They won’t want any of his depraved followers getting an audience.”
“We are your family,” Pax stated, and my heart melted with those unexpectedly cheesy words before he added, “As far as the prison database is concerned, Remington fixed it.”
“You knew that I went to see my dad?” I asked.
He nodded as he took a seat next to me, picking up his own coffee. “We always know where you are,” he replied mildly. He didn’t seem at all concerned at how psychopathic he sounded.
“You lost me once,” I reminded, poking him with one bare foot.
Stellan glanced away, looking abashed. Pax caught my foot with one hand, preventing me from poking him again. “You’re right, we need to keep you closer from now on. On a leash, maybe.”
