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Chapter12
Lucifer
“I-I was just…”Sophia’s luminous green eyes are wide. “I couldn’t g-get on the bus, I need… I needed to walk.”
My back twitches at the spot where my wings sprout from whenever they emerge. My head throbs on both sides, sending an ache down my spine. My true form is barely contained beneath the surface, threatening to break out right here in public, in front of her and anybody else who may pass by.
I’m losing control.
I can’t remember the last time I was this close to losing my grip and my cover. When she caught me with my hand wrapped around my cock, and I caught the scent of her arousal in the room, I couldn’t help but bait her by letting her watch me finish. That shock in her eyes, darkening to lust, took me over the edge. I wanted her to know what she does to me. I almost took her, back at the office.I was so close.
Just as close as I am now to revealing myself to her in a completely different way. I’m consumed with rage at the demon who tried to attack her. It was all I could do to stop myself from ripping him to shreds, consequences be damned. Because he would dare touch something—someone—so beautiful. Even now, with terror written all over her face, she’s so fucking gorgeous.
That’s the problem, isn’t it? She’s gorgeous,toogorgeous.
She’s a fucking distraction, damn it.
Here I am, demanding to know what she was doing walking around at night, and all she has to do is ask me the same damn thing. And what would my answer be?
Following you, watching you shake off the day. Making sure you don’t get fucking eaten out here by things you don’t even believe in.
I should fire her. I should tell her, ‘hey, it’s been fun, now get lost.’ I could pay her off. Pay her whatever she wants so she can buy her own fucking protection before my obsession with her gets us both killed. I’m going to do it. I’m going to tell her not to come back to work tomorrow.
But those words never make it past my lips.
“This city isn’t safe,” I growl instead. “If you were born here, you should fucking know that!”
She raises her chin defiantly. “Of course, I know that.”
I chuckle, but there’s no humor in it. “No, you don’t. You have no idea how dangerous Los Angeles can be, and getting more dangerous all the time. There are horrors in the dark that you’ve never imagined.”
She stiffens, her eyes are snapping with the same fury she showed me when she threw her shoe at that damn car. “I can take care of myself. I’ve been doing it for years.”
“You could have fooled me.”
Random cars, random drug dealers, and now a demon? This woman is a magnet for trouble.
I back away, watching her bite her lip as she mentally ticks through the same dangers I just did. A glimmer of fear lights in her eyes. She’s a little more subdued, but she still has that spunky posture that’s so fucking addictive to me as she steps away from the wall and dusts herself off.
“Thank you, Mr. Hale,” she says formally. “For saving my life. Again.”
“I’d rather not make a habit of it, Ms. Gallo,” I snap and then straighten my tie. “Which is why I’m driving you home.”
She sighs. “You really don’t have to do that. I want to—”
I put my hand on her lower back and start pushing her back the way we came. “Frankly, Sophia, I don’t care what you want. You’re not walking home. Deal with it.”
Fortunately, she saves me from having to toss her over my shoulder and carry her back to my Mercedes like a caveman, shooting a sidelong glance toward the spot where the demon nearly attacked her and then allowing me to usher her away. My jaw is tight as we walk back to my office building and then down into the garage, where I yank the car door open for her and watch intently as she slips inside, as if expecting her to bolt at any moment.
The drive to her apartment is quiet by necessity. If I open my mouth, I’ll just keep yelling at her for putting herself in danger. I want to. It would make me feel a hell of a lot better. And it would probably help me ignore her plush lips and her hair and her scent, heightened now in the aftermath of danger, which are all making me want to pull this stupid car over and kiss her senseless.
And so much more than that.
I park in front of her building, and after a quick glance at me, she unbuckles her seat belt and reaches for the door handle.
“Don’t,” I tell her gruffly.
She freezes, shooting me another look with surprise in her emerald eyes. Instead of answering her silent question, I shove open my door and get out, then walk around the car, scanning up and down the street as well as the stairwells and balconies. Unless she’s the luckiest woman alive, all of these attempts on her life, accidental or otherwise, must be new developments.
