stepped into that one. “Former.” I lowered my voice and ticked my head at the tables full of inmates surrounding us. Talon hated me, but I hoped he didn’t want me dead and having a father in the SIA couldn’t be looked upon favorably in here.
His dark brows furrowed, and his gaze dropped down to his food.
“That bodes well for us that the new warden was SIA,” said Dallas.
“Unless Delacroix’s already gotten to him.” Talon glanced across the room, and I followed his line of sight to the hellus demon and his tableful of creepy disciples.
“He hasn’t,” I blurted.
Talon clucked his tongue, shaking his head.
“How can you be so sure, pumpkin?” Hayden nudged my elbow, and the pudding dribbled off my spoon.
Dropping the plastic utensil, I pushed my lunch tray away. “Because he warned me away from the demon mobster and Logan’s a decent guy.”
Talon’s luminous eyes flickered to mine, and I already knew what the sullen dragon was thinking. I was surprised he hadn’t called me out on my visit to Block Eight in front of the three amigos yet.
“Is that why you’re still in our cell instead of the demon block?” Talon barked.
I shrugged. “I guess. Believe me, it’s not by choice.”
Hayden chuckled. “Believe me, pumpkin, you could do way worse than us.”
“I’ve got room.” Dallas’s tongue flicked over his pointy incisors.
“See, case in point.” The fallen angel’s bright eyes danced in mirth as his vamp buddy flipped him the finger.
I opened my mouth to put in my two cents when something landed in my hair. I shot up and searched my tangled locks, and a crumpled piece of paper fell from my messy bun. What the…?
A tall female sauntered by, swinging her hips to an imaginary beat. The three males’ heads swiveled in her direction, and she shot them a playful wink before sashaying across the mess hall.
“Ooh, siren…” Dallas hissed as his tongue swept over his lips.
Instinctively, my gaze spun toward Delacroix’s table—in the exact path she was moving toward. The demon’s head dipped to the paper in my fist, and a trickle of sweat snaked down my back.
Uncrumpling the paper under the table, I stared at the messy black scribbles and my heart froze.
Time to pay up.
Shitzu.
Delacroix’s dark gaze bored into the side of my head, but I refused to look up. Meeting his eyes would only confirm I’d read his note, and I was not ready for that. What kind of favor would I owe this guy? And would he force me to choose his side once my debt was repaid?
“What’s Delacroix looking at?” Hayden ducked down and whispered to his brothers.
“Probably at whatever just landed in one thirty-eight’s hair,” Talon growled.
So much for being slick.
“Little demon, are you keeping something from us?” A ring of crimson illuminated Dallas’s obsidian irises.
I clenched my hands in my lap, but before I could drop the wadded-up note, Talon stretched across the table and his hand dipped between my legs.
“Hey!” I screeched as his fingers grazed the insides of my thighs. Squirming to avoid his wandering digits, I balled up the paper in one hand and tried to fight him off with the other.
“Give it to me,” Talon growled, his eyes smoldering as he hovered over me.
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
Over the dragon’s broad shoulder, I caught Hayden and Dallas watching, their lips quirked in amusement.
Planting his palms in front of my tray, he soared over the table. My heart leapt up my throat as the wall of muscle hurtled toward me, and I jerked backward. My chair flew out from under me, the screech of metal against cement ringing out across the mess hall. I smacked the floor hard, and all the air whooshed out of my lungs. Son of a beezer demon! I lay flat on the ground my arms splayed out to my sides as the room fell silent.
A hulking shadow blotted out the soaring rafters, and I squeezed my eyes shut. I could feel him as he neared, Talon’s minty breath and mountain fresh scent swirling inches from my nose. My lungs constricted and this time, it wasn’t because of the jarring hit I’d taken. “Next time just give it to me when I ask,” he snarled. I hazarded a quick peek between slitted lids and his lips were only inches from mine. He held my gaze for an impossibly long moment before straightening. Big fingers pried my fist open and yanked out the note.
The tendon in Talon’s jaw went