“Love this dress on you.” And the lacy bra I got a sneak peek at earlier, he added telepathically. Do your panties match?
She lifted a brow. What panties?
He groaned. Little witch. He skimmed his fingertips over the none-too-subtle brand his demon had put on the side of her neck just last night.
“You like it, don’t you?” she asked. “You like that everyone can see it?”
“Yeah, I do. It says that you’re spoken for, and that’s good. I can’t have anyone thinking they can touch my property, can I?”
“Excuse me? Property?”
He chuckled and took her mouth before she could reprimand him, licking and consuming until she was pure goo in his arms. The sound of glass breaking had them both lifting their heads. A bottle of vodka had smashed on the floor. Liquid and fragments of glass were everywhere.
“Come on,” said Keenan, tugging her out of the kitchen.
Bopping her head to the music, Khloé let him lead her into the dining room. Many stood around the buffet table, talking and munching on food. Others danced or sang along with Khloé’s brother, Robbie, who was singing on the karaoke.
“He has a good voice,” commented Larkin as she, Levi, and Knox sidled over.
“Koey!” yelled Asher, balanced on his father’s hip.
“Hey, little dude.” Khloé blew him a kiss and then smiled at her younger sister, Heidi, who was clinging to Larkin’s back. “Having fun?”
“Uh-huh,” said Heidi, beaming.
“I found her and some of the other kids jumping up and down on a passed-out imp like he was a damn trampoline,” said Larkin. “Jolene rolled the guy under the buffet table. I don’t know how he can sleep through all this noise.”
“I have a question,” Levi said to Khloé. “Why is that guy in the corner wearing a Predator suit?”
Khloé frowned. “You’re assuming he needs a reason.”
“Yeah, imps don’t need reasons for the things they do,” Larkin said to the reaper. “Haven’t you learned that yet?”
Everyone clapped as Robbie’s song came to an end. He took a bow and then handed the mike to the DJ, almost tripping over the lights he’d wrapped around himself like he was a damn Christmas tree.
A tall figure stalked over and planted his hands on his hips, glaring at Heidi. “Give it back.”
The little girl’s nose wrinkled as she stared back at the Devil. “What?”
“My wallet,” said Lucifer—or Lou, as he preferred to be called. “Give it back.”
“I don’t have it,” Heidi told him.
“Do I look slow to you?”
“Yup.”
Lou jerked back. “Well, that’s not nice. You imps are all the same.”
With her beautiful white-blonde hair and innocent features, the kid looked like butter wouldn’t melt in her mouth. Oh, it would. She was a master at pickpocketing, could cry on cue, and was quite the plotter. In that sense, she was pretty much a miniature but perkier version of Jolene, who was currently heading their way.
Standing behind the devil, Jolene folded her arms. “Hello, Lou.”
He jumped and mumbled something beneath his breath. Lou crossed his arms and lifted his chin, refusing to acknowledge her.
Sidling up to him, Jolene sighed. “You’re sulking because I didn’t invite you to the party, aren’t you?”
He whirled on her. “Well, would it have killed you to give me a call and say, hey, come join us? Friends don’t exclude each other like this.”
“But we’re not friends,” Jolene pointed out.
“Don’t pick at details.” Lou looked at Khloé. “So, you almost died, huh? I heard all about it. Terrible, terrible business.”
Harper snorted, appearing at Knox’s side. “Like you care what happens to anyone but yourself.”
“That’s not fair. I care about Asher.” Lou smiled at the kid. “And how is my little nephew?”
“Would you stop calling him that,” snarked Harper.
“What else would I call him? Ooh, I could have some fun with this. How about … the future dark destroyer of all demon-kind? Admit it, it has a nice ring to it. I still think you should have called him Lucifer. He’d have totally rocked that name.”
Harper sighed. “And I’m done.”
Lou eyed Keenan. “So, you went and fell for a Wallis. Ah, such a tragedy. She will cause you only pain and misery, and she will relish every moment of it. In some ways, I can respect that.” Lou cut his gaze to Knox. “And now you’ll have not only an imp in your lair, but one of Jolene Wallis’s granddaughters. Well, good luck with that.”
“For someone who dislikes me so much, you sure do turn up at my house often,” said Jolene.
Lou’s brow creased. “I don’t see