easily, and I let out a small breath of relief. I wondered if there would be another protection spell on the door, perhaps even one specifically designed to keep me out, but it looks like Valentina has decided to make it relatively easy for potential customers to find her.
I push open the door, allowing golden light to flood the tunnel. Then I step inside the shop.
This place is just like I remember it.
The whole thing is deep underground, and Valentina has made no effort to hide that fact. The walls are smooth stone, and the ceiling is made of rougher, less finished stone. Shelves and crates are everywhere, loaded down with enchantments, charms, and potions.
And standing near a large table on the far side of the room is Valentina.
Her dark auburn hair spills over her shoulder as she glances up to see us. Her green eyes widen in surprise, and her back goes nearly as stiff as my shoulders feel.
Well. There we are then. The past has not been entirely left behind.
“Sawyer.” Her voice is throaty and deep, just like I remember. “What are you doing here?”
The entire room is quiet. All of my brothers, even Ryland and Beck, are standing down to let me deal with Valentina. Trinity’s gaze bounces from the witch to me and back again, and I could kill Remi for having told the angel that this is the woman who gave me my scars.
It makes me feel exposed in a way that I’m not used to, and that I don’t like.
“We need your help,” I say, not wasting time with preamble or pointlessly flowery words. “This woman has had a bounty placed on her head. Supernaturals have been tracking her, bent on killing her, and we need it to stop.”
As I speak, Trinity steps away from Beck and comes to stand beside me. Her small, delicate hand slides into mine, and I almost jump in surprise. This is how the angel keeps throwing me off balance.
When I listened to Trinity touch herself in the room next to mine in Brazil, I wasn’t entirely surprised to hear her call out my name. I am Lust, after all, and I was in the room beside hers, stroking myself as I both fed off her desire and urged it on.
But this? This simple touch, this offer of comfort and solidarity?
I don’t know what the hell to do with it.
What I don’t do is release her hand or shake off her grip. Somehow, I can’t bring myself to push her away.
Valentina’s eyebrows shoot up. She glances down at our joined hands, dozens of questions flickering behind her eyes. Is she jealous? Will she attack me—or worse, Trinity?
I tense a little, taking a half-step forward before I consciously think about it, and Valentina looks even more startled. She blinks several times, her gaze returning to my face as she stares at me like she’s trying to penetrate my mind. Then she shakes her head, turning her attention to Trinity.
“Why do you have a bounty on your head?”
Trin shrugs, biting her bottom lip. “Um, well, I tried to close a demon portal. All of us tried. Actually, we did close it, but then more appeared. Then we destroyed those, and I think whoever set up the portals didn’t like that.”
She’s talking fast and a little breathlessly. She’s nervous, and I feel the strangest desire to reassure her, to pull her a little closer to me and lend her my strength.
Not that she needs it.
“We need to find out who created those portals, and why they did it,” Trin continues. “But it’s sort of hard to do anything when people are trying to blow you up to collect a ten million dollar reward.”
My jaw clenches. Behind us, I can feel all of my brothers react. Fuck. I wish she hadn’t said that part, although it’s our damn fault for not telling her not to.
Valentina is neutral, but ten million dollars is a lot of money.
“We’ll pay you to help us,” I say quickly. “We’ll match or beat the bounty.”
I hope Beckett doesn’t mind me volunteering his money like that—actually, scratch that. I know he hates it. But the only way to guarantee Valentina won’t hurt Trin to collect the bounty herself is to offer her a better deal.
The woman in front of us narrows her eyes. The surprise has faded from her features, and now she just looks thoughtful.
“Save your money,” she says shortly. “I will help you, but I don’t require