The Lure of the Devil (The Demons' Muse #4) - Auryn Hadley Page 0,162

don't know I'm around.

"So this thing with me and the guys," I asked, gesturing towards the upstairs. "You're okay with it? Honestly. I truly want to know."

You want validation, she corrected. You feel like you need someone to tell you it's okay, so I will. You see, there is nothing wrong with being in love. Love one man, one woman, or one person who is somewhere in the middle. Love more than one. Love them all. Being the Ayala doesn't mean you're not allowed to love. It only means that you have the power to punish those who deserve it. Those who hurt the ones you love, and if you love us all, then wouldn't that make you an even better Devil?

I smiled as I lifted my cup again. "You know I didn't believe in you?"

Your belief makes no difference, she pointed out.

"Maybe not," I agreed, pausing at the sound of someone on the stairs. "I still think it's a little funny. You and I are supposed to be mortal enemies, and yet I'd really like to be your friend."

"Who wants to be friends?" Luke asked as he walked into the dining room.

I turned to see him wearing nothing more than a pair of pajama bottoms that looked a size too big. The way they hung low on his hips was incredibly distracting, yet I was pretty sure I'd seen Nick in them before. Granted, considering he’d slept in Nick's room with us last night, it made sense that he'd also be wearing his clothes.

"I was talking to God," I explained, feeling oddly shy.

Because last night had been real. It wasn't some figment of my imagination, and all of that had really happened. No, it wasn't the first time I'd ever seen him naked. Wasn't the first time he'd seen me that way either. But the things he'd done to my body played on repeat in the back of my head, and my face was quickly starting to feel warm. From the smile on Luke's lips, I was definitely blushing.

"Morning, God," he said, then stopped beside my chair. "Good morning, pumpkin." His voice had dropped a little and turned much softer when he looked at me.

I fought the urge to look away from his beautiful blue eyes. "There's coffee in the pot. I didn't brew it that long ago."

"Thanks." Then he leaned in and pressed the sweetest, softest kiss against my lips.

My eyes had just slipped closed when he pulled away, heading into the kitchen. I fought the urge to groan out loud, not needing anything else to embarrass me, and my eyes landed on God. Her little dragon head was pointing at me, and I swore she looked like she was smirking. I wasn't sure if a dragon face could do that, but God was definitely laughing at me.

"Don't tease me," I hissed.

She let her little snake tongue slip through her lips, but said nothing. She didn't have to. That was enough to prove to me that God was definitely a smartass. So, just to be fair, I stuck my tongue out at her. The tiny little lizard dared to laugh at me.

But before I could say anything in response, I heard another set of feet tromping down the stairs. These were heavier. I expected Nick to follow Luke, but instead, it was Bel who walked in. Without hesitation, he came right up to me and stole a kiss. He took a little more time about it than Luke, but it still wasn't the type of kiss meant to seduce.

"Coffee?" Luke called from the kitchen.

"Yes," Bel said. Then belatedly, he added, "Thank you."

When Luke came back into the room to pass the cup over, the two men paused. Bel’s fingers wrapped around Luke's on the cup, and there was something incredibly tender about it. Almost like a silent understanding that they didn't even need to explain. Ronwe walking into the room made them pull apart, but not in a guilty way. It was nothing more than the fact that they were standing between the little demon and the coffee pot.

Ron's smile spoke volumes. It was the content kind, which convinced me that I wasn't imagining all this. Something had happened last night. Not just the insane orgy in the living room, but something much deeper than that. It kinda felt like all of the awkwardness and hesitation between us had simply vanished.

Then an idea jumped in my brain, and I glanced at God. "Did you do this?"

This time, she