for what. For rescuing him from being seen by the ladies in the hot tub? For not leaving him behind? For understanding that his current trip to the United States of Erection was just the result of their naked, wet bodies sliding together? For not expecting him to act in any way on what he felt?
“No problem.”
But it was a problem. A problem, because for a moment when his lips brushed against her, she felt intention and promise. As a Pure Soul, it was her duty to defend humanity against the temptations wrought by evil intentions. As a woman, she didn’t care if she or Marc or both of them would be damned, she wanted him.
The question was, why?
Jerry was seriously about to gag. He hadn’t seen cheese like this since his tour of the Velveeta factory back in ‘98.
“That’s it?” he scoffed, watching the little scene between Riona and Marc come to a cock-blocking conclusion in the Big Bad’s magical mirror, the original candid camera of the ancient world.
“That was a lot. They were both tempted,” Lucifer explained as the scene dissipated and swirled back into the mists. “If they hadn’t been, we never would have been able to see them in my mirror. I can only view the sinful acts. At least one of them, if not both, was having soul-damning thoughts, which made them visible to us. And a reminder, demon o’ mine, temptation is the first step to sin. If we get Riona Dade to sin, she earns herself a very distinguished place in Hell.”
Jerry scratched his chin as he plopped down in Satan’s big, red, bean bag chair. “Riona doesn’t believe sex between consenting adults is a sin. What sin was she contemplating? Last time I read the rule book, humans can only commit sin by willfully and purposefully disobeying the Moral Right Truth as they accept it.”
Lucifer’s teeth ground in frustration. “Fucking MRT. Oh, to be in the times of absolute truths again! This damned, new age, hippy shit, and the flexible morality has cost me more recruits than prohibition.”
Jerry couldn’t be sure, but he thought the temperature in the room went up a degree every time the Sultan of Sin used profanity.
Lucifer refocused. “True, she doesn’t think it’s a sin, but even Riona respects the sanctity of the priesthood. I wonder… If I could get the two of them in bed, I’d knock two Pure Souls off the map at the same time. Not really too interested in him, but I might take the priest if it gets me the witch.”
Jerry’s neck snapped in the direction of the Devil Incarnate, pacing across the room. “What good is a priest in Hell?”
“Jerry, for someone of your cunning and age, I’m surprised you don’t know better. The higher the recruit must fall, the darker the demon soul it creates. From the greatest heights, come the greatest depths.” Long-nailed fingers drummed against a leather-clad hip. “Still, I’m playing for the witch. She’s the goal, Jer. She’s the one I want. The priest, though? He could be a good backup plan. Hell, he could be a good lots-of-things.”
Chapter 9
All she wanted was to go home and just get into bed.
Riona took off from the gym with such urgency after getting dressed that she forgot to stop in to see Dee, letting him know that she was going to crash at her own place. Coming face to face with Marc after what happened (and what didn’t happen) would have been awkward with a capital “awk.” Flight seemed a better option than sight.
Until she remembered the whole reason she’d gone to the gym to begin with.
“God damn…”
As soon as she found a spot to park, she whipped out her cell phone and texted both her guys, telling them they had business to discuss. Dinner would be served, she added, hoping that, if Marc was uncomfortable as she was, the promise of meal might lure him into the open. Dee texted back right away that he’d be over at six with a bottle of pinot. Marc’s singular-lettered text , “K,” followed a few minutes later.
It was on days like these that Riona was happiest she’d given up the corporate world. For her two cents, home offices were the way to go. Statistics was one of the few professions where independent contractors had a better professional reputation than some of their full-time recruits-in-suits counterparts. Because she wasn’t tied to any firm, and because she was very selective about with whom she