“You’ll find that he’s too heavy, I’m afraid.” Another step forward. “Are you worried that I’ll do something bad to him?”

“Like you’re a naughty little girl and are going to tie his shoelaces together? Yup. That’s right.”

“Actually, I have other plans for your old boss.” A third step.

“Do you.” Jim held his ground—literally and figuratively. “FYI, I’m not sure his plumbing works after all the injuries. I’ve never asked, but Cialis only goes so far.”

“I have my ways.”

“Undoubtedly.” Jim bared his teeth. “I’m not going to let you take him, Devina.”

“Isaac Rothe?”

“Both of them.”

“Greedy. And I thought you didn’t like Matthias.”

“Just because I can’t stand the bastard doesn’t mean I want you to have him—or use him like a toy. Unlike the pair of you, I have a problem with collateral damage.”

“How about we make a deal.” Her smile was way too self-satisfied for his liking. “I let Matthias go along his merry way tonight. And you spend a little time with me.”

His blood turned cold. “No, thanks. I have plans.”

“Found someone else? Been unfaithful to me?”

“Not a chance. That would require a relationship.”

“Which we have.”

“Not.” He glanced around just to double-check that she didn’t have reinforcements. “I’m outta here, Devina. Have a nice night.”

“I’m afraid Matthias is not going to make it.”

“Nah, he’s going to be just fine—”

“Will he.” She extended her long, elegant hand.

All at once the man started to moan in Jim’s arms, his face screwing down in agony, his frail limbs spasming.

“I don’t have to even touch him, Jim.” Curling her fingers up tight, like she was squeezing his heart in her palm, Matthias torqued hard. “I can kill him here and now.”

With a curse, Jim combed through what he’d learned from Eddie, trying to pull a spell or an incantation or . . . something . . . out of his ass to stop the onslaught.

“I have toys by the thousands, Jim,” she said softly. “Whether this one lives or dies? Means nothing. Affects nothing. Changes nothing. But if you don’t like collateral damage? Then you better give yourself to me for the rest of the night.”

Shit, put like that, why was he protecting the guy? She’d just find another source to influence Isaac’s outcome. “Maybe it’s better for you to put him in a grave.”

At least Matthias would be out of his hair. Then again, maybe whoever was next in line would be worse.

“If I kill him now,” Devina tilted her pretty head, “you’ll have to live with the fact that you could have saved him but chose not to. You’ll have to add another notch to that tattoo on your back, won’t you. I thought you’d given that kind of thing up, Jim.”