“I think I might have spelled something wrong.” She bit her lower lip. “I was going for the jolly red fellow.”

“Which would have been a waste of your time. Nick is a toymaker, not a life changer. I, on the other hand, can most definitely assist.”

Her eyes widened. “Really, you don’t have to.”

“I insist.”

“No, I insist. Surely an important person like yourself has better things to do. I don’t need your help.” She was being rude and ungracious, yet accepting the devil’s aid? Surely more wrong.

“Pish. Posh. Crabapple sauce. Your situation is already being handled. Why, because of me, your body isn’t cooling in a morgue right now. You just sit back and relax while my man Marduke does all the work.”

“Marduke?” She cast him a quick glance. “What’s going on?”

“Lucifer, as usual, is being a dumbass. Just ignore him.”

“Such disrespect,” the devil exclaimed. “Can you see why I hold him in such high esteem?”

She felt herself growing faint again and leaned in to Marduke. He placed an arm around her. “You’ve had your fun. Go away.”

“But I’ve just arrived!” the devil complained. “And you don’t want to see Junior throwing a tantrum because I cut his playdate short.”

Only one thing to do. “Why not leave him here for a few hours then? We can handle it.”

“We can?” Marduke yelped.

The devil grinned. “Splendid idea, Merry. Maybe I’ll take this as a chance to play a round of golf. Or defile my wife. Or both.” Lucifer snapped out of sight, and Marduke raised his brows.

“I can’t believe you just offered to babysit.”

“They’re having fun.” At least they were until she noticed the dinosaurs were real, with actual hungry mouths and sharp teeth. Miguel held one dangling from his thumb, oblivious to the holes in his skin.

She wrangled the dangerous toys into a box then had the boys playing in the dirt yard under a red ashy sky.

A surprisingly awesome day that got even better in bed that night.

Three times for her.

17

Now expecting Miguel’s early morning wakeup, Marduke rose and dressed before the boy could peek into the room. The previous night, Miguel had followed his puppy to the adjoining chamber for the hounds. The pallets in there were big enough for one little boy and his dog to curl up in. Merry added a blanket, and Marduke gave his house hound companions, Frik and Frak, their orders. “Guard.”

They’d die before they let anything hurt the kid.