Still, I didn’t budge an inch.

Slowly, his hand dropped away. “I’m a demon. I can read guilt. You have some, Mia, but it isn’t for that. If I were to guess, it’s because you’re protecting someone else. The person responsible for Audrey’s death never got caught because you wouldn’t speak their name aloud. You wouldn’t tell anyone who really did it. Loyalty, it is an admirable trait.”

I sucked in a breath and stood. Water streamed down my exposed stomach and thighs, but I forgot all my worries about letting him see my skin. “You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

He gave me a sad smile. “You let the world attack you because you were covering for someone else. And I have a good guess who it was.”

Unshed tears burned my eyes, as hot as lava. “No, you’re wrong. I don’t know who did it. No one does. And if you think I want to talk to you about this, you’re an even bigger asshole than I thought.”

But I was lying. And he knew it. It really wasn’t that hard to guess. That night, my little sister had visited me at college. We’d gone to a party, she’d gotten drunk, and then she’d raced off in my car. She’d hit Audrey, killing her instantly. And then she’d fled. I never told a single soul. Not even Serena.

Disappointment flickered in Az’s eyes. “Maybe I was wrong about you.”

I climbed out of the hot tub, anger burning away whatever soothing warmth I thought I’d felt before. “Yeah. Maybe you were.”

Gritting my teeth, I stalked back into the apartment and left a trail of dripping water in my wake. Normally, I would feel bad about messing up his pristine floor, but it served him right. He’d snooped into my past. Far more than a cursory search if he’d gleamed the truth. Asmodeus knew what had really happened.

Fuck.

What would he do with that information? Would he tell someone? Did he want to punish my sister for her terrible mistake? I pinched the bridge of my nose and tried to calm my racing heart. This couldn’t be happening. I’d ripped up my entire life just to protect her. It couldn’t all fall apart now. Because of a demon.

I stepped into my bedroom and immediately screamed. A note had been taped to the outside of the window, facing in. The words were written in red ink…that I had to admit had the dark, sickly color of dried blood.

My hand flew to my mouth.

You didn’t escape me. You’re next.

Az charged into the room, his eyes wild. He threw his body in front of mine and faced the window. Several unwelcome thoughts flashed through my mind all at once.