“That’s what I’m saying.” His gaze searched mine. “Getting yourself caught isn’t being careful.”

“It’s better than getting captured unprepared,” I pointed out.

“He’s not going to capture you,” he swore.

I leaned in so our faces were only inches apart. “We need all the upper hands we can get, Zayne. Setting a trap is one way.”

“She’s right,” Danika said.

I sent her a quick smile. “Thank—”

“And kind of not,” she added, and my eyes narrowed. “We can set a trap, not for him to take her, but to lure him out.”

Zayne held my gaze for a moment longer and then straightened, glancing at Danika. “I like the sound of this better, but how can we lure him? I doubt he’ll come for her himself again. He’ll send demons.”

“You say he’s really arrogant, right?”

“And slightly unhinged,” I said, and Zayne arched a brow. “Okay. He’s a lot unhinged.”

“I know a lot of arrogant males.” She paused. “Obviously. You can get them to do just about anything simply by goading them. I doubt Gabriel will be much better. Kill the demons that come for you and then send one back with a message that he’d be a coward to refuse. We can still put a tracer on her in case things go south.”

“I don’t know if I should be worried about being included in that generalization,” Nicolai said. “But do we really think he’s that foolish?”

I toed myself around, toward Danika. “We are talking about the archangel who referred to Instagram as Picture Book, so yeah, I think he’s that foolish.”

But it was the kind of plan that would possibly take multiple attempts. One that hinged on keeping a demon alive, which wasn’t exactly easy when you wanted to kill them.

They stayed for a bit after that, discussing how to move the gemstones into the school, and of course, the idea of Lucifer coming topside. None of them seemed to know how to process that, and I couldn’t blame them. After Zayne promising he would swing by the compound for dinner, which seemed really out of place with the rest of our topics, they started for the door.

Dez hung back, though. “I’ll meet you guys in the garage in a few minutes.”

A curious look settled over Danika’s face as Nicolai guided her out the door. I was still sitting on the bar stool when the elevator doors slid shut behind them. Honestly, I was frozen there, because I knew why he was staying behind.

“So.” Dez dragged the word out as he shoved his hands in his pockets.

“I know.” Zayne stood behind me as he curled his arm loosely around my shoulders. “What you were supposed to ask Gideon about.”