I knew that feeling all too well.

Here was a bastard who had taken me to a restaurant where I got a close-up view of art I never thought I’d ever get a chance to see. Who sat me down to a meal of the most delicious food. Yes, it had been basically poison to me … but he had apologised so earnestly after. And I genuinely believed he hadn’t been aware of how bad it would be for me.

He was a bastard who had let me win our little battle last night, even though technically he could have claimed victory and ended our war over my soul.

Perhaps he wasn’t such a bastard after all?

I slipped from the bed and headed for the bathroom. My pain from the night before had faded to practically nothing. I’d have to be careful with what I ate today—nothing that could irritate my tender stomach, but otherwise, fingers crossed, I’d gotten it all out last night.

I peed, brushed my teeth, and wrangled my hair into something less bird’s nest-y. In the laundry, I fed a bemused-looking Luci but didn’t let her out of the cage.

Perhaps last night’s plan would still work this morning? He was, after all, almost naked in my bed—half the work was done for me. And his devil dick had been quite insistent last night when my body was tucked up against his.

I’d felt so tiny in his arms. And yet so very cosy and warm. And if he wasn’t trying to steal my soul, I could get very used to falling asleep like that.

But I couldn’t think about how he made me feel!

If I could only get out of this with my soul intact and belonging to me once more—that was my priority. That was my mission. And shagging my way out of it still felt like the best course of action.

Besides, seducing him wouldn’t exactly be a hardship … I mean, in human form, he was divine. And in his devil body?

Well, I’d climb that like a tree.

I paused at the bedroom door, just watching him. The covers were shucked down to his hips, his chest rising and falling evenly. One arm lolled off the side of the bed, loosely grasping a book. A book with a red devil on the cover.

I chuckled, climbing onto the bed. So, the big devil hadn’t been able to contain his curiosity in the night, had he?

Huh. I hadn’t even woken when he left to seek out the book I’d told him about. Which was super weird. I was a very light sleeper. And when something triggered my memories of my parents, I usually tossed and turned all night.

Was it possible that I felt safe with him?

That was stupid of me.

But is it, though? that little voice insisted.