I vaguely noted that the T-shirt I was twisting in my fingers was the vintage Spice Girls one that I’d been wearing that first fateful night when I’d had too many wines and had ended up in his chambers in Hell.

And now, the only place I wanted to be was down there with him. Someone needed to protect him from Yellin’ Hellen … was her name really Hellen? What sort of parent named their daughter … a child of Hell … Hellen?

The type that was a drunken, sleazy wastrel who had tried to hit on me in the creepiest possible way until SJ had swooped in to save the day. I shuddered, remembering his mentions of pain and how much fun we would have together.

How SJ had turned out so … good … with a family like his, I had zero idea.

“I honestly have no clue, Jem.” Ezra snapped me out of my reverie, handing me a cup of tea. I sniffed it. Chamomile.

“Am I really that worked up?” I asked, but I took a sip anyway. The sweet, appley flavour did take the tiniest edge off my agitation. Which Ezra of course had known it would.

“He’s a big boy … a very big boy.” Ezra sighed appreciatively. I smacked him on the bicep.

“Ow! Anyway, what I mean is, he’s more than capable of dealing with whatever it is that needed his urgent attention. I’m sure he’ll be back in no time, all ready for round … I’m gonna say fifteen?”

I snorted. “Let’s just say there were at least fifteen of something … but it was all in the one round.”

Ezra’s mouth fell open. “Are you saying what I think you’re saying?”

I nodded, a tiny smile tickling my lips. “I am.”

“Oh my God, you had the full monster porn experience, didn’t you? Share, please!”

I shrugged. The details were … precious. I wasn’t sure I wanted to share them. Not even with Ezra, who until now had heard every single sordid detail of my love life.

His eyes widened. “You’re properly in love with him, aren’t you?”

I shrugged again, tugging my bottom lip into my mouth.

“You totally are! Not just falling for him—you’re in deep!” Ezra squealed. “You have to tell him! As soon as he gets back, you have to tell him you love him!”

“I know I do … I had totally planned to, until his emergency exit.” My eyes strayed to the spot where the portal had been. “It’s been what … an hour? How long does an emergency in Hell take?”