I started to speak but her eyes widened, and in the same second she stood with her back to me. I peeked around her to see the door slowly open, and for one fleeting moment I expected Jared to walk in.

But it wasn’t Jared.

A man in a charcoal-grey suit and tie strolled in through the door, looking around as if he were appraising the loft. When he smiled at me, Claire’s hands balled into fists at her sides, and her knuckles turned white under the pressure of her grip.

He was extraordinarily handsome, teeth gleaming white, black hair perfectly trimmed and slicked back. At first glance he seemed benign, but I recoiled when his black eyes bored into mine.

“How nice to see you, Claire,” he spoke, a low hissing sound underlying his voice.

Claire reached down and gripped my shirt in her fist, slowly pulling me up behind her. “You just missed Jared, Shax.” Claire said.

My blood ran cold. A Duke of Hell was standing just feet from me in my home. I gripped Claire’s arm and she reached around to pull me against her back, slowly side-stepping until we were standing exactly between the kitchen and the front door. Shax watched us shift with his shark’s eyes, as if he were alert to our every breath.

“Jared is looking for me?” he said, dropping his chin to look straight at Claire. “How interesting.”

The iron stairs clanged with heavy footsteps, and five men encroached upon the doorway. Shax took a few casual steps forward as the men positioned themselves in a half-circle behind him. I dug my fingers into Claire’s arm when I saw a familiar pair of eyes. It was Grahm.

“Nina,” he nodded with a smug smile.

“You take one step near her and you’re a dead man,” Claire seethed.

A wicked smirk twisted Shax’s mouth. “Now, now, Claire. That’s no way for a young lady doing His work to behave.”

“What do you want, Shax?” Claire snapped.

The demon looked down, and then his eyes shot up to target me from under his thick, black eyebrows. “I think we all know what I want, Claire. Nina’s father took something from me,” he tilted his head and stretched his long neck, “it’s quite an embarrassment for a thief to be stolen from—especially the greatest thief that’s ever lived.”

Claire laughed without humor. “You’ve never lived, Shax. And it’s nice to see that you’ve developed some humility.”

“I want the ring, Claire,” he hissed.

“You don’t need the ring. Jared has your stupid book.”

Shax’s beady eyes narrowed. “Where is he?”

Claire shrugged, slowly pushed me back as she took a half-step forward. “He took it to you. I’m sure he’s in your building as we speak.”

“And why would he do that?”