Chapter 2 #2
I blinked then stepped back with both hands raised. “I’m not bothered. By any of it.”
The demon gave a snort. “Then you won’t mind me showing myself out.” His tail almost swiped across my knees as he whirled around and took off marching in the wrong direction.
When clearing my throat earned no response, I jogged the few steps to catch up. He still didn’t look at me, even when I gestured across the gaming floor.
“Door’s that way.”
He aimed a fiery glare at the way I’d pointed then growled again. “Ugh, it’s like a damn rat maze in here.”
With another spin and flick of his tail, he stalked off.
For a moment, I hesitated. So far, my first demon encounter had been… enlightening. This one, at least, was kind of cute. He sashayed across the casino floor with his hips swinging in a way that might’ve been seductive if you were into that sort of thing.
But I couldn’t help thinking of how vulnerable he’d looked strung up between my burly coworkers. And how quickly he was now vanishing into the midday crowd.
Pain shot through my leg as I rushed to rejoin him. He didn’t acknowledge me, eyes fixed straight ahead, expression unreadable.
“I can escort you, if you’d like,” I offered. “Technically, I’m supposed to—”
“I can walk.” He bit out the words. “And you can watch, if you’d like.”
Heat crept up my neck, and I scrubbed my hand along it. “I just want to make sure no one else gives you a hard time.”
He huffed. “Or to make sure I don’t leave a trail of sin across your hallowed ground.”
He didn’t break stride, and I kept pace. I wasn’t escorting exactly, but I wasn’t letting him walk alone either. He seemed eager to leave, and as long as he was heading in the right direction, I wasn’t going to push it.
When we reached the exit, I stepped ahead to catch one of the double doors and hold it open. He stopped short of the threshold, heels clicking to a halt on the tile.
Did he think I was trying to trick him?
Whatever doubts he’d had, he pushed past them and swept out the door and started down the steps.
Sunlight caught him immediately, lighting his brown skin until it looked impossibly rich.
I’d questioned the clothes, the shoes, the whole vibe really, but he was suddenly so vibrant that I couldn’t help but call out.
“Hey!”
He’d proven to be an expert at ignoring me, so I was surprised when he stopped and turned around.
“Don’t come back.” He rolled his eyes. “I know.”
My head shook before I could form the words. “No, I…”
People brushed past on either side, coming and going and splitting around me.
Blocking the doorway made no sense, so I stepped out into the brightness that did my mousy brown hair and tan skin few favors.
When I reached the demon on the sidewalk, I felt lackluster by comparison—like a background extra standing next to the star of the show.
“I’m sorry about that.” I motioned to the casino behind us. “They didn’t hurt you, did they?”
He adjusted his shirt sleeves. “If that upset you, you may be in the wrong line of work. They were doing their jobs. I’m not sure what you’re doing.”
“Hassling customers isn’t their job,” I replied.
“And I’m not their customer.”
I frowned. “Then why were you—”
“It was part of my tour.”
“Right,” I said.
The demon regarded me with one white brow raised. “You don’t think I look like a tourist?”
“I don’t know what you look like.” The words were out before I could soften them, and I blanched as the demon’s expression grew stormy. “Sorry, that was—”
“Rude,” he snipped.
“Yeah.” My ears burned, and I cut my glance away. “Yeah, it was.”
The demon gave a little hum as though approving of my shame before he turned away. I should’ve let him go, but something compelled me to call after him again.
“Wait!”
When he spun back, his jaw was tight and ticking.
“I may need to file a report,” I blurted. “About the incident. It could benefit from your statement. Would you mind if I followed up? Maybe with a phone call?”
The demon paused. He sized me up from my polished black boots and starched uniform to the Glock 19 holstered on my belt.
“You want my number?” he asked.
“For the report.”
He opened his mouth like he had something cutting to say then reconsidered. In the pause, his expression became almost amused.
Reaching into his back pocket, he pulled out a sleek metal card case. He popped it open, took a card, and handed it to me.
I hadn’t expected anything as official as a business card, and I certainly hadn’t expected this.
One side held a headshot—his, of course—with the word Luxe stamped across it in gold foil. The other side showed a black and red logo with a stylized demon silhouette and a name.
Devil’s Dollhouse.
I knew that place.
The demonic strip club had been the subject of plenty of chatter around the casino. More than usual in recent days. A good security officer was supposed to be seen, not heard, and preferably ignored. Which meant I overheard a lot.
When I glanced at the demon, Luxe, he was wearing a smirk.
“You work here?” I referenced the club logo. It was an objectively stupid question, but the only one I felt comfortable asking.
Luxe cocked one hip, drawing my gaze to the dramatic curve of his waist. Little wonder I’d been confused about his gender. He was like a chameleon; a creature made of shapes and soft lines I couldn’t reconcile.
It was impressive. Alluring. Attractive.
I was still staring when he replied, “I’m the manager.”
Manager. Of the Devil’s Dollhouse.
That meant this compact, sharp-tongued demon was either a stripper, a stripper wrangler, or something close to it. Did he ever take the stage? Shimmy out of his frilly clothes and bare his umber skin to the spotlight?
I stared again, blatantly this time, caught between curiosity and something I couldn’t name. I was so lost in it that I barely noticed Luxe pluck the card from my hand and tuck it into the breast pocket of my shirt. The pat of his palm against my chest startled a breath from me.
His red lips parted over teeth I half expected to be sharp. But they weren’t. He had a very human smile, warm and mild.
“Thanks for the save, sweetheart. And feel free to call me. For your report.” He winked, regaining an air of nonchalance as he continued. “Or we could talk career moves. I doubt your coworkers appreciated your little intervention back there, and the Dollhouse happens to be hiring security staff.”
With another quirk of his mouth and a parting flutter of his fingers, he turned and walked off.