“Fee.” He looked at me imploringly. “Mal and Azazel aren’t the only ones who want to keep you safe.”
My smile was forced, a mere action that didn’t reach my heart. “I’m not safe with you, Conah, and you know it.”
There was no being friends with Conah. Not right now, and maybe not ever, because there was no denying the fizzing sexual attraction between us, and until that faded or died or whatever, we’d need to keep a distance from each other.
I closed and locked my bedroom door and then made my way to the bathroom, stripping off as I went.
“Humansss have such ssstrange bodies,” Cyril said from his coiled position on the bed.
I yelped and clutched the shirt I’d just pulled off to my chest. “Fucking hell, Cyril. How did you even get in here?” I tugged the shirt back on quickly.
“Nooksss and cranniesss, Fee. Nooksss and craniesss.”
I took off my comms watch and placed it on the dresser. I doubted the device was waterproof, not that I’d been contacted on it or had the opportunity to use it yet. Conah, Mal, and Azazel’s comms were linked to mine, so I could send them a message or a signal I was in trouble. It was fitted with a locator.
“We talked about privacy, Cyril.”
“That’sss why I’m here. To get some.”
I bit back a smile. “What? You don’t like bunking with Cora?”
“My face may not reflect it, but I’m giving you a flat look right now.”
“She’s not that bad.”
“Then you bunk with her.”
“Nope.” I headed to the bathroom.
“Fine, let me sssleep here.”
“Nope.” I turned on the shower.
“Why not?”
“Because I don’t want a snake in my bed.”
“You didn’t sssay that lassst night.”
“My legs were aching, the constriction helped me get to sleep.”
“So, you only want me for my body?” He sounded genuinely hurt.
And if anyone was listening to this conversation, they’d be totally weirded out.
“Besides, your room gets all the sunlight,” he continued.
I shook my head. “Fine, you can hang out here if you want, but I need to shower before I head to the Academy with Mal.”
I’d deliberately picked a day Conah didn’t work at the Academy for my weekly visit.
There was a knock on the door, and then Iza entered carrying fresh towels, but the usual pop to her step was absent.
She carried the towels into the bathroom and reemerged a moment later and headed for the door.
“Iza?”
She stopped and turned to face me. “Yes, Fee?”
“What’s wrong?”
Her eyes widened. “Nothing’s wrong, Fee. Everything is fine.”
She was lying. “Seriously, Iza, you can tell me if something is bothering you.”
“No. No. I love it here. I value my job, and I enjoy serving you.”
She was acting super weird. “But something is wrong, isn’t it?”
She shook her head.
“She’s lying,” Cyril said. “She’s upset, I can sssmell it. She jussst doesn’t want to lose her job.”
He was right. I could sense it too. “Iza, you’ve been a wonderful friend to me since I got here.”
She looked surprised. “Friend?”
“Yes. Friend. And, as a friend, I want to help you with whatever’s bothering you. It’s what friends do.”
Her shoulders sagged. “My brother owes money. A debt he took to ensure me a place in the lottery for noble service.”
“Wait, you have to pay to work here?”
“No, no. The payment was to be considered for noble service. A noble service is the best employment any lesser demon could ask for.”
“And now your brother can’t pay back the debt?”
“I’ve been sending home money, but Riaza has been sent.”
“And Riaza is?”
“A debt collector. A killer. The loan has been called in five years early, and if my brother fails to settle in three days, he will pay with his life.”
Oh, God. “How much?”
“Fifty ichons.”
Was that a lot? It didn’t sound like a lot, but what did I know.
There was a rap on the door, and I looked over to find Mal leaning against the frame. “How was the workout?” he asked.
“Do you have fifty ichons?”
He frowned. “What?”
“Ichons. I need fifty of them now. I’ll pay you back if you tell me what the conversion is.”
His gaze dropped to Iza, and his brow arched. “And what do you need it for?”
“Iza’s brother’s life is in danger. I need it to clear his debt.”
“How do you know she’s telling you the truth?”
Iza visibly bristled, eyes blazing, but then quickly tucked in her chin to hide her reaction. Mal was a Dominus, her superior. She couldn’t defend herself. But I could.
“How do you know she isn’t?”
He opened his mouth to retort, but I held up my hand. “Do you have fifty ichons or not?”
“Of course, I do. I’m a fucking Dominus.”
“Then please send it to Iza’s brother.”
“I’m not your errand boy, Fee.”
He was probably sick of toting me around everywhere and having to watch my back all the time, but that wasn’t my fucking fault. None of this was.
“Then find me a fucking way to do shit for myself. You won’t have to be my ride anymore.”
“So that you can swan off and get yourself killed?”
“This is bullshit, Mal. I’m not an idiot.”
“No, Fee, you’re a sentimental fool who thinks she can help everyone.”
“Not everyone. But, right now, I can help Iza.”
He sighed, and his shoulders dropped a little. “I’ll send the money.”
Iza sagged in relief, looking up at me like I was wreathed in rainbows or glitter or something. “Thank you, Fee. Thank you, Master Malachi.”
“Yes, yes. You can go now.” Mal waved her away.
Iza left before I could stop her.
“You do not get to dismiss my—”
“Servant?”
“Friend. I was about to say friend.”
He walked closer, wrinkled his nose, and swept his emerald gaze up and down my sweaty post-training form. “Want me to help you shower?”
There was no mockery in his tone and no hint of amusement on his face. Was he seriously asking if I wanted him in the shower with me? Naked. My stomach gave a traitorous flip, and my mouth went dry.
I tentatively dropped the shield Azazel had helped me build and tasted Mal’s emotions. Red-hot lust hit me in the solar plexus, shooting straight to the apex of my thighs to tighten with sweet pain.
His eyes flared. “I could touch you, Fee. Bring that ache to its climax.” He leaned in, so his breath kissed my lips. “All you have to do is say the word.”
My blood rushed to the surface of my skin, hot, potent, and wanton as images of his bare torso filled my head. His fingers would slide into me, rubbing, teasing, circling, and … This wasn’t me. It was him in my head. Fuck. I bit back a ragged moan and brought my shield back up. The intensity of desire cut off, but there was no ignoring the latent throb of my body. He’d woken it up in a new way, and now it wanted satisfaction, but I’d be damned if that satisfaction came from Mal.