He was also an opportunist who wouldn’t hesitate to take advantage of this situation for his own gain. If he could and did agree to help her, that help wouldn’t come for free. He’d once said that the idea of having Knox Thorne owe him a favor would appeal to him. And since Khloë was both a close cousin of Knox’s mate and a member of his lair, Knox would no doubt grant Maddox whatever favor he requested.
When the metal doors opened, Raini stepped out … and found herself in a very spacious office. It was swanky with the executive, L-shaped desk, the leather desk chair, the comfy seating area, and the overly large aquarium. Monitors featuring CCTV feeds hung on one wall. The floor-to-ceiling glass window overlooked the club floor below. But none of that held her attention. Because there was really no way not to focus on the alarmingly magnetic male who stood a few feet away—tall, still, watchful.
Right on cue, her hormones tripped all over themselves.
Um, had she mentioned that he was hot as holy hell? Probably not. She tended to try to overlook that. But, really, it was impossible. You couldn’t overlook a tower of sheer power, solid muscle, blatant danger, and dark sexual energy. Particularly when it was wholly focused on you.
His disturbingly vacant eyes were a very vivid Prussian blue that seemed to hold an element of power—compelling you to make eye-contact. His short, stylishly tousled hair was black as the sea at night, and damn that mouth was all kinds of sinful. His white, crisp shirt looked perfectly tailored to fit his broad shoulders and hard chest that—
Hell, this wasn’t the time to ogle him. She was there for a reason. A very, very good one. So her hormones would just have to get their shit together.
He didn’t greet her. Didn’t ask why she was there. Didn’t look all smug and triumphant at the fact that she’d come to him, which surprised her. He simply waited.
Conscious of the time ticking by, she took a single step toward him. “I’ll understand if you tell me to fuck off—I wouldn’t even blame you for it. I’ve done nothing that would give me the right to come to you for help, but I don’t know who else to ask.”
He still didn’t speak. He just kept watching her, expectant.
“I realize this is a long shot, but you’re the only person I know who might be able to point me in the right direction. I once heard that it wasn’t only angels that fell from heaven long ago; that some archangels fell along with them and copulated with demons.”
His expression didn’t whatsoever change, giving her no hint as to whether the rumor had any substance.
“Do you know of anyone who might have descended from archangels?”
His eyes narrowed ever so slightly. “Why?” he asked, his authoritative voice pitched low and deep.
She’d never admit it aloud, but she liked his voice. Liked hearing it in her mind. Still, she’d never replied to any of his mundane, throwaway questions. She definitely hadn’t replied when he straight up told her he wanted to strip her naked and feast on every inch of her.
“I really need to get in touch with one,” she told him.
“And why would that be?”
She opened her mouth to reply, but a ball of emotion clogged her throat. She didn’t want to speak the words. Saying it aloud would make it real. Still, she swallowed hard and forced herself to respond, “My friend, Khloë … she’s dying.” The words sounded like crushed rock.
Not even a flicker of emotion crossed his face. “She’s injured?”
“Yes and no. She was hit by an orb of death essence. Twice. She doesn’t have long left.” Raini felt tears pool in her eyes, but she didn’t bother to wipe them away. There’d be no hiding them from him. “An angel tried to help her but couldn’t. I know it’s possible that a demon who’s descended from an archangel might be just as useless to her, but I can ask.”
Maddox stared at her long and hard, much like he had the first night they met. A smile didn’t touch his mouth this time, though. His face remained an impassive mask as that vacant stare drank her in for what felt like minutes.
She went to push for an answer, but then finally he moved. Her pulse began to quicken as he started to cross the space between them, each step slow and purposeful.
His eyes flitted over her face, which was no doubt lined with her fear for Khloë. “It wasn’t easy for you to come to me,” he sensed.
No, it hadn’t been. It had meant breaking all sorts of promises she’d made to herself.
His gaze tracked the path of a tear that had dripped down one side of her face. He gently thumbed it away. “She means so much to you?”
Raini swallowed around the hard knot that wouldn’t leave her throat. “Yes.” And if she had to beg him for help, she would. She wasn’t too proud to do it if it meant that Khloë would live.
He twisted his mouth. “I can heal her.”
For a moment, Raini could only stare at him, shocked. “You … you can heal her?” she asked, embers of hope flickering to life in her belly. At the same time, though, a hint of unease snaked through her, because it meant he possessed the blood of both a demon and an archangel—that could never be a good mix.
“Yes.” He dipped his head, his eyes snaring hers. “But you’ll owe me.”
“Fine,” she blurted out, even as it surprised her that he wouldn’t seek a favor from Knox.
“You don’t know what I want from you yet.”
“It doesn’t matter. All I care about right now is Khloë.”
“Exactly. That’s all you care about right now. But later,” he began, ghosting the tip of his index finger down the side of her face, “when you’re no longer feeling so desperate, you might find yourself regretting the deal you made here. Then you’ll try to wriggle out of our agreement.”
“No, I won’t. I keep my word. Just tell me what you want.”
“You’re sure you want to be indebted to me, Raini?”
Want to be? No. But she’d agree to owe him for Khloë’s sake. “I’m sure.”
“I have several conditions,” he warned.
“Hit me with them.”
“All right.” He edged into her personal space, swallowing it up, bold as you please. “From now on, you’ll respond whenever I telepath you—no more ignoring me.”
“No more ignoring you,” she agreed.
“You also won’t obstruct any of my attempts to make you safe, and you won’t allow your friends or lair members to do it either. We might not be bonded, but you still belong to me. It’s my right to protect you. I’m claiming that right.”
Raini gritted her teeth, battling back the urge to point out he had no business claiming any rights, all things considered. “Fine.”
“Thirdly, you will telepathically reach for me if you are ever injured, no matter how small that injury is.”
She frowned. “You’re saying, what, you can heal wounds?”
“Yes. So if you are hurt, no matter how minor the injury, you will reach for me. You will not suffer unnecessarily.”
“Okay.” It wasn’t like she enjoyed pain or anything. “Is that all?”
“No. You will come to me once a month. You will spend a few hours here each time so that my demon can see for itself that you’re well.”