Chapter 10: Erin

“Good morning, love.”

At the sound of Dez’s voice, I shot out of bed, stumbling onto my feet. He sat on the edge of my bed, wearing a gray shirt and faded jeans instead of his usual suit or button-down. Was it because he knew my preference for men in jeans, or was I overthinking things?

“Oh please, I’m not here to hurt you. I came to offer you food.”

I crossed my arms over my shirt and put a few paces between us. I was grateful I had been sleeping in my jeans until now, waiting for a moment like this. “Unless you want to discuss moving up my date with the Council or seeing Megan, I’d rather we avoid each other.”

His smile didn’t reach his eyes. “Tell me how you left my dimension, and you have a deal.”

“I already told you.”

He ran a hand through his blonde hair, perfectly mussing it, either by accident or on purpose. “So stubborn. Maybe some hot coffee and breakfast will soften you up. Come along.”

He snapped his fingers, and we were now in a dining room, but not one of the several I passed when roaming his mansion. The table was much smaller and more intimate, with plates of steaming eggs, bacon, pancakes, and a carafe of coffee. A fire crackled in the fireplace in the center of the room, glowing off the black marble. Through the tall windows lining the back wall, the morning sun rose over the autumn trees and glinted off the lake. It would’ve been romantic, something out of a rom-com—if it’d been with anyone else. Preferably human.

To my horror, Dez had changed me out of my comfortable white T-shirt and jeans into lacy silk pajamas. The pale lavender shorts barely covered my ass.

“Put me back in my clothes.” I tugged at the silk bottoms, but they wouldn’t cover any more than they already did.

Dez sat down at the table, pouring himself a cup of coffee. “But you look way lovelier in those. Now sit.”

“This is ridiculous.” I tried hard not to huff like I was throwing a fit. “I’m not even hungry.” My stomach chose that moment to betray me with a loud growl.

“Sit and eat, Erin.”

I narrowed my eyes at him. “You know my name?”

He sighed, setting down his coffee to shoot me an expression I couldn’t read. “I know a lot more about you than you think, Erin Jay Williams. Maybe if you sit down, I’ll indulge you in whatever questions you have to ask.”

I matched his sigh as I sat across from him, the sleek black chair cold against the back of my legs. I reached for the coffee first. “How do you know my name?”

He leaned back, the shirt tightening over his chest in all the right places, and crossed his legs. As much as I hated him, Dez looked damn good in casual wear.

“Megan told me a great deal about you. Honestly, I couldn’t care less at first, but now that you’re here, actively ruining my life, those bits of knowledge have become quite useful.”

It was as if someone had punched me in the gut. Why would Megan trust this jerk with important information about me that could be used to hurt me? I took a deep breath. Megan was friendly to a fault. She was likely just making small talk or bragging about me as she liked to do to new friends. It was sweet when she did it then, but not now.

“Actively ruining your life? That seems dramatic.” I poured creamer into the coffee and took a swig.

Dez grew quiet, and I risked a glance up to find his jaw tight, eyes narrowed into slits. My stomach flipped, and I recalled Cal’s words, what Dez gave up in order to satisfy our contract.

“I may not be able to physically harm you, but nothing is stopping me from locking you in a dark room until your meeting with the Council. Tread carefully, human.”

I set down my coffee to prevent the liquid from sloshing, hiding my trembling hand beneath the table. He was right. I needed to remember who I was dealing with and the position I was in. “I’m sorry,” I forced the phrase out.

“Your friend also said you were smart and had a knack for talking your way out of things.” He took another drink. “I wonder if she knew how much trouble that mouth of yours would get you in.”

“I’m sure sitting here, talking to you, is the last place she’d expect me to be.” Wherever Megan was, I just hoped she was okay. That she wasn’t injured or suffering. Did she know I was trying to save her? “Is there any way I can see her?”

Dez set down his coffee, filling his plate with eggs and bacon. “It’s not my place. She’s within the Council’s domain now.”

“But is she safe there? Comfortable?”

He took a bite of his eggs, slowly chewing as if he’d never had them before. Then I wondered if this entire meal was meant for me and not Dez’s usual morning routine. What did he normally eat? Did he even have to, considering he wasn’t human?

“Who knows, but maybe you can ask your new friend, Caliphiste. He works for the Council, you know.”

I froze.

“What do you mean?” I avoided his eyes as I made my plate of food.

“The being you spoke to in my study? Don’t pretend you’ve already forgotten. I almost locked you away permanently that day, but I didn’t because I’m oh so merciful.”