There weren’t many things in the world capable of sending me into instant fight-or-flight mode, but that deep, languorous drawl was one of them.
I didn’t have to turn to know who’d arrived.
It was the fucking devil himself.
CHAPTER 2
Maya
POP CULTURE DEPICTED THE DEVIL AS A HIDEOUSthing, clawed and fanged with red skin and horns that broadcast his evilness to the world.
Pop culture was wrong.
In reality, the devil was tall and sculpted, with perfect teeth and a year-round tan that made him look like he’d just returned from a beach vacation in the south of France. Thick, artfully tousled brown hair hid his horns, and he moved with the lazy, self-assured confidence of someone who was used to getting everything handed to him on a silver platter.
If you hadn’t grown up with him (which I had) or endured his lifelong, cleverly hidden snark (which I also had), you might be duped into thinking he was an angel instead of Satan reincarnate.
Fortunately, I knew better.
Unfortunately, no one else did.
Lucifer, otherwise known as Sebastian Laurent, leaned against the wall and gave me the half-smirk he only revealed when it was the two of us.
He was too smart to let it show in front of other people.Everyone thought he was this perfect golden boy, but I’d seen through his mask since we were three years old, when he’d purposely tripped me during a game of tag and claimed the candy prize for himself.
It was the first and last time a boy ever made me cry.
“I was hiding from you.” I ignored that hated nickname,Sal, and gave him a saccharine smile instead. “I didn’t want to spoil my appetite before dinner.”
“Is that the type of hospitality you offer an old friend?” He tsked. “No wonder your company’s in trouble.”
My jaw tightened. Hewouldbring up the crisis the first chance he got. “We’re not friends, and this has nothing to do with work.”
“Frenemies, then.” Sebastian straightened and sauntered over. His walk was loose-limbed and graceful, as if it took him a fraction of the energy it would for anyone else.
He sprawled onto the couch opposite me, seemingly oblivious to my go-away-and-jump-into-a-lake-of-flesh-eating-piranhas energy.
Some people never get the hint.
“We’re not that either,” I said coolly. “Friendsis still part of ‘frenemies.’”
“That’s what you say, but I know you better than most ‘friends.’” A knowing smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. “How many sweets have you stress-eaten since news of the first case broke?”
Damn him.
“None.” The falsehood slipped easily off my tongue. “I don’t do that anymore.”
Sebastian’s eyes bored into mine. They were clear amber shot through with flecks of gold. In the dying sunlight, they appeared almost leonine.
“Liar,” he said softly.
My skin flushed. My heart beat in double time again, itsrhythm a loud drum in my ears as we stared at each other. The air crackled with long-simmering animosity.
I loathed him so much I almost couldn’t breathe.
“Is there a reason why you keep showing up where you’re not wanted?” I asked. “Or do you simply enjoy getting on my last nerve?”
“Yes and yes.”