“Sunshine, stop,” Raum said.
“No. I have to do this.”
“Why?”
She looked at him. “Agree to dissolve the contract, and I’ll tell you.”
His jaw shifted.
There was a pause.
When he spoke, his voice was quiet. “You don’t have the book, do you?”
She swallowed, and her stomach twisted tighter. She knew she should have told him the minute they arrived back on Earth. The truth was overdue to come out.
“I never got it before I broke you out of the dungeon,” she admitted.
“But you said…” He trailed off, eyes widening. She hadn’t directly lied, but she had carefully deflected every question he asked about it, and she figured he was piecing that together now.
“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you.” She focused on making him understand. The other two demons could wait. “I know it was wrong, but I knew you wouldn’t want to leave Hell if I told you I didn’t have it.”
“No shit, considering that was the whole reason we went there in the first place, and why we went to all the trouble of getting those damn amulets.” His eyes narrowed. “Tell me you still have one left and you didn’t use them both.”
Sunshine pressed her lips together. She wasn’t going to speak any more lies.
“Fuck, Sunshine!”
Her eyes narrowed. “I don’t regret it, and why do you care anyway? I’m willing to dissolve the contract. No consequences. And I’ll swear the vow not to harm your family. Just agree and you’ll be free of all obligations to me.”
“Are you kidding me?” he snapped. “You think I give a fuck about the contract?”
“I…” Well, yes, she did.
A tense silence fell. Their gazes were locked, his golden eyes seeming to drill holes right through her. Belial and Mist listened in silence, but at this point, she’d all but forgotten they existed.
“You’ll be free,” she whispered.
“If you don’t have the book, you still need my help getting it.”
“No. This is my mess, and it’s my responsibility to clean it up. I never should have involved you. It was selfish, and I won’t do it again.”
“If you think I’m letting you go back to Hell by yourself, you’re delusional.”
“Raum…” Her throat constricted, and suddenly, she longed to tell him everything.
They stared at each other from only feet apart, though it felt like an ocean was between them. But for the first time…she thought they might be able to cross it. She thought they might be able to make it if they met each other halfway.
“Why didn’t you get the book, Sunshine?”
She shook her head. “Agree to break the contract.”
“Why did you care about leaving me behind?” His eyes glinted. He wasn’t backing down.
“Agree to break the—”
“I’m a demon. I belong in Hell because all demons are evil, right?”
“No! No, they’re not, and you already know I feel that way, so I don’t understand why you’re forcing me to say it right now. There was no way for me to get the book and free you. I had to make a choice, so I made it, and I don’t regret it. I care about you more than I care about the stupid book. I don’t even want to find it anymore. I’d rather just stay here with you.”
