Honestly, she’d have been disappointed if he hadn’t. It was what any smart person forced into a corner would do. But it meant she needed to be careful in her negotiating.
“If at any time we want to change the conditions of the contract,” he said, “we can.”
She shifted on her torturous chair. “Why would we want to do that?”
“Dunno. I’m just covering all the bases.”
“Fine. Agreed. If we both agree to amend the terms of the bargain, we may, so long as there is no coercion or manipulation involved.”
“I’ll need to visit my brothers before we go to Hell.”
“Absolutely not.” She couldn’t risk the slightest chance of him betraying her plans.
“They’ll get suspicious if I suddenly disappear.”
“Call them and tell them you’re going away for a time.”
His eyes narrowed. “They won’t believe that if they don’t see me for themselves.”
“Then tell them you met a human woman at the nightclub, and you want to enjoy her company undisturbed.”
His mouth pressed into a line, and the loathing that burned in his eyes would have given her pause had he not been safely trapped in the sigil. It seemed he didn’t like being reminded of what had transpired between them last night.
That was fine. Neither did she.
Yet she couldn’t resist needling him. “You can tell them you’ll tire of her in a week or so as you do all the women you’re with, and then you’ll return.” There was a bite to her words now, no matter how she tried to repress it.
She couldn’t help but wonder how many human women he’d danced with as he had her. How many women had he smiled at when he asked their name? How many women’s eyes had he stared into as he promised them a night of his undivided attention, focused solely on delivering their pleasure?
Why did it matter? It shouldn’t. There was no reason she should care the slightest. She pushed the thoughts and bitterness away.
“Fine,” Raum said, lip curling. “I’ll tell them that. In person. They won’t believe me otherwise.” The glare he aimed at her reminded her that promises of pleasure were far from his mind now.
Good. She had no need of them.
“Fine,” she replied.
They glared at each other.
“I want you to agree to protect Eva and my brothers in the future, after the contract is complete and you get your book.”
Her head came back. “I will not. I’ve already sworn not to reveal your whereabouts, which is enough to have me cast out of Heaven if I was discovered. The risk is too high.”
A part of her felt guilty for what she was doing. Associations with demons were so far beyond forbidden, the mere thought of what she was doing ought to have horrified her. But here she was, having captured one and forced him into her service.
But once she’d learned that the grimoire had been taken to Hell, her blood had gone cold at the thought of navigating the underworld by herself.
The Dominations had to know that she’d have to face her biggest fear and return to the place of her nightmares. Was that why they considered this worthy of her final test before reascension?
“All you’ve given me is a promise not to kill me and my family,” Raum said. “I get nothing else out of this.”
“Continuation of life is the ultimate goal of all beings.”
“I think you underestimate how little I give a fuck.”
She gritted her teeth. No one was dying if she had anything to say about it, so there was no point discussing this. “I am soon to be re-elevated to the rank of Principality. I cannot extend protection duties to rogue demons and half-angel abominations. It could jeopardize my position.”
“You’ll only be obligated to help if it doesn’t endanger you. And we won’t ask unless we have no other viable options.”
