“It’s a valid question! The only people who see Asmodeus are people who aren’t attracted to him sexually.”
“What the hell are you guys smoking?” she snapped. “Seehim? He’s standing right there! And no, I’m not a lesbian, not that it’s any of your damned business!”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes! Trust me, I’m sure.”
“How can you be certain? Have you—”
“Yes, okay? In high school. I experimented. It was fun, but not for me. I like men. I like dicks.” She huffed. “Unfortunately for me.”
All four of them were grinning at her now.
She threw up her arms in disgust and glared at Ash’s brothers. “You guys think so little of your own brother that you assume I’m a freaking lesbian rather than consider that I’m actually attracted to him? What the hell’s wrong with you?”
Belial dragged his fingers through his pale hair. “It’s not like that.”
“It’s the opposite,” Meph agreed quickly. “We think very highly of Asmodeus. We know he’s real hot stuff, right Ash?”
“Shut the fuck up,” Ash said, dragging hard on his cigarette.
“We’re just making sure you want him for the right reasons, that’s all.”
“He’s sensitive,” Raum agreed, his teasing words belying the perma-scowl on his face. “We don’t want you to hurt his feelings.”
“I will kill you all slowly and painfully,” Ash growled.
Some of Eva’s anger dissipated. They were just looking out for their brother, though they had a messed up way of showing it. “You guys remind me of my dad,” she said, rolling her eyes. “He used to drill all my dates with questions until they cracked under the pressure.”
“Hear that, Ash?” Meph punched Ash in the arm, earning him another glare. “Think of us as your dads.”
Ash recoiled. “No.”
“Too far,” Belial agreed. He shook his head and looked down at Eva. Way down, because he was so tall. He had one of those super masculine faces, with a jaw that could cut steel and a long, straight nose. His eyes were bluer than the sky on a clear day, and she’d never seen such light-blond hair. Skye was going to die when she saw him.
“Let’s start again.” He stuck out a palm. “Bel.”
Eva shook it. His huge hand swallowed hers completely. “Eva.”
She tried not to cower under his direct stare. There was something incredibly intimidating about him, more than just his size and attractiveness. Tension vibrated from him even though he looked relaxed, and she got the sense making this man angry would be a fatal mistake.
He released her hand and gestured to the other two brothers. “Birdbrain there is Meph, and that idiot is Raum. Just ignore everything they say. I do.”
“Nice to meet you,” she said.
Meph was back to grinning again. She hadn’t noticed before but his irises were red.Red.How the hell was that possible?
“Let’s go inside,” Ash said, tossing his cigarette onto the curb. She winced. She’d been raised to respect the environment and couldn’t stand littering.
“Did you know a cigarette filter can take up to ten years to disintegrate?” she asked sweetly.
Meph laughed loudly.
Ash looked at the butt and then back at her with a blank expression. She sighed. They’d have to work on that later. “Never mind.” She grabbed his hand. “Let’s go play some music.”
Upstairs was, as usual, packed. Standing room only, back to front, as it always was on Thursday nights. It was going to be an effort just to make it to the bar.
“You guys want drinks?” she shouted, and the brothers nodded at her as if she was asking them if they, too, breathed oxygen. Keeping hold of Ash’s hand, she led the strange siblings through the throng of tightly packed bodies toward the bar.
