“Noted,” I said dryly.
I couldn’t stop fidgeting while Caleb drove us to my brother’s club. I fiddled with the rings around my finger, turning them back and forth until Hayden laid his hand on top of mine.
“You okay?” he asked, and the concern in his brown eyes made my chest tighten.
No, I wasn’t okay. I was about to tell the love of my life that I’d been lying to him, at least by omission, since the day we met.
When I didn’t answer, he brought my hand to his lips, kissing the spot right beside the rings, offering his silent support.
He didn’t let go of my hand as we walked through the dimly lit lobby or during the elevator ride to the top floor.
Sam and Piper were already there when we arrived. Piper sat on the counter in the kitchen with Sam standing between her legs, their heads bent together as they spoke. Their daughters’ shrieks of laughter rang out from the living room. Dion, who was sitting at the table in the dining room right off the kitchen, looked up at the sound of the door opening but turned back to the open book in front of him when he saw it was us. My nephew was still not nearly as big a fan of me as my nieces were.
“Danielle.” Piper pushed her husband away and slid off the counter to hug me.
“Blake,” Sam said with a nod and held his hand out.
I held my breath as they shook and then glanced at Piper in question. Had she said something to Sam? Convinced him to accept Hayden?
She shrugged and shook her head. Whatever was going on between the two men was only known to them.
“Thanks for letting us use your apartment,” Hayden said even though he wasn’t the one who had decided to have this multifamily dinner.
“It’s no problem.” Sam’s eyes landed on me, contemplation and curiosity swimming in their depths.
I resisted the urge to fiddle with my rings again as nerves shot through me and a ball of dread took up residence in the back of my throat.
Micah was the next to arrive, then Allison and Robert. Everyone chatted and made small talk, but I couldn’t bring myself to say anything.
Hayden wrapped his arms around me from behind and I leaned back against his chest, thankful for his support even if I felt like an awful person for drawing comfort from him when this night was going to suck for him just as much as it would for me.
Miles and Nate and his family arrived at the same time, Miles bearing wine that I gratefully began pouring for everyone.
Now we were just waiting for Maggie and Scott.
And the food.
Along with offering us use of his apartment, Sam had arranged for food from his extremely popular restaurantLa Belle Notte, which took up the second floor of the building, for our dinner. Ian was supposed to bring it up later.
After giving me a hug, Nova and Dion disappeared into the bedroom in the back, and Sam’s daughters followed after them like little minions. It was probably better they weren’t here for my story about Beelzebub anyway. Though I was sure Dion and probably Novawould still be able to hear me if they chose to listen. There were some downsides to having children with angelic hearing.
There was a knock on the door, and Hayden left my side to let his sister in.
Maggie and Scott rounded the corner into the living room, and for a second everything seemed to pause while a strange and uncomfortable energy built in the room.
And then all hell broke loose.
Nate stepped in front of Sierra. Blood-red wings burst from his back, ripping through his shirt and curving back so they shielded his wife as much as possible. His green eyes were locked on Maggie, his lips peeled back in a snarl.
“Who the fuck are you?” he demanded, his body tensing like he was preparing to jump into a fight. I saw the moment he decided to move, half a second before he dropped to a crouch and pulled one of his knives from his boot.
“Don’t!” I shouted, jumping in front of Maggie, my own wings unfurling and creating a barrier between the two of them. “Nate, stop. What is going on?”
“She’s a demon,” he spat out, not taking his eyes off Maggie.
I opened my mouth, but no sound came out. Nate was born a sixth-order angel—he had the ability to sense demonic and angelic power. It was a skill I didn’t possess. I glanced toward Sam, who shared Nate’s ability. He was standing at the entrance of the hallway leading to the bedroom. His wings weren’t out, but I recognized thedefensive position he was standing in. He was guarding the kids. He felt it too.
But Maggie couldn’t be a demon. I’d seen her emotions, so she had to be at least partially human. And she looked so much like Allison—they obviously shared DNA.
