Page 86 of A Chip on Her Shoulder

He sat straighter, regarding me through narrowed eyes. “The magic word of that statement is yet.”

“The magic words are actually please and thank you, but yet is a positive possibility for you.” I licked my lips and considered how best to finish my steak, which defied all my expectations for a steak. Had I even been eating beef before this restaurant?

My steaks at home, while a rare treat, couldn’t compare.

“I would very much like for you to look at me like you’re looking at that steak.”

I’d get there soon enough, once my stomach was convinced starvation wasn’t around the corner. “Honestly, I’ve never been so hungry in my entire life. You obviously did something wicked with me for me to be this hungry.”

“For about twelve hours, yes, I had my wicked way with you. It’s the start of the conversion process. You’re hungry because your body is beginning to adapt to exposure to so much devilish energy, which I delighted in subjecting you to. You also delighted in being subjected to it. I’ll just have to make certain my home has plenty of food for you to enjoy. Once you’re converted, your diet will be mostly energy, although you’ll still hunger for regular food as well.”

“Is regular food an actual part of your diet?”

“It’s not mandatory, if that’s what you mean, but I do enjoy it. I’m a spoiled creature and enjoy good food and even better dessert. Once you have your murderous tendencies satisfied, I intend on enjoying you for dessert.”

“How is Gallo doing? And my brother?”

“Belial will take care of your brother, although with those two, I expect there to be bodies along with a few new pet fish for your collection. I have decided one of Gallo’s companions will not be surviving today.”

“Oh?”

“I do not wish to discuss what he wants to do to you.”

Ah. Right. As I hadn’t been born yesterday, I could read between the lines. “He’s keeping company with an asshole who wants to poison me in order to coerce me into marrying him after he kills off his wife. Were you expecting anything different?”

“I was not precisely expecting anything different, but you will be my wife, and I take great offense over what he has planned for my wife.”

Oh, boy. “You don’t get to call me your wife until you get on bent knee with a ring, and even then, there needs to be a wedding,” I reminded him, and as he was being pushy and overprotective, I added, “You will bend your knee in front of witnesses consisting of your more notable demons and devils. My brother is my only family, so he absolutely better be present for the wedding, or I will be very offended. As for the reason your demons and devils need to witness, you have to make it clear that they’ll be making a poor decision should they cross me.”

“I feel strangely cornered yet intrigued and aroused by your disgustingly reasonable requests.”

Aroused? Had the Devil been dropped on his head as a baby repeatedly? After a moment of consideration, I realized he was an idiot who liked when I bossed him around. “Well, you are the Devil, and you have this expectation that people should grovel at your feet because you’re big, bad, and scary. I just find you sexy as hell, so it’s entirely possible I’m too intellectually deficient to be scared of you, so I boss you around instead. Because you have ridiculous expectations, this is attractive to you.”

“You’re too smart to be scared of me, as you have evaluated the situation and have come to the conclusion that I am not a threat to you, thus you have no reason to be scared. I’m very appreciative you find me sexy as hell, as this is a good indication I can pursue being sexy as hell for your enjoyment as soon as we finish with our after-dinner show tonight.”

“I will let you kill the one you don’t like if you let me kill the one I don’t like. Then you can teach me how to best welcome fucking assholes to your dungeons. Hey, how long does it take to make some badass leathers? I bet I’d rock leather.”

“Being the Devil has its perks, and I’m sure I could acquire some leathers for you to wear while you’re educating our newest fucking assholes in our dungeons. What color would you like your leathers to be?”

I pointed at the collar I’d pilfered from his dresser. “It needs to look good with this. I’ve claimed this as mine.”

“I put it there so you could steal it at your leisure. Such a lovely throat deserves to be adorned with jewels. If you had not helped yourself to it, I would have enjoyed pinning you and making you like my adornment of your person.”

Some equations were easier to solve than others, and I liked the Devil’s wicked ways. “I will make sure to leave it out so you are forced to indulge when you’ve been particularly good.”

“I really like reward systems, as I enjoy being rewarded for my behavior.” The Devil smirked, and he stared at something behind me. “Gallo has no idea what we’re discussing, but he recognizes your tone as seductive, and he does not like that at all. He feels quite entitled to your company.”

“How am I doing on the seduction front?”

“I am highly annoyed we have things to do before you can successfully seduce me.”

“Will you at least try to contain yourself, so your succubi don’t whine?”

“No.”

I raised a brow. “No?”

“You deserve my best, so the succubi will just have to whine, as restraining myself means you do not get my best. I’m a perfectionist, my darling, and you’ll just have to get used to it.”