The Devil's in the Details by Kimberly Raye Read Free Book Online Page B

a few years back. He goes there for the final showdown, only to get sidetracked by a bunch of lower-tier demons Azazel had gathered as a distraction. Cutter got busy slaying his way through the crowd, which gave Azazel a chance to slip away. Again.”
    “So Cutter wants revenge against Azazel.” She nodded. “Then why is he after my mom?”
    “Who knows?” She shrugged. “Maybe his priorities are changing. Maybe he’s given up on revenge and he’s more interested in prestige. Taking out your mother would push him all the way to the top of the Legion. Maybe even into Gabriel’s seat.”
    “I doubt Cutter could go that high. Gabriel’s an archangel.”
    “True, but even archangels retire. Look at your gramps.”
    “Maybe.” Still, Cutter hadn’t struck me as a power-hungry kind of guy. I remembered the glimmer in his eyes. The longing.
    Okay, so he was hungry. But not for fame.
    For me.
    Down, girl.
    I took a huge gulp of the mimosa.
    “Somebody’s thirsty.” Blythe eyed me as she mixed her own drink. “Tell me something. Is he as hot as everyone says?”
    His image materialized in my mind and my nipples pebbled. I shrugged. “He’s all right.” When she raised a brow, I added, “Okay, so he’s more than all right. He’s kind of hot.”
    “Kind of?”
    “Okay, so he’s smoking hot. He’s the sexiest man I’ve seen in a long,
long
time. Not that it means diddly. He’s completely off-limits.” I took another drink and watched her watch me. “I’d be crazy to be interested under the circumstances, right?”
    She nodded. “One hundred percent certifiable.”
    “Seriously. It’s not like we’re talking about some regular guy. He kills demons for a living. And he has no soul.” Which made him the ultimate hard-ass. Cold. Unfeeling. Incapable of love.
    Nix any happily-ever-after—which was all I was interested in. Even if my hormones were humming an entirely different tune.
    “On top of that, he’s after my mom. I might not be the most loyal daughter, but I could never associate with someone who wants to off my very own mother.” I took my mimosa, grabbed a bag of candy, and headed into the living room. Blythe followed. “I mean, really,” I added as I settled on the couch. “What kind of daughter would I be if I consorted with the enemy?” I was already dealing with a steaming side of guilt served up by my conscience for turning my back on my birthright. I didn’t need another heaping spoonful on top of that. “Satan or not, I couldn’t do that to my ma.”
    “Family first.” Blythe sank down next to me. “I hear ya.”
    I popped a handful of candy into my mouth. “Damn straight,” I mumbled around a mouthful. “A girl’s got to have her priorities.”
    “Amen.”
    “No way am I actually going to call him.” I punched up the DVR and bypassed David Tutera in favor of a
Jersey Shore
episode. “Even if he did give me his card.”
    No
effing
way, I reminded myself later that night after Blythe and I had fist-pumped our good-byes and I’d double-checked the locks on all the doors and windows. After looking at the crumpled business card about a trillion times, of course.
    I wasn’t doing it. That’s what I told myself as I climbed into bed. No punching in his digits. No talking to him and betraying my ma. No reaching out and betraying myself.
    I clamped my eyes shut and there he was. Teasing. Tempting. Tantalizing.
    I’d made a vow. No mindless, meaningless sex.
    As for a mindless, meaningless fantasy…
    I smiled and snuggled into the pillow. What could be the harm in that?

6

    I’d had about a zillion wet dreams since climbing onto the No-More-Mindless-Sex-until-I-Find-the-One Express, so it didn’t really surprise me when I woke up to feel a trickle of sweat at my temple. Moisture pooled between my breasts. My favorite Hello Kitty tee clung to me. The damp sheets stuck to my skin.
    I smiled as I remembered the way dream-Cutter had touched me. Soft and slow at first. Then