Devilish Deal by Jenna Wolfhart

3

By the time I reached Brooklyn, I still hadn’t calmed down. Where did Asmodeus get the idea he could treat people like that? And what was he trying to imply about me? That I wasn’t good enough for his stupid, overpriced club? To hell with that.

Serena opened the door before I could knock. Her mussed hair and lazy smile told me everything I needed to know. When she caught the look on my face, she straightened. “Everything okay? Did something happen?”

“I’m fine.” I trudged into the apartment and kicked off my boots. “Is Noah still here?”

“Hi.” Noah stood from the couch and dusted some nonexistent crumbs off his jeans. “I was just leaving.”

Noah had come into Serena’s life a year ago. He worked at one of the local artisan coffee shops and wrote novels in his spare time. His wire-rimmed glasses, along with his dusty blonde hair, made him look smart but also adorable. The two of them had somehow found each other in a city full of millions. I’d never seen Serena happier, and I’d known her my entire life.

“Honestly, you don’t need to leave on my account,” I said to him. “If you’re still hanging out, I can go up to the roof. The tenant on the top floor hasn’t password-protected her wifi, so I can watch some Netflix and stuff my face with ice cream for a few hours.”

“Uh oh, not the ice cream,” Serena said with a groan. “What happened to our pact?”

Noah raised a questioning brow, so Serena explained. “Mia can’t do anything in moderation but especially not ice cream. She eats a spoonful, and then the entire carton is gone within ten minutes. And then her stomach aches for days. A week ago, she vowed to go cold turkey.” She eyed me warily. “So, something must have happened.”

“I found another job lead,” I said tensely. “An audition to dance at a club. The owner turned me away because I don’t look the part. That combined with the earlier rejection from that receptionist job has sucked the life out of my day.”

“Wait,” Serena said, folding her arms over her wrinkled t-shirt. “A club? Where?”

“All the way in Manhattan,” I said with a sigh. “Hell’s Kitchen.”

“No wonder you were gone for so long.” A moment passed before she spoke again. “A dancer at a club? Is that really the kind of job you want?”

“No. Yes. I don’t know.” I shrugged. “It doesn’t matter either way. I didn’t get it.”

“The cafe is hiring,” Noah interjected. “A girl quit last week, and business is booming. We need another barista as soon as possible. I could hook you up with an interview if you’d like.”

I straightened, ice cream craving forgotten. Working in a cafe wasn’t my first choice, but I didn’t have the luxury of choosing. My business degree sat on a shelf, gathering dust, and my ballet shoes were tucked in the back corner of my closet. I didn’t know much about coffee, but I could learn.

“You know what? That would be great. Thanks for offering to help.”

He flashed me a smile as he gathered his things. “Anything for Serena’s roommate. We’ll get you back on your feet.”

I read between the lines. He might be doing this to help me out, but there was a bonus for him involved. The sooner I got a job, the sooner I’d move out…but I didn’t know how I’d afford rent on barista wages. At least not in Clinton Hill.

Still, I would take whatever I could get. I’d proved that tonight, auditioning for that stupid asshole and his stupid dimpled smile. Ugh. At least I would never have to see him again.

* * *

Ataxi horn blared louder than any alarm. I jolted up from the couch, heart hammering hard. Dawn light filtered in through the cracked blinds hanging over the single window. I glanced at the clock. It was only six. The symphony of the city began far too early.

After I climbed out of my makeshift bed, folded the blankets, and took a shower, I whipped up some breakfast and threw on the television. Noah had told me to be ready for my interview at ten, so I had a few hours to kill. When I was halfway into my stack of pancakes, Serena joined me on the floor with a bowl of cereal. There wasn’t room in the apartment for a dining table.

“You’re up early,” she said as she rubbed the sleep out of her eyes.

“Couldn’t sleep.” I didn’t mention the horns. Somehow, Serena always slept right through them. “Thought I might as well get up and get my day started.”

“You’ll be alright today?” she asked as she swirled her spoon through the milk. “I don’t want to abandon you after last night.”

Serena worked in Manhattan as one of the youngest lawyers ever hired by her firm. With that designation came long hours and little time spent at home.

“I’ve got that interview at the cafe. I’ll be fine.”

“Stay away from the ice cream,” she warned.

I opened my mouth to throw back a retort, but a voice from the television cut through my thoughts. Serena seemed to notice it at the same time I did. We both twisted toward the screen.

“A new victim was found in Hell’s Kitchen last night. Her throat was slashed, just like the others.” The reporter’s lipsticked mouth was grim, solemn. “The police are investigating several leads, but…”

I sucked in a sharp breath and met Serena’s wide gaze. “Another one? I thought those murders had stopped. Didn’t they catch the guy?”

“They did. He’s in jail…they must have been wrong…Mia, you were in Hell’s Kitchen last night,” Serena breathed as she leaned forward. “That could have been you.”

My heart pulsed painfully in my chest. She was right.

After taking one final bite of my pancakes, I stood and brushed the crumbs from my jeans. “Well, it wasn’t me. It was some other poor girl.” I shivered just thinking about it. This was the fifth murder in the past few months. The police thought a serial killer was behind them all, and they’d caught a suspect a few weeks back. The murders had stopped…until now.

Either this was a copycat or they’d caught the wrong guy.

Serena frowned up at me. “Why aren’t you more freaked out? What if that had been you?”

“I am freaked out, but I don’t want to drive myself crazy thinking in what ifs. Not anymore. I spent two years doing that.” I strode over to the window, popped my head outside, and found Hendrix waiting for his morning treat. With a smile, I tossed him a leftover piece of my pancake. He caught it midair and swallowed it in one gulp. Spoiled pigeon.

Serena edged up behind me. “Just don’t go traipsing through the streets at night again, okay? Not even for a job.”

“I won’t,” I replied, though I’d meant what I said. An asshole with a knife wouldn’t make me cower in this apartment. I’d come to the city to finally move on with my life, so that was what I was going to do. As soon as I got a job. First up, I had to nail this interview. And hope they didn’t decide to look me up online.