A Demon’s Touch by Ella Jade

Chapter 11

Harper

What has me so off-balance? Like you don’t know!

I could see it in his devious eyes. This man was evil. My gut told me to run fast and far, but for the first time in my life, I didn’t want to make the safe choice. I wanted to be reckless and forget about the consequences. I wanted him.

Sitting across from him on the floor with my hand in his didn’t help my wild thoughts. The last dream played in my head like a movie. Repeatedly, visions of him pleasuring me with his fingers invaded my thoughts for the past several days. Now was no exception. I needed more. I didn’t want him to be in my fantasies. I wanted the man sitting across from me.

Captivated by his mouth, I leaned forward, not sure what I was doing but doing it anyway. As if it was an involuntary reaction, I brushed my lips along his jaw. His breath danced across my lips, coercing a chill to brush over me. I froze when he took my chin in a firm grasp between his fingers and thumb, holding me hostage.

He gazed at me, triggering the memory of his blood-red eyes. When I jerked back, he released me not only from his hold but from the spell he had me under. What the hell was I doing?

“I’m sorry.” I scrambled to get up from the floor, but he took my wrist and guided me back down. “I don’t know what came over me, but it was completely unprofessional.”

What was wrong with me? Why did he have this hold over me?

“I’m sorry.”

“You said that already.” His calm demeanor had me on edge.

“I shouldn’t have gotten in your space. My advances were inappropriate. My behavior was unacceptable, and I…” Didn’t feel an ounce of regret.

“Your advances would have to be unwanted for them to be inappropriate,” he replied.

“What?”

“We’ve been working closely together,” he said. “Spending plenty of time with one another. We share meals and hold conversations. It’s natural to become attracted to one another. I don’t blame you.”

“You don’t?”

“Not all.” He let go of my wrist. “Don’t be embarrassed. I’m flattered.”

“I don’t know what got into me.” I pushed my hair from my face, looking anywhere but into his eyes. “I haven’t been sleeping well, and I want to succeed here. It’s strange, but when I’m around you, I don’t think clearly.” I stopped trying to explain because I didn’t even understand where all this was coming from. “I’m babbling.”

“I like when you babble.” He traced his fingers along the side of my neck, adding to my confusion. “It’s telling. Don’t stop.”

“I think I’ve said enough.”

“Why aren’t you sleeping?”

When I finally got the nerve to gaze into his eyes, I fell into some strange trance, totally mesmerized by his every action. It was as if I had no control over what I should or shouldn’t say. There was plenty I shouldn’t say.

“I’ve been dreaming a lot lately, ever since I met you to be exact.”

“But today, the dream has you preoccupied. How come?”

“It’s silly.” I didn’t want to get into this. I sounded like a lunatic. “It was a dream.”

“We have a critical day in front of us. The London deal must be closed today. We may not get another opportunity, and I want that property. I also have the seller from California calling this afternoon. I’ll know by then if we’ll be traveling there. I need you focused and ready to go. So, if telling me what’s on your mind is going to make you a better attorney, then by all means, go ahead.” He stood and extended his hand for me. “Although, I’d rather not discuss such matters from the floor.”

“I’m fine.” I took his hand and let him help me up because, as independent as I claimed to be, I liked when he took care of me. “Can we forget this ever happened?”

“Not until you tell me about the dream.”

“You’re not going to let this go, are you?”

“No.” He took a seat at his desk. “What were we doing in the dream?”

“How did you know you were in the dream?”

“A bold assumption, but I’m not wrong.” His voice was low, somehow soothing. “What were we doing?”

“I, ah, don’t remember.” If he thought I was going to tell him that his hand was in my panties and his fingers were in…

He raised a brow but said nothing.

“It was a bizarre dream, but your eyes turned red, and that’s all I’ve been able to think about.” Well, not all I’m thinking about. There was that kick-ass orgasm he made me have, and that wasn’t a dream. “You were in my room, and your eyes were still red, but when I turned on the lights, you were gone.”

“In the dream?”

“No, that’s the concerning part. I was awake when you were in my room. You were there, or at least, I thought you were.”

“With red eyes?”

“I told you it was silly.”

“It sounds like you had a dream within a dream.”

“I don’t remember waking up from the second dream.” I paced his office. “I turned the lights on and sat in the chair. I was already awake. It was very real.”

“Perhaps it was a manifestation in your mind.”

“Probably.” I shook my head. “The dreams are causing me to be a little irrational, which is why I lost myself a few minutes ago. It won’t happen again.”

“I hope that’s not true.”

“I apologize for my momentary mishap. I’m ready to work.” I wanted to break free from the confines of his scrutinizing stare. I needed to prove to him I was worthy of this position. Going on about dreams, red eyes, and trying to kiss him wasn’t in the job description. I had to get it together.

“I don’t know if that’s true.” He glanced at his phone. “I have to make a call.”

“I can do this.”

“You know what I’d like you to do?”

“Get some air?”

“You’re learning.” He grinned. “Take some time to clear your head. When you come back, we’ll go over the agenda for today. I’ll be working on California, and you’ll take London. Divide and conquer, so I need you to be prepared.”

“You really think I can handle London?”

“I wouldn’t ask you if I didn’t think you could.”

“I’ll get some air.”

“Maybe sit in the Mustang.” He picked up his phone off the desk as a sexy smirk crossed his lips. “Take a couple selfies. It might help relax you.”

“You saw that?” My cheeks burned when I thought about how I waved at that security camera when I realized I was being recorded.

“I see everything.”

“Thanks for the confidence you have in me.”

“Always.”

“I’m going to take that walk.”

I hurried out of the study and down the hall, creating some much-needed distance from him. My heels hit the pristine hardwood floors as fast as my heart raced. Once I was through the archway, I stopped and leaned against the wall, giving myself a moment to catch my breath.

The stunning angel in the portrait across from me seemed to stare at me. Her crystal blue eyes followed my every move, making me more bothered than I already was. I blinked a few times, trying to dismiss the heavenly being. What was Angelo’s fixation with angels? Of course, that was a minor thing to think about. It was the least of my worries.

I will not fall for this man. I cannot fall for him.

* * *

Angelo

Keeping my attorney calm and confident took some work. I wasn’t known to take on such projects, but there was something about her I couldn’t resist. It was I who usually did the seducing, but she had backed me into a corner and didn’t even know it.

Looking into her eyes this morning and resisting her kiss was more difficult than dealing with one of my trips to Hell. She was anxious when she arrived, and if we had kissed, she probably wouldn’t have been able to function. My nightly visits were becoming too much for her. I’d have to back off.

She had placed me in unfamiliar territory. I never had a problem taking what I craved, but with her, I wanted to savor every moment. So, I invaded her dreams to be with her as much as possible, or I thought I had. That strategy, however, wasn’t working for either of us. It was time for a new plan.

“Angelo!” Harper yelled my name from the hallway, and it might have alarmed me if I didn’t know she was full of excitement.

I leaned against the front of my desk as she hurried into the study. She looked just as stunning as she had when she first arrived this morning. A dusting of blush grazed her cheeks, and an appealing shade of pink glossed her lips. When she tried to kiss me this morning, the scent of berries drew me in. Perhaps it was time to taste her.

“Hi!” She beamed with enthusiasm. “You’re not going to believe it.”

“Try me.” I grinned.

“Do you already know what I’m going to tell you?”

“I might.”

“Did London call you?”

“No, I was on the phone with California, remember?”

“Then how do you know what I’m going to tell you?”

“The expression on that beautiful face of yours gives everything away.”

“Everything?”

Are you flirting with me?

“Almost.” I motioned for her to step inside. “Are we going to converse with you in the hallway?”

“Uh, no.” She came into the study, still radiant with adrenaline. “I just got off the phone with London.”

“And?”

“I got you the property.”

“Congratulations, I knew you could do it.”

“They’re sending over the contract now. We can look it over, but from the way the negotiations went I expect everything to be straightforward.”

“Well done.”

“Thank you.” She gazed down at her feet. “Not just for your praise but for your faith in me. I want to prove that it isn’t misplaced.”

“Do I strike you as a man who wastes his time?”

“Not at all.”

“I know where to place value in my life.” I stepped toward her, wanting more than anything not to feel the panic she experienced when I came close. “I know where to invest my time and who is worthy of my experiences, who can benefit from it.”

“I appreciate everything you’re doing for me.”

“I know.” I traced my finger along her collarbone, causing her skin to heat in response. “This is only the beginning.”

“You were right about the walk today.”

“Was I?”

“I needed to regroup.”

“I’m glad it helped.” I caressed her soft skin, backing her against the wall and closing the space between us. “You’re still tense.”

“I…ah…” She swallowed hard when I moved my hand along her throat. “Do you want to go over the terms of the deal?”

“We can do that in the morning.” I was hoping she’d spend the night and save me the trouble of coming to her this time. “We should celebrate your first big deal. Perhaps champagne and dinner?”

I was not inclined to leave the house, but I could have something delivered from any of the finest restaurants in the city. I owned several of them.

“Oh, that sounds lovely, but I was so anxious this morning when you told me about the call that I made an appointment to get a massage this evening. I had hoped it would be a celebratory one. I was right.”

“I see.” I struggled not to be frustrated as I could have given her a massage.

“How about a raincheck?”

“A raincheck?” She’s turning me down?

“Yes, you know, we can set a date and have dinner another night.”

“I know what a raincheck is.”

When her lips curved into a delicious smile, her delight seeped into me. “You’re not used to someone saying no to you.”

“It doesn’t happen often, but you don’t seem to have a problem saying it.”

I stepped away from her because it was obvious my evening wasn’t going my way, and I needed to reevaluate. Normally, I’d change course, but with her, I had to give her time and space. She was far too skittish for me to press her. I’d have to alter my tactics.

“It turns out we need to go to California earlier than I expected.” Would she deny me this request? Would I be patient enough to allow her that denial? “I can’t give you the notice you had initially asked for. Is that going to be a problem?”

“When were you thinking?”

“In the next two days.”

“How long will we be gone for?”

“The rest of the week, possibly into the weekend.” When I licked my lips, her gaze went straight to my mouth. “I have a house on the coast. We can stay there.”

“You want me to stay at your house?”

“That’s the plan. It has a marvelous view of the beach. The salt air and the beach will do you some good. Once we close the deal, we can take a few days to relax. There’s a pool and private beach access. We can have meals out on the terrace overlooking the ocean.”

“Like a vacation?”

“We’ll call it a working getaway. I think you’ll benefit from it.”

“It sounds lovely.”

“Will you accompany me?” I wouldn’t be taking no for an answer. If I had to pay her a visit tonight in her sleeping hours to persuade her, I’d do it. After all, I was no saint.

“Should I clear it with Calvin?”

“I’ll take care of Calvin, but I can assure you, it won’t be a problem.” Her emotions flipped from uncertainty to curiosity. “I need my attorney with me.”

“How can I say no?”

“You can’t.” I smirked. “I’ll work out the details, and we’ll leave on Wednesday.”

“Let me know how many meetings we’ll be attending, so I can pack the right clothes.”

“Don’t forget your bathing suit.” But if you did, I wouldn’t mind. “There will be plenty of pool time.”

“Another surprise from you.” She threaded her bottom lip through her teeth, and now, she had my full attention. “I didn’t think you knew how to relax.”

“I know how to do plenty, Ms. Whitmore. Maybe it’s time I showed you.”

“I guess I’m finally going to get to see those mysterious tattoos of yours on our working getaway.”

“I’m sure that can be arranged.” Among other things.

* * *

I wipedthe steam from the bathroom mirror and stared at my reflection. The long swim in the river followed by a scalding shower hadn’t relaxed me the way I had hoped. I’d become more restless since Harper’s departure.

I could pay her a visit later, but seizing her dreams would only cause her more stress, and I didn’t want to do that to her. She should enjoy her massage and a night away from me. I’d have plenty of time in California to see where we could take this strange relationship.

As the steam evaporated from the room, I pulled on a pair of jeans and a t-shirt. Since I had evicted my house guests, my nights were long and lonely. Before Harper, I had no problem filling my time or my bed, but in a matter of weeks, she had changed all of that and didn’t even know it.

“Impressive,” Koradon’s voice echoed off the ceramic Italian tiles. “I didn’t think you had it in you.”

“What do you want?” I yelled as Koradon’s face stared back at me in the mirror.

“Relax.” He laughed. “I’m paying you a compliment.”

“I don’t want your praise.” I pointed at him. “I want you out of my head, out of my mirror, and out of my bathroom.”

“You have the human at your fingertips.” He held up his hand and wiggled his fingers. “That didn’t take long at all.”

“Don’t talk about her.” I gritted my teeth. “She doesn’t concern you.”

“If she concerns you, she concerns me.” He arched a brow. “It’s so unlike you to show that much interest in a human. It’s intriguing.”

“You’re nothing but a presentation of my mind. I’ve known that for a long time. I plunged a blade through your heart and sent you straight to Hell.” I clenched my fists. “I have no regrets either.”

“There’s my boy.”

His appearance began to change right before my eyes. He was no longer the decrepit, frail demon I’d grown accustomed to through the years. He’d morphed into the man who raised me, the one I’d admired and wanted to emulate until I learned the truth.

“Does seeing my true form help?”

“It changes nothing.”

“You remember what we had. I can forgive you for allowing your emotions to get in the way all those years ago, but enough time has passed. You need to come home, Son.”

“Don’t.” I shook my head. “I’m not your son.”

“Biology proves otherwise.”

“You killed my mother, and I’ll never forget that.” I braced the edge of the sink, trying to stay in control. “I’ll never forgive it.”

“I did what I had to do. She took you from me, and that had its consequences. Did she really believe that I would walk away from you?”

“She was trying to protect me from you.”

“For all the good it did. You became a murderer anyway. The demon world banished you for killing one of their own, and the angel world cast you out for avenging her death.” When he grinned, his pleasure over what he had done violated my emotions. “The irony of it all.”

“Watching you die in front of me made it all worth it.”

“But here I am.”

“You’re not real.”

“Then why am I standing here? Why are you not dreaming about me? How have I infiltrated your mind?”

“Because I’m allowing it, but that will stop today.” I lost the upper hand with my dead father, but I could regain it. I had no choice. “You’re nothing to me.”

“That’s not true. You know I’m actually here. You can feel it.”

I tightened my grip on the marble sink as my eyes burned red, and my face hardened. I tried to push the beast back, but I was losing the battle.

“Don’t hold back,” Koradon said. “Show me who you really are.”

“Never!”

“You’ll change your mind. You’ll have no choice.”

“Tell me why you’re here! What do you want from me?”

“You’ll find out soon enough.” His cackle became distant as his image faded from the glass. “All in due time.”

I slammed my fist against the glass, shattering it into hundreds of pieces. The warm blood trickled down my hand and splattered into the sink.

“Fuck!” I screamed. “How are you alive?”

“Angelo?” David banged on the door. “What’s going on?”

“Nothing,” I mumbled. “It’s fine.”

“I’m coming in,” he said as he entered. “What the hell happened? I heard yelling.” He reached for the towel on the rack. “You’re bleeding.”

“I’m okay.”

“You don’t look okay.” He grabbed my hand and wiped the blood from my palm and wrist. “What did the mirror do to you?”

“Not the mirror.” I took the towel from him and wrapped it around my hand. “Koradon.”

“He was here?”

“In the reflection.” I looked toward the shattered mess. “He’s found a way out of my dreams and into my house.”

“What does he want?”

“He won’t tell me. He’s toying with me.”

“Stay in control. That’s how you’ve kept them away from you all these years.”

“This differs from when they summon me.” I unraveled the towel when my fist stung from the tiny slivers of glass embedded in my flesh. “He needs me for something. I can feel it.”

“Let me see your hand.” He opened the drawer under the counter and took out the tweezers. “What are we going to do about it?”

“We have to wait for his demands before I can formulate a plan.” I held out my hand so he could extract the glass. “I have to regroup. As much as I want to believe none of this is real and that he’s not back, I know better.”

“I can get extra security.” David tweezed out the last piece of glass. “We have plenty of demons and shifters who owe us. They won’t turn down the opportunity to help you.”

“Not yet.” I rinsed my hand under the faucet. “Not until I know the threat. I’ve never over-reacted before. I won’t start now, and I will not show weakness.”

“I don’t see how extra men is overreacting, but I know better than to challenge you.” He set the tweezers on the counter. “Do you still want to go to California?”

“Yes.” I shook out my hand and inspected the damage. “It’s business as usual.”

“I’d expect nothing less.” He patted my shoulder. “Greta planned to have the house prepared, and I’ve handled the travel details. You and Harper are set to leave on Wednesday morning.”

“Thank you.” I nodded toward the mess I’d made of the mirror. “Can you take care of this?”

“Of course.” He rolled his eyes. “That’s what I’m here for.”

“You’re here for a lot more.” I sighed. “I appreciate everything you do.”

“I’m here for the entire distance.”

“I know.”

My phone buzzed from my bedroom. David followed me into the room.

“It’s Harper.” It delightfully surprised me when I glanced at the screen.

“I’ll leave you alone.” David exited the room as I answered the call, intrigued that she sought me out after business hours.

“Ms. Whitmore,” I said. “I trust you had a useful massage.”

“Yes, it was, um, fantastic. The guy had really firm hands. I’ll probably be sore tomorrow but…”

The guy? “Your massage therapist was a man?” That wouldn’t do.

“Ah, yes but Angelo?”

She caught me off guard when she called, and now, I was distracted by the thought of a guy putting his hands all over her for the last hour. At first, I’d ignored the stress in her tone. “What is it, Harper?”

“I need your help.”