Flint chuckles. “The entire purpose of a soul is to learn and do better. The religions got that much correct. But the end goal isn’t just Heaven. A soul should progress so far through their lives that eventually they become a God themselves and are given their own world to watch over one day. We’re here to help that happen. We tempt, and coerce, coax and lure, not because we want a soul’s destruction, but so they can learn and grow from it. Eventually, a soul won’t be influenced by us at all, and then they’re ready for the tiers of Heaven and beyond.”
I gape at Flint.
Alder makes a disgruntled noise in his throat. “You went too big, too fast. Mortal minds can’t handle the whole I’m supposed to become a God thing or the thought that there are more worlds out there like theirs,” Alder tells him, as if he should’ve known.
“But she asked. Besides, not all the others use the same system we do here,” Flint counters.
“Trust me. See that blank stare she’s doing?” They both look over at me before turnin’ back at each other. “...She’s not ready to hear that either.”
I rub my temples. “I feel like I’m halfway through an episode of the Twilight Zone and I don’t have any idea what’s goin’ on, but I could use a beer.”
Flint looks at me with amusement. “We just picked you up from a club not two hours ago,” he points out.
“Yeah, and I couldn’t get a buzz, even though I practically drank myself under the table,” I tell him.
“Demon thing,” Flint replies. “It’s why we don’t drink much of the human stuff.”
I get to my feet and run my fingers through my tangled hair. I feel jittery and on edge, and even if it wouldn’t help settle my nerves, an ice-cold beer seems like a good distraction.
“Well, don’t just sit there,” I admonish. “What’s a girl gotta do around here to get a drink so she can emotionally dive into the ins and outs of demonism?”
The edges of Flint’s mouth curve up into a gorgeous smile, until his pearly whites are shinin’, and his grin makes my stomach jump like a pack of jackrabbits. “Pardon us, darlin’. Right this way.”
I follow behind him while Alder takes up the rear, and my back tingles in the way that it only does when you know someone’s eyes are trailin’ over you. I peek a look over my shoulder, and sure enough, Alder is checkin’ me out.
And I like it.
Turnin’ back around with my bottom lip between my teeth, I follow Flint as we head down a hallway. The floor is all slate-gray, and the walls are white with accents of silver light fixtures. From our quick pace, my neck turns to rubber as I lean and spin every which way I can to peek into the rooms we pass.
I catch a glimpse of a white and stainless steel kitchen with a huge eat-in bar area, and a home gym in the room past that. Everythin’ else is closed up tight, and Flint takes us to the black front door, which he swings open and gestures for me to go through first.
I step out into the night air, wonderin’ how late it is. Automatically, my hand goes to my butt, where I feel for my phone, but it ain’t there.
I turn, seein’ Flint closin’ the door after Alder comes out. “Y’all got my phone?”
“Here,” Flint says, diggin’ in the front pocket of his faded jeans before pullin’ it out and handin’ it to me.
I look at him with suspicion, and he smirks. “Don’t go looking at me like that, darlin’. I didn’t snoop, I swear.”
I hear Alder snort beside me, and my head swings around. “He’s lyin’, ain’t he?” I ask the yellow-haired demon.
“He absolutely is,” he says with a grin. “Flint hacked into that thing before we even got out of the car.”
“Is that right?” I ask. Before he can anticipate the move, I turn and clomp my heel right down on Flint’s toes.
He lets out a surprised holler that nearly makes me grin, but I hold it back and maintain my scowl. “Ow!” he screeches as he bounces his injured foot. “Damn woman, you had to do that with boots on?”
I shrug, not at all remorseful. “You reached into my back pocket and touched my ass to get my phone, and then you proceeded to hack into it and look at my private things, so you deserve it. I won’t feel sorry for you.”
He has the good sense to look sheepish. “Well, if ya didn’t want people to snoop, you should really change your password from one-two-three-four. And while we’re on the subject, who’s Bob Grace?”
My mouth pops open and I blink, taken aback. “What?”
“He texted about two dozen times,” Flint tells me with a smirk. “You should really tell the man you’re not interested.”
My cheeks burn with a blush. “Maybe I am interested,” I lie. I can’t believe the man is textin’ me. I know I was friendly when I quit, but damn, I wasn’t that friendly.
Flint narrows his eyes on me. “That so?”
I cross my arms with a smirk, because there’s a glint of challenge in his gaze that my inner flirt immediately recognizes, and a thrill shoots through me. Based on both of their expressions right now, I’d wager a guess that they don’t like thinkin’ about some faceless man textin’ me. The implications of that both excite me and turn me on.
“Yeah, that’s so,” I retort saucily.
Alder’s eyes darken, while Flint takes a step closer and leans in slowly until his lips nearly touch my ear, makin’ me frozen and breathless on the spot. “Well then, we’ll just have to change your mind about Bob fucking Grace,” he rumbles before pullin’ back, leavin’ me reelin’.
Good God Almighty, that was the sexiest damn move ever. I swear, I think my heart is poundin’ in time
