Fallen (Dark in You 7)

Hector towered over the woman. “Don’t think you can play games, Marcella. He’s not happy with you as it is. Don’t make it worse for yourself.”

Her eyes flickered. “What does that mean?”

“Exactly what you probably fear it means. Now go.”

Marcella swallowed and straightened her shoulders. She gave Raini a look filled with so much rancor that Raini’s inner demon hissed and prepared to surface, eager to drop-kick this bitch. But then Marcella gracefully swanned off.

Shaking his head, Hector whipped out his keycard and got the elevator ready to roll. Raini walked through the shiny metal doors and gave him a small smile. He only grunted again, and then the doors closed. Soon enough, the elevator came to a smooth stop at Maddox’s office.

Entering, she found the demon in question alone, talking with someone on his cell phone. That smooth, low voice … it did things to her body that she did not like. Things that made her skin heat and tingle and flush.

Her demon was equally affected by him, which made her feel a little better. It meant she wasn’t alone in this struggle.

Raini allowed herself a moment to take him in; to admire that far too attractive face and all that hard, lean muscle. It wasn’t only his looks that pulled her in. She’d always had a weakness for dominant men. She wasn’t sure why, she just dug the alpha male thing. And Maddox? Well, he was certainly that.

He projected a cool certainty that his authority wouldn’t be questioned; that what he said went. She’d never before met a man who oozed so much sheer absolute confidence. Honest to God, he was so self-possessed and sure of himself that it was kind of intimidating.

His gaze locked on her, sharp and unflinching. Even as he continued to speak into his phone, he swept that compelling gaze over her, noting every detail—the loose curls in her hair, the soft pink nail polish, the slim-fitting oversized white tee, the skin-tight jeans, and the black strappy shoes. Her mom had been in despair because Raini insisted on dressing casually.

Maddox flicked his fingers, inviting her further inside, and gestured at the small sitting area.

Raini took her usual spot on one of the two sofas. There was a glass of red wine waiting on the black glass table, as per usual. Beside the glass was a bowl of nachos—another constant. Maddox always set the scene, taking control before she’d even walked through the door of the building. Which she supposed was typical of someone like him.

Her demon rolled its eyes at his control-freak ways. Raini, too, found some amusement in the whole thing. That didn’t stop her from munching on a few nachos.

Once he’d finished his call, he slowly made his way toward her, a half-full glass in hand. Maddox never rushed—not when he talked, not when he moved. He did everything with a slow deliberation and sense of purpose, always alert yet relaxed … as if positive he could handle whatever came his way. He probably could.

His eyes flitted over her face. “You look better.”

“I feel better.”

He sat directly opposite her, his back straight, his gut sucked in, his thighs spread … pretty much claiming the space as his own. “I take it you rested today.”

“I didn’t rest, but I took it easy. I’m sure your men told you that I went to my mom’s salon. She was in the mood to do some pampering.” Raini crossed one leg over the other. “Again, thanks for healing me. And for making sure I got home okay.”

He shrugged and took a swig of his drink. “Someone had to. And the others didn’t know your alarm code.”

Raini snorted. “Jolene and Khloë are imps, Maddox. They don’t need alarm codes. Nor does Harper. She might be a sphinx, but she’s an imp for all intents and purposes.”

“She didn’t much like that I insisted on taking you home. She even objected.”

“You say that as if she forgot her place or something. You know, you need to get over this whole issue you have with others watching out for me. I have a big family, and they’re all very protective. As are my girls and Jolene. They can’t—and won’t—switch that off just because you’re now around. Maybe you could stop thinking of them as people trespassing on your anchor-rights and instead be glad that I have them.”

His brows lifted. “You think I would prefer for you to be alone in the world?”

“No. I think you want to be the main figure in my life. It’s totally a psi-mate thing, and it’s why so many demons struggle to accept their anchor’s mate. They don’t want to be second to the aforementioned mate—it’s a reflexive psychic response.” Raini doubted her demon would react well to Maddox claiming someone, particularly since he wouldn’t even give Raini the anchor bond. “Moving onto another subject, Marcella seems nice.”