Devil (The Marchesi Family 3)

“Where are you going?” the man who’d brought me there asked. I’d forgotten his name. Some kind of tree. Oak? Birch? He tried to move in front of me, but he swayed and fell against one of the support columns that rose to the high ceiling. He’d obviously indulged in the drugs he’d offered me. His eyes were huge and glassy. “I’m going up to the roof, but you should stay here. I don’t want you falling off.”

He smiled as he held onto the pole like he was riding the train and muttered something I couldn’t understand. I shook my head and walked away toward the narrow metal steps that led to a door I knew would open onto the roof.

“Devil, where are you going?” a woman called. I remembered her from somewhere, but I didn’t know her name or how she knew mine.

“Up there.” I pointed toward the ceiling. “I need some fresh air.”

The woman and several others followed me. When we stepped out onto the roof, the woman spun in a circle looking up. It was a clear night. Not many stars were visible because of the light from the city, but I still felt small when I looked up at the sky. I left the woman and her friends standing by the door in the middle of the roof and walked over to the edge. I leaned forward a little, looking down at what was probably a three-story drop. A low ledge ran around the roof, but it was more suited for keeping things from rolling off than preventing someone from falling.

I stepped up onto the ledge which was about as wide as my foot. Taking a deep breath, I opened my arms and let myself feel the breeze.

“Devil,” the woman who’d followed me called, “what are you doing?”

“Testing my balance.” My heart raced as I took a few steps. I teetered and had to flap my arms to keep from falling.

“Get down. You’re going to fall.”

I wasn’t, but I liked the idea that I could. I didn’t want to hurt myself, but I needed the rush. I needed something to push Lucien’s problems from my mind. I looked across at the building next to us. It was so close. I could easily jump over there.

I hopped off the ledge and heard someone exhale loudly.

“Come over here. Stay with us.” I realized how I knew the woman now. She used to date one of our security guards. I hoped she wouldn’t go tattling to him. If Lucien found out about this… Fuck, what did I care? He was the one who wouldn’t let me help him. I wouldn’t be here if I was tracking down the real murderer.

I ignored her summons and walked backward until I was a little more than halfway across the roof. I stared at the gap between the buildings and calculated when I’d need to jump to clear the ledge and make it to the other roof. I took a deep breath. Holy Mother, protect me.

I ran toward the edge. Someone shouted, but I didn’t slow down. I jumped, and for just a moment, I was flying, soaring through the air, nothing beneath me, nothing weighing me down. I was free.

2

Devil

I landed right at the edge of the other roof. I threw myself forward and rolled across the flat rooftop, gravel scraping my bare arms. I didn’t care. I’d done it.

I jumped up and pumped my fists into the air like a winning athlete. Everyone on the other roof cheered and waved. The rush had made me hard as hell. Now I was ready to take one—or more—of the partygoers up on their offer of a warm body. I needed to find a way down. I was stupid enough to jump once but not twice. I looked around for a fire escape, and that’s when I saw him.

The man who’d been watching me earlier stood in the alley between the buildings. His cocky, wide-legged stance and the way he was obviously trying too hard to blend in told me he was a cop. I should have realized that earlier, but it had taken the jump to clear the last of the alcohol fog from my brain. The way he watched me told me he wanted me. I found the fire escape and raced to it, jumped to the first platform, and swung down as the ladder extended. The man was gone when I hit the ground, but I caught sight of him down the street. I tried to move silently, but he heard me as I rushed to catch up. He glanced over his shoulder and took off running. I caught up to him at the entrance to another alley, grabbed his coat, and dragged him into the shadows. We struggled, but eventually I slammed him up against the wall and drew my gun.