Devil (The Marchesi Family 3)

He slashed through the ties around my ankles, and I rolled away from my broken kitchen chair. It wasn’t worth being mad about the destruction considering the other things Devil had done to me. My conscience was in much worse shape than the chair. Besides, it wasn’t like I needed four chairs in the kitchen. No one ever ate here but me.

“Ready?” Devil held out his hand to me. Was I ready? Was I really going to bargain with this man? Could I justify it?

More easily than taking his cock down my throat.

I was helping a murder victim. Or was I? What if my instincts were wrong and Devil was lying? What if I couldn’t read him at all because he had me under some kind of fucking lust spell?

Lust spell? I really was losing it.

“Daniels?” I stared at Devil. He was so fucking hot and so wrong for me. All of this was wrong for me, but I was going to do it. I was going to bargain with him because sometimes it takes evil to fight evil. The problem was, I was no longer sure Devil was evil, and if he wasn’t, what did that mean about the rest of his family?

I took his hand and let him pull me to my feet. “You’ve had my dick down your throat. I think you can call me Joe.”

He grinned. “And you can call me Devil.”

“That can’t be what your mother named you.”

“No, that distinction would go to my nanny. She thought it was cute to call me and Angelo Angel and Devil. Not that Angelo was ever an angel.”

“So you’re real name—”

“Is not to be spoken.”

I raised my brows. “Like Voldemort?”

“Like I’d have to shoot you. It’s classified.”

“What does a person have to do to get clearance?” Fuck. I was flirting with him. Flirting with a man I should be trying to put behind bars.

“The only people who know are family. The I’d-die-for-you kind of family.”

Then I’d never know unless I arrested him and he was legally forced to reveal it. “I have a proposition for you, one to get you what you want and get me free of your interference.”

Devil raised his brows. “Interference? Is that what you’re calling it?”

“Are you always this fucking obnoxious?”

“Yes. But do go on, I’m very interested to hear your proposition.”

“Sean Murphy, the detective in charge of the murder case, is dirty.”

“Dirty like you?”

“No. Dirty like taking money from one of your colleagues.”

Devil shook his head. “He’s not one of ours. You must mean he’s on the payroll of one of our enemies. Who is it?”

“I don’t know. I wish I did.”

Devil studied me, obviously trying to decide if I was telling the truth. “You don’t know who he’s working for, but you want me to eliminate him? That wouldn’t be a wise move for me.”

“You want Lucien safe, don’t you?”

He glared at me. “We could return to the plan where I shoot you.”

I sighed. “I have info on Murphy. I’ve been collecting it, but I was warned by several people at the department that if I turned him in, he’d find out about it and things wouldn’t go well for me.”

Devil nodded. I was sure he also had contacts in the department who would do the same thing. What the fuck was I doing talking to him about this?

Trying not to get killed.

He wasn’t going to kill me. At least not tonight. I was sure of that.

“I thought you would know a way to expose him without it coming back on me.”

Devil seemed to consider that. “And if I perform this miracle?”

“Murphy will be fired, and all his investigations will be called into question. His case against Lucien is shaky. I can make sure he’s never charged.”

“I want him cleared completely.”

“Then he needs a solid alibi.” Did I really just suggest Devil create a fake alibi for a murder investigation?

He studied me for a moment. “How do I know you’ll keep your word?”

I snarled at him. “Because you’ll hunt me down and tear me apart if I don’t.”

“Damn right.”

“How do I know you won’t tell Murphy I have information on him?”

“Because that bastard is after my cousin, and when I give my word, I never go back on it.”

God help me, but I believed him. “One more thing.”

“What?” he growled. “I’m starting to get impatient here.”

He was pacing in front of me like a big cat in a cage.

“You just came so hard I thought you might pass out. What are you so hyped up about?”

“Sex revs me up. And I’m not done with you.”

“Yes, you are. This is a one-time deal. We help each other, and then we’re done. I don’t owe you anything else. This doesn’t grant you immunity.”

“I have no intention of getting caught, so that won’t be a problem.”