I chew at my nails and tap my foot as I wait for Kieran to come over. He wouldn't tell me much in the dream—just that he'd come over as soon as he could and explain everything. The shrill ring of the doorbell makes me jump. I take in a deep breath before heading to the door, peeking through the peephole to confirm it's Kieran before I open it.

"Hey, Red," he says with a weak smile.

"Hey," I reply, inviting him inside. "We can talk in my room."

He nods and follows me upstairs. I'm concerned that he didn't even try to make any sexual comment about being invited to my bedroom.

Once we're inside, I close the door behind us and he sits down on the bed.

"What's going on, Kieran?" I ask. "You're freaking me out."

"I don't know. I'm trying to figure it out myself, but I don't trust for a moment that he's leaving you alone now."

"Why?"

"By all accounts, Victor was a loyal soldier to Asmodeus. He was part of his trusted inner circle. Then, he gives up everything to be with you."

"I... I'm not sure. I mean, I guess that's what happened. It's not like I was really in the loop about all of that."

"You don't betray a Demon King without retribution. He knew he was risking his life for you."

What he's saying sounds logical, but I don't know what to think. Why would Victor sacrifice everything for me?

"Okay, so assuming that's true and he went against Asmodeus for me, what does that mean?"

"If he was willing to turn on the king for you, there's no chance in hell he's going to give you up because I asked him to. Which leads me to wonder why he said what he did... that he'd stay out of your dreams."

My stomach drops as I realize what he's saying.

"He specifically said my dreams... he's still coming for me, isn't he?"

Kieran gives me an apologetic look as I sit down next to him on the bed.

"What was happening in your dream before I got there? What did he say to you?"

"He was pretending to be you, actually."

His eyes widen and darken all at once.

"How?"

"He—as you—said he needed to meet me right away and he asked for my address."

"Shit."

"No, I didn't give him my address. Something felt off about the whole thing, so I said I would meet you—er, him—at the bar."

"Pike's? Did you say the bar's name?"

Did I?

"I don't remember..."

"When were you going to meet him?"

"He asked if I could be there in an hour or so. I can't remember the exact time. Do you think he's going to be there?"

Kieran's expression falls and he pinches his eyes shut.

"No." He shakes his head and sighs. "But now he knows you live within an hour of Pike's. He can find you."

My throat feels tight and my pulse hammers in my chest. It's my worst nightmare—and it's all my fault.

He's going to find me.

I'm going to have to move again.

I'm going to have to leave Zahra and Kieran and Grams.

For the first time ever, I feel like I belong where I am, and now I'm going to have to leave it all behind.

Tears spring from my eyes before I can stop them.

"Hey, hey," Kieran says, wrapping an arm around my shoulders. "It's gonna be okay, Sam. What's going on in that head of yours? Talk to me."

"I just don't want to move yet," I say through shaky breaths.

"Whoa, whoa." He brings a hand to my chin and turns my face toward him. "You're not going anywhere. He's not going to hurt you. We just have to make some adjustments."

"Adjustments?"

"You can stay at my place till we find him."

"What??"

"He knows you live within an hour of Pike's. He knows your roommate's name. It's only a matter of time before he finds your place."

"Shit... Zahra. You're right, he knows her name. I can't leave her alone. Or Pumpkin."

"Okay, then I'll stay with you here and get some friends to keep an eye on you during work. We can work it out."

My mouth opens and closes several times, but I'm at a loss for words. It's all too much—my demon ex on my trail, my bootie call moving in. So I just nod.

*****

After a chat with Zahra explaining what I could of the situation—leaving out the demon parts—she agreed to let Kieran stay with us for a while. Kieran went home to grab his things and returned with a duffel bag.

"So um..." I say as we step into my room. "Feel free to hang your stuff in the closet or... I don't really have any free drawers but I can probably clear something out for you if you need it."

"No worries," he says, setting his bag down in the corner. "I'm fine with whatever."

I'm operating on auto-pilot. I'm exhausted, stressed. I can hardly process him temporarily moving in here.

"Okay. Whatever is most convenient."

He walks up to me and puts a hand on each of my shoulders.

"Red, what's up with you? Why are you being so formal?"

I can't help it. After Grams's words about not being able to trust men and then Kieran's comments about me to Vic... I'm wary of having him this close. Couples have sleepovers. Couples live together. But we're not a couple.

Vic's warning rings in my ears.

"You can't trust him."

"Nothing. I'm fine."

I try to turn but he pulls me back.

"Sam. What's going on with you?"

"I just... think maybe we should rethink things if you're gonna be living here for a while. Maybe we should take a step back."

I don't even know what I'm saying until I say it. The words pour out of me, driven by fear.

He flinches and pulls his hands away.

"What?" His eyes seem to be searching mine for answers.

I feel a sharp pang in my chest.

Am I making a mistake? Does he really have feelings for me?

I flash back to his conversation with Victor.

"If you leave the girl alone, so do I."

The girl.

Stop thinking you're something special to him. You're just another conquest and you're in too deep.

"I just mean... maybe we should put our fling on pause. Just so things don't get confusing."

His jaw clicks and his expression holds a mixture of pain and anger.

"Fling? Is that what we're doing, Sam?"

"What would you call it?" I ask.

Maybe I'm testing him, but I don't even know what I want him to say. His words from earlier just keep running through my head.

"I'm the Demon King. What interest would I have in some human girl?"

"Whatever the hell you want me to call it, Sam. What's the problem?"

"You said it yourself—you're the Demon King. You have no interest in a human girl."

He tilts his head and looks me over.

"Jesus, Sam, I was lying. You think Victor would even consider leaving you alone if he knew I was interested in you?"

"How do I know you're not lying now?"

I'm tired and it's late and I know this is exactly the wrong time to have this conversation, but I can't help it. My emotions are speaking for me.

"Why would I lie?"

"You're a demon!" I shout. My hand flies to my mouth, far too late to stop the words from coming out.

He flinches at my words and his eyes go instantly black. I know he's hurt, but on the outside he looks furious and menacing.

"So that's what I am to you? Some irredeemable monster?"

He takes a slow, intentional step toward me and I back up toward the wall.

"I di-"

"I thought you saw through all that bullshit, Sam. I thought you could see me."

Guilt burns in the pit of my stomach.

"I... I didn't mean-"

"Yes you did. I'm just a demon. You can't trust me or feel something more for me. I'll betray you, right?"

He stalks toward me with a dark look on his face.

"That's not-"

"But you can have sex with me. That's what I'm here for, isn't it?"

He steps forward until my back is pinned against the wall. He leans so close his lips almost touch mine.

"This is just sex, right? I am the King of fucking Lust, aren't I? Not the King of 'Take Him Home to Meet Your Parents'. I'm here to fuck and be fucked. Of course I can't have actual fucking feelings. You said it yourself, I'm a demon. Got it."

He pushes off the wall and walks over to the bed. In a quick move, he pulls his t-shirt over his head, revealing his flawless torso. He unbuttons his pants and lets them drop around his ankles before kicking them to the side.

"What are y-"

"This is what you want. No strings attached sex."

He pulls off his boxers and is now completely nude, minus the necklace around his neck. A confusing mixture of arousal and anger swirls in my chest. I want to believe him that I'm more to him than just 'some human girl', but my emotions are all over the place.

"I don't... that's not..." Deep down, I know I have no valid response, because what he's saying isn't true. It's not just about sex between us. He knows it and I know it. If it were just sex, I wouldn't be so afraid of falling for him.

He appears instantly in front of me, one hand grabbing my hip and the other caressing my jaw. His eyes bore into me, as if he's daring me to give in to the truth—that something is really happening between us and there's nothing we can do to stop it.

"I don't know what you are to me, Sam. But I know what I am to you." He leans forward until our lips almost touch, then whispers. "I'm yours."

I can't help it. I close the distance between us and we kiss—fervently, violently, without inhibition. It's like something in me has snapped. All the fear and doubt and insecurity is replaced with pure need. I know now that it's too late to hold back. I've been trying to stop myself from falling when I'm already at the bottom of the abyss.

Kieran breaks our kiss and pulls back, breathing heavily as he licks his full bottom lip.

I want to tell him that I'm sorry for panicking and not trusting him. I want to tell him that I'm in this and I don't want to run anymore. I want to tell him that I do see him and I know he's more than just a demon. It's so much—too much—to say all at once. So instead, I steal his words and give them back to him.

"I'm yours."

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