Page 79 of Not Your Ex's Hexes
“If you’re a good bounty hunter mentor, maybe I’ll tell you about it.”
With a humorous chuckle, he revved the engine, and waited until she wrapped her arms around his waist. The second her fingers locked over his abdomen, he took off like a demon out of hell.
Julius had sent over the file on Virginia Cummings earlier that day, and she’d read the thing nearly four times since, memorizing every detail from her crimes—including, but not limited to, racketeering and the import of rare, dangerous, andstolenmagical artifacts—to all her favorite local hangouts.
Even her undying love for the Jonas Brothers made it onto the dossier. And it just so happened that the Jonases were performing their last show of their current tour at Madison Square Garden, and all intel pointed to the upper-level demon enjoying the concert from her private box seat. If habits held true, she’d duck out of the venue a few minutes before the end of the concert to avoid the mass exit.
But now after hours of waiting, Rose wondered if Virginia had decided to shirk her old habits, because the show was about to let out and there was still no sign of the demon.
Slowly rolling her neck to work out the building tension, she paced as Damian watched from his leaning perch against the building, his astuteness fueling her nerves even more.
“Keep up the back and forth and you’ll wear a hole in the cement,” Damian warned.
From an unusually empty Betz Pavilion, she glanced across Thirty-Third Street where music thumped from the event center. “What if she slipped out another exit? Maybe we should split up and walk the block.”
“We’re not splitting up. All our resources—and the fact Faroi demons are creatures of habit—say she’ll exit through these doors and cut across the pavilion. It’s just a matter of time.”
“And what time is that? Before or after I start collecting social security?” At his amused silence, she threw him an accusing glare. “You’re doing this on purpose, aren’t you? Killing me with boredom so I’ll decide this isn’t for me and I’ll move on to the next thing?”
He arched an eyebrow. “Now that’s a good idea… if only I’d thought of it sooner.”
Rose rolled her eyes. “Sarcasm doesn’t suit you, doc.”
“And yet.” He chuckled. “And,if you remember,Juliusgave us this assignment. We both know he’s not about to do me any favors by giving us a dud target.”
He had a point.
When the brothers had picked up their Hunt task, the palpable friction between them had been unmistakable. She couldn’t fathom having a tense relationship with either of her sisters, and even with Christina, despite how much her mother grated on her nerves. Add in her dad, and Edie and her grandfather Jethro before he’d passed, and she’d never lacked for close, supportive relationships.
That hadn’t been the case for Damian.
She leaned her rear against the railing across from him so their shoes nearly bumped. “What happened between you and Julius… if you don’t mind me asking.”
“Shouldn’t you ask if I mind you asking before you go ahead and ask?” Damian teased.
“Just passing the time since Virginia is obviously never leaving the concert. You don’t have to answer.”
He slowly crossed his arms, the move highlighting his broad shoulders. “Why does there have to be an inciting incident? We could simply not get along.”
“Because until recently, you haven’t talked or seen each other in years. That’s more than not getting along.”
Damian’s lips remained willfully closed.
“Did it have something to do with a woman?” She bit her bottom lip, debating her next question. “Did it have something to do with the ex who hexed you?”
“That would’ve been easier to deal with, but no. At least not directly.” He studied her carefully, as if assessing her. “I’m not sure you’re ready to hear this story.”
“Don’t think I can handle it?”
“I know you can. I’m not sure I’m ready to face how you’ll look at me afterward,” Damian admitted, shifting his gaze off her and onto his feet. “It’s far from a fairy tale.”
“Fairy tales have always been more Olly’s thing. It always annoyed me that the princess constantly needed saving by the prince. If you don’t want to talk about it, that’s fine. But don’t usethatas an excuse.”
His gaze latched on to hers, and held. “Julius and I had different mothers, but share the same father. Ezeil. To say he wasn’t a father figure is putting it lightly. He had two goals in life. The first, to create good little spawns to boost Lucy’s army. And the second was to do the first to secure his position as his father’s favorite prince of Hell. That second one is finally what got him kicked off the Supernatural Council and exiled back to Hell because he didn’t have anyone’s best interests at heart except for his own.”
Rose tried hiding the knowledge of what Vi had already told her behind a mask of surprise.
Damian didn’t miss a second of it. “You already knew all of that, didn’t you?”
