Free The Devil's Due by Jenna Black

smiling. I wished like hell I could deny what he was saying, but since neither one of us would believe it, I refrained.
    “Why?” I asked, my voice little more than a scratchy whisper. Bad enough to have Lugh invading my mind and learning each and every one of my most hidden thoughts and desires. But to have him share them with someone else, even Brian …
    Lugh cocked his head and regarded me closely. I knew he was trying to figure out what he could get away with telling me, and though I would have liked to demand he tell me everything, I wasn’t sure I dared.
    “We both know you have trust issues,” he finally said.
    “No kidding?” He gave me a quelling look, and I shut up.
    “But you desperately long for the ability to trust someone even as you keep sabotaging your own attempts at it.”
    “Now wait just a minute—”
    Not surprisingly, he talked right over me. “The part of you that isn’t thinking all the time trusts Brian. That’s what makes your bond with him so special. I advised him to communicate with that part of you.”
    “Huh?”
    “You would never have put up with, much less enjoyed, what he did if you didn’t trust him implicitly. For someone like you, trusting another person enough to give up control is something of a Holy Grail. I wanted to show you that it was within your grasp, if only you’re willing to reach for it.”
    I shook my head violently, and I could swear I felt marbles rattling around in there. I didn’t know what the hell he was talking about, but I was pretty damn sure it had something to do with his machinations to get me to cede control to him on occasion.
    “Whatever. Don’t screw with my love life again! It’s none of your business.”
    Lugh laughed, though I didn’t know what was so damn funny.
    “Besides,” I continued loudly, “I thought you wanted me for yourself. I bet you didn’t mention that to Brian.”
    The laughter faded, replaced by a gentle condescension I liked even less. “Brian and I are not in competition. You will never have to choose between us, because I can only come to you when you sleep, and he can only come to you when you wake.”
    Somehow I didn’t think Brian would see it that way if he knew the whole picture. I was also damn sure Lugh hadn’t mentioned his own seduction attempts when he was having his little chat with Brian.
    I guess I was getting used to being possessed, because until that moment, I hadn’t thought through all the ramifications of my liaison with Brian—ramifications that had loomed large in my mind when Lugh had first possessed me. My jaw set into what I felt certain was an unattractive line as I glared at the demon king.
    “So, did you enjoy it when Brian bent me over the kitchen table to fuck me?” I might not be able to be with Lugh and Brian at the same time, but Lugh was always in residence.
    Lugh flashed me a completely unrepentant smile. “I have never inhabited a female host before. I must admit the differences in sensation are fascinating, and quite pleasant. And as you have no doubt gathered, demons don’t have the same hang-ups as humans about sexual orientation.”
    I suppressed a groan. Not only did I have to worry about Lugh seducing me, I now had to worry that he was using me to seduce Brian . Argh!
    I suspected Lugh could read the direction of my thoughts and decided he needed to head me off before I could work my way into a world-class fury.
    “Enough talk about your personal issues,” he said, his tone raising my hackles even more. “I believe Hell may have frozen over, because for once I am in agreement with my brother.” The momentary flash of humor in his eyes took a bit of the edge off my anger, though I was still poised to go for his jugular if he made one wrong move.
    “Raphael said we were in need of a long-term plan,” Lugh continued. “Somehow, that plan will eventually need to include a way to contain Dougal and all his minions who know my True Name, but my first goal must be