Free Into Temptation (A More Than Men Novella) by Kira Sinclair Page A

shoulders and melting down her body. Brone growled a warning deep in his throat.
    “Settle, my friend. I meant no harm. I enjoy her refreshing honesty. Most of my subjects are too scared to tell me the truth.”
    “Perhaps if you didn’t torture them…” Evie let her voice trail to silence.
    “But what would be fun in that, my dear? I enjoy their suffering. I need it. We all have weaknesses, and that is mine. What is yours?”
    Brone’s fingers dug painfully into her skin. “Why would I tell you that? You’ll just use it against me.”
    “Oh, I know and already have. I was just wondering if you were aware of what it was. Your faithful watchdog has certainly figured it out, although it wasn’t that difficult. Your desire to protect those you care for will be your downfall.”
    Lucifer cut his eyes to her, gauging her reaction to his words. The moment his gaze touched her, she wanted to run, but she refused to leave. This being had exiled Brone to an existence of pure loneliness. She wouldn’t leave him now.
    So she shrugged. “Better to fall because I care too much than because I’m selfish or jealous or petty.”
    “Spoken like a true servant of God.”
    “I’m no one’s servant.”
    “Oh, but you are, which is precisely why I wanted you so desperately.” His hard gaze landed on Brone’s face. “A nice feather in my cap, hmmm? But your champion here has managed to thwart me, at least in this attempt. That doesn’t prevent me from providing another offer that you’ll find difficult to ignore.”
    Brone surged forward, his wide hands open and ready to strangle Lucifer’s throat. “No, it’s over.” But he never made it close to the ruler of Hell. Brone’s hands fell short, hanging uselessly by his sides as his body froze.
    His muscles stiffened and strained, but he couldn’t move.
    “It is far from over, and you no longer have a place at the negotiations.” Dismissing him, Lucifer transferred his entire attention to Evie.
    Nasty foreboding snaked down her spine, but Evie pushed the response away. She had to keep her wits about her and navigate the minefields Lucifer was about to lay before her. She’d been party to a number of negotiations with some of the most heinous criminals.
    Nothing could prepare her for this.
    “I would like to offer you a new contract.”
    “My daughter is safe. Brone promised me.”
    Pale, perfect lips quirked up at the corner. “And so she is. Megan is not the soul in danger here.”
    Slowly Evie licked her lips, afraid to voice the question clamoring to escape. And afraid not to. “Who?”
    Lucifer’s eyebrows arrowed into a frown, the kind of pitying expression people always gave when delivering difficult news. News they didn’t want to convey but did anyway because they had to. Evie hardly believed the smarmy, false expression of guilt. He was enjoying this. Immensely.
    “His.” His long arm shot out, a finger pointing straight at Brone.
    “I’m certain he’s told you about his punishment, the loneliness and deprivation. The madness that threatened every single day. Did he tell you about his strength in keeping it at bay? How he refused to succumb, mostly because he knew it’s what I wanted. How long do you think it would take this time for my punishment to deliver the intended results?”
    Lucifer walked past Brone’s frozen body, his hand trailing softly across the strong shoulders. Evie’s body coiled to strike before she’d even acknowledged the need to defend him, but something stopped her. Maybe it was the expectant smirk on Lucifer’s face. She wouldn’t give him what he wanted. Not yet. Not until she learned the price.
    Burying her emotions deep inside, she tried to find a place where she could view what was happening logically and dispassionately. It was difficult. The thought of Brone suffering…
    “These moments returned to the fold should do the trick. The taste of what he’s been missing will only increase the sharpness of the cut