Page 65 of Hell on Wheels
I blink as he growls. Angelo’s the more aggressive of the twins, but this is more than just his alpha male shit. This is true disdain; he’d throttle this douche if he could get away with it. Damon looks embarrassed because he doesn’t share the dislike, so I step in before people notice. My smile is fake, but broad and bright. “Hello, Mr. Darkstar. I’m Rogue. How do you know the twins? We grew up together.”
He arches a brow. “Ahhh. You became friends when they moved to California. I knew them from their old home.”
“New York?” I chirp, pretending not to get his reference. It’s better if this idiot thinks I’m stupid rather than wonders if I’ll be a problem. He’s trouble and we’ve got enough of that without some pissy demon faction from Hell coming after us. Angelo knows better.
Lucian smirks. “You could say that, in a roundabout way.”
That makes zero sense. I’m a little concerned this fucker is an educator, even in Hell.
“Cool. Well, we should get moving. There are more people in the line and these bad boys promised me drinks and dancing.” I bat my lashes, using the Bambi-effect to get the imperious tool to back away.
“You should keep your promises to this girl, gentleman. She seems like a keeper,” he says as his eyes rake over me.
My skin crawls at his gaze, but I squeeze Angelo’s hand against my side as we walk away. Muttering low, I ask, “What the fuck was that, guys?”
“Angelo overreacting,” Damon grumbles. “He just hates Lucian.”
“Uh, wrong-o, bro,” Angelo growls softly and shakes his head. “I don’t likeanyof Luca’s cronies from below, and I trust them even less. I don’t care if they work at the university. Demons don’t play both sides of the Mouth unless they’re up to something.”
I squint at him curiously. “Doesn’t that mean your dad is up to something?”
“Fuck yes he is. Demons are damn near immortal, Princess. Luca moved us up here not long after we were born—in demon years, of course. He’s not here for the scenery, but D and I could never suss it out.” Sighing, he pats my arm. “The mob stuff is fine, but I want nothing to do with his underworld treachery. That’s buying trouble we don’t need.”
“Have you considered avoiding those meetings is why you never figured anything out?” I tilt my head as we approach the man himself. “Food for thought, Ang.”
Luca Gemini is over seven feet tall with curling black ram’s horns that shine like patent leather. He’s in a half-shift, his skin obsidian with scarlet freckling that somehow accents his high cheekbones and Roman nose. His dark red eyes roam over me as he stands stiffly in the black pinstripe three-piece suit. A quick glance shows he’s sporting hooves rather than shoes, but he’s paired spats that have sparkling diamond buttons on them.
Everything about him screams power, wealth, and danger.
So, as usual, I smirk like I know a secret about the demon Don. “Good evening, Mr. Gemini. It’s been a long time.”
His smile is slow and predatory as he takes me in. “Ah, little Rogue Kelly, all grown up. You turned out well, young lady. I’m happy to see you escorting mysegniores pueri?1.” The demonshows sharp, sparkling white teeth as he smiles wider. “Boys, you look particularly sharp this evening, as do your friends. The old arachnid deserves a bonus for his efforts.”
“Taken care of, Father,” Damon murmurs. His body is tense and I have to fight off the frown as the feelings of insecurity and doubt radiate through our bond. Luca Gemini makes him tiny, and the man knows it—he enjoys reducing his son to a quivering mess inside.
Luca nods, cutting his gaze to Angelo without replying to D. “Good job. Your mother will want to re-acquaint herself with your date before you move on. I would appreciate you attending the quorum later in the evening; it’s time for you two to step up. Men with serious girlfriends need serious business connections.”
Fuck fuck fuckitty fuck… I think the crooked asshole knows.
But neither of the twins react—they simply nod and shake his hand before leading me into the distance to the most intimidating moment of the night: meeting their goddamn mom again.
The matriarch of the Gemini family doesn’t look a day over thirty, much like Luca looks forty at best. They’re bothmucholder, I assume, because according to the tiny bits of demon lore the Society gives us, they’d need to be centuries old to have the wealth and power to come topside.
I wonder if the twins have siblings underground I don’t know about.—seems likely.
“Mother, you remember Rogue Kelly,” Angelo says before he lets go of me to lean in and air kiss with the red-headed bombshell. Her expression doesn’t change; she looks haughty and arrogantwith a soupçon of fury hiding underneath. “You look stunning, as always.”
She does, though the floor length black satin with a peek of blood red lining in the slit isn’t nearly as well designed as our outfits. The twins were right about Guillermo punishing Lola for insulting his expertise—it’s subtle, but obvious if you’re looking. “Angelo,mio caro ragazzo?2, you lookmagnifico e forte?3.”
A throat clears and Damon steps forward with a soft smile. Lola’s expression finally thaws a little as he comes up to hug her; he’s obviously the favorite. “Buonasera, mamma.Sono così felice di vederti così radioso?4.”
No one’s spoken to me yet and I’m certain that’s on purpose.
“Can the Italian, guys,” Angelo says with an eye roll. “Rogue will feel left out.”
I arch a brow, giving him a smug look before I respond, “Lo sarebbe se non fossi uscito con una sirena italiana prima di Winnie?5.” All three of them look at me in surprise and I shrug. “I’m also a Guardian, and we’re pretty well trained to work all over the world. I’m fluent in nine languages and can get by in six more. But no one’s ever asked, so…”
Damon’s eyes widen. “And Reb…?”