I JUMPED FROM my bed when I heard Lilah’s cry. Barreling through the door, I exploded with rage when I found Apollo naked in her bed.

“Apollo!” The room shook with my fury.

I jumped over the scrambling Lilah and wrapped my hands around the god’s throat.

Apollo let out a jovial laugh and punched me in the jaw like he was giving me a love tap. A decidedly painful one. But I wasn’t fazed. My only focus was on squeezing the life out of any man who’d dared enter Lilah’s bed.

In an instant, Apollo escaped my grasp, retreating across the room and holding his hands up in a peace gesture. “Whoa, old pal. I thought she was fair game.”

I launched myself at the god again, punching him in the nose and tackling him to the floor. Lilah cried out in dismay, which put me into a violent frenzy. I let the darkness inside me take control and redoubled my efforts, laying into the god with all the power I possessed. After several minutes of wrestling, punching, and clawing, Apollo had gotten the upper hand and locked me into a choke hold.

“Holy Hades, what’s gotten into you?” Apollo gave me a friendly hair ruffle, despite the fact that we were both badly bruised and bleeding profusely from our noses.

“She’s mine,” I bit out, though I struggled to keep hold of consciousness against Apollo’s boa-constrictor grip. Lilah watched us from the bed, the sheet pulled up to her chin, and her eyes as big as saucers.

“That’s fine. You usually share, is all.” Apollo’s tone was affable as he finally released the grip from around my neck. “I didn’t know you’d staked an exclusive claim on this one. To my memory, you’ve never done that before. Anyway, truce?” He gave my neck what Apollo undoubtedly believed was a friendly squeeze, though I thought a blood vessel in my eye might have burst from the pressure.

“Yes,” I growled.

“Atta boy.” Apollo let up.

I rose and leaned against the wall, taking in air in huge gulps. I still felt the urge to stomp Apollo into the ground, but the red was fading from my vision, and my senses were returning to normal.

Apollo wiped the blood from his nose. “If I hadn’t been a god, you would have torn me to pieces.”

When my brain began functioning again, I grudgingly admitted to myself that Apollo was correct—in the past, I hadn’t minded sharing any of the women who visited my home. The fact that some of the most beautiful females on the planet—mortals and immortals—were frequent guests had long ago attracted the attention of the notorious playboy Apollo. And I couldn’t refuse the request of a god, no matter how much I might have liked to.

Apollo and I had struck up an unlikely companionship, with Apollo staying at my Paris mansion for weeks on end at times. Over the years we’d shared more than just conquests, and I considered him one of the only friends I’d ever had, though I knew how fickle the gods were in both friendship and favor.

“I guess I’ll take my leave.” The god ran a hand through his golden hair. “I’m sure Corinne is up for a little down and dirty.” He gave Lilah a lascivious wink that had me growling a warning at him. “I’m going, I’m going. Relax, scrapper.”

The door closed solidly as I gave Lilah an appraising look. “Did he hurt you?”

“No.” She relaxed her arms the slightest bit so the sheet came to right below her collarbones. Her pale skin was luminous in the afternoon light. “He startled me. That’s all.” She frowned. “And copped a major feel.”

The rage rose in me again and I knew my eyes were changing into those of the incubus right in front of her. I was helpless to stop it. Her grip tightened on the sheet for a fraction of a second before she said in a soothing tone, “I’m okay, really. Just kinda freaked to wake up to a strange perv in my bed and then you two fighting half-naked. Well, he was all naked, but you get the idea.”

My eyes turned back to their dark hue as the anger faded, though jealousy surged through me when I thought of Apollo’s hands on Lilah.

“Umm, are you okay?” She inclined her head toward my bloodied body.

“I’ll heal.” Before I could stop myself, I was sitting on the bed beside her, putting a hand up to her neck. Though her brows lifted slightly in surprise, she didn’t move away from my touch, which pleased me immensely.

“How is your neck?”

“Already good as new.” She smiled slightly. “Immortal, remember?”

“I’m glad to hear it.”

Her hand strayed to her neck where the ancient runes pulsed along with her heartbeat, worry turning the corners of her lips before she gave me a weak smile. “Though this whole strange-guys-keep-pawing-at-me business is a not so refreshing change of pace.”

I tried to put a lid on my surprise. Each night she visited Red-Handed, every male in the room had kept an eye on her. Several had even attempted to approach her but held back when caught in her fierce gaze. Lilah’s appearance was beyond enticing, and she radiated confidence, which might as well have been eau de sex for the immortals surrounding her. The VIP room was abuzz with speculation about the mysterious raven-haired beauty at the bar, with several vampires making plans to follow her home. I’d made sure they never even made it to her building, much less her doorstep.

I enjoyed watching her too, noting the gracious curves of her body and the silky mane of her hair. I’d longed to touch her but was far too wary. One look at her determined little chin should have told me she wasn’t one of the regular thrill seekers who desired an unforgettable night with an incubus. She’d wanted much more from me. I wasn’t a fool—I knew the book wasn’t the only reason Lilah was on my trail. But if playing along with her meant I could surround myself with her, I would do it happily.

A rhythmic sound began wafting through the paneled walls. After a few seconds, Corinne screamed Apollo’s name as her headboard banged against the wood. Lilah’s cheeks flushed as she looked past me toward the sound. Such innocence.

“Well.” She cleared her throat, eyes still glued to the wall as Corinne’s moans continued. “I guess we should get ready to work.”

“Of course. Unless you had other things on your mind?” I followed her gaze to the wall. Teasing her came naturally. I loved the color that painted her cheeks, loved the way she responded to me.

“You can leave now.” Her voice was curt, though I’d caught the glint of excitement that sparked in her eyes at the veiled suggestion.

“As you wish, carissima. Bartholomew will have dinner prepared for us downstairs.” I rose from the bed, noting the way she seemed to relax a little at my retreat. I couldn’t help but enjoy all the subconscious tells she had to let me know I affected her.

“After we eat, I want to get to work. We can set up in your study.” She attempted an all-business tone.

“Whatever your little heart desires.” Though I had no intentions of spending the night with her clinically asking me questions about my life. I had better ideas for our time together. Much better.