What a Demon Wants Read Online Free PDF Page A

didn’t have time to entertain him.
    Ellina started to push down the handle, but paused again. She had to admit hiding out in here was more appealing. But he was her employee, so she needed to give him some ground rules. She didn’t have a clue what those rules were, but…
    “I can’t just leave him standing in the living room. He needs some sort of directions, right?”
    Taking a deep breath, she tugged open her door. As soon as she did, a large body loomed in front of her, blocking her from leaving her office.
    Ellina yelped and stepped back.

    “Are you okay?” Jude stood there, arms crossed over his chest, legs slightly apart.
    “What are you doing out here?” she managed to snap, even as her thumping heart stole her breath.
    “Guarding you.”
    She frowned. So much for being able to tell if he’d followed her down the hall.
    Clearly he’d been standing here the whole time.
    Had he heard her talking to herself? Worse yet, had he heard her laughing? That had to have seemed slightly crazy, at best. She didn’t ask, not sure if she wanted the answer, so instead she asked, “So this is what you are going to do? Just stand around in the hallway all day?”
    “And night,” he added, his tone bland.
    Her frown deepened. Well, that answered one question. He clearly hadn’t decided to leave again in the last ten minutes.
    “Money makes the world go ’round,” she murmured.
    “Pardon?”
    She ignored his question. “I can’t concentrate knowing that you’re lurking out here.”
    “I’m not lurking. I’m guarding.”
    “Well, whatever you’re doing, I can’t concentrate. You want to leave. And I want you to leave, so why don’t you just go now. I’ll even tell Maksim you did stay for a while.”
    “That would be a lie.”
    Ellina gritted her teeth. “My brother is a demon. He enjoys a good sin every now and then. And you can’t tell me that a guy like you cares about a lie every now and then either.”
    She tried to read his reaction to that assessment, but aside from a slight tic in his jaw, his expression told her nothing.
    “I’ll even pay you to leave.”
    Still no reaction. Nothing.
    “I don’t need a bodyguard,” she added once she realized he didn’t intend to answer her. “My brother is a bit of an alarmist. An interesting fact, that. Many demons overreact.
    I’ve even written about it.”

    Jude leaned one shoulder against the wall, looking decidedly disinclined to go anywhere. And, frankly, a little bored with her.
    So it surprised Ellina when he said, “I’ve read your brother’s report about the incidents that have happened to you. They sound a little suspicious to me. Definitely reasons for concern.”
    “Yeah, well, then you’re probably an alarmist too.”
    Jude quirked his lips in a gesture that Ellina couldn’t exactly label as a smile. More a smirk. But the curl of his lips hinted at a dimple in his left cheek that had remained hidden until that moment.
    “I think you’re confusing alarm with caution,” he said.
    Ellina made a face, frustrated that they were talking in circles. “Listen, you don’t want this job. And I don’t want you here. So please just go.”

    Jude knew he was being handed his out—again—but he couldn’t do it.
    Money. Maybe even enough money to make this his last gig.
    Keep your eyes on the prize, buddy.
    Plus he had read the report, and either someone was out to get this woman, or she had the worst luck of anyone he’d ever encountered. And given that he had some pretty crappy luck, Jude felt pretty confident no one’s luck was quite that bad.
    No, he couldn’t leave her alone. She could be in real trouble. That wouldn’t be…
    He stopped his train of thought. That wouldn’t be financially wise.
    “I’m staying.”
    Ellina glared at him, the flash of irritation in her pale eyes making them more brilliant, this time making them glint like polished aquamarines. The firm set of her lips did nothing to diminish their fullness.
    He