Pushing Up Posies (Grim Dating #1) - Eve Langlais Page 0,2

for the thought.

“Where have you been?” he snapped. “I’ve been waiting.” Waiting was for those not trying to run a Hell with a bajillion citizens. Not to mention, the Devil should never wait for anyone.

Muriel appeared as lean as ever and mean looking, too. She’d chosen to wear form-fitting jeggings, molded to her skin and cinching in at the waist. She wore a light blouse, ankle boots, and a sword down her spine. A stylish girl like her father. “I was busy. You know, motherhood, being a wife to four guys, and dating a fifth.”

His eyebrows tried to escape his face. “A fifth? Since when?”

“Since a few weeks ago,” was Muriel’s coy reply.

“And you only tell me now?” How did he not know his daughter entertained yet another mate? Each one made her stronger. Eventually she’d reach a point he’d have to act. Killing a husband or two would reduce her power base, but she’d be pissed when she found out. And inevitably she would. He’d had it happen so many times before, and yet, what other choice did he have? Let her become more powerful than him?

He was too selfish to allow that.

“I haven’t told anyone because I was checking to see how he fit with my men first. If they approve, then I’ll probably marry him.”

“That’s quite the reverse harem. Kind of jelly,” Bambi declared.

“You were once dating a whole hockey team,” Muriel pointed out.

“Yeah, but none of them ever married me, and I got tired of dealing with their jilted partners.”

“Next time just kill them. It saves the hassle.” The advice came from experience, yet his girls both exclaimed.

“Really, Daddy,” Muriel chided. “That seems unnecessary.”

“So is rubbing my face in the fact you’re living your best life with your harem. It’s cruel and unusual punishment.”

Muriel smirked as she perched on his desk. “I know. What can I say? I learned to torture from the best.”

The disrespect was an homage to her parentage. “Keep irritating me, and I will abdicate and name you my heir again,” he threatened.

It still surprised him that when he’d had his mental lapse and Muriel had taken over, she’d not kept the job. She’d handed it back the moment he’d recovered.

It made no sense. All his children eventually betrayed him for the throne of Hell. But Muriel actually dumped it into his lap and then spent weeks after checking on him, making sure he wasn’t about to leave the ruling of the kingdom in her hands. It had to be a ploy. He just couldn’t decipher yet how it worked in her favor.

“Don’t you dare try and give me your shitty-ass job,” Muriel huffed, hopping off the desk. “I will drag you back kicking and screaming if you try.”

“I’ll do it.” Bambi raised her hand. She’d flung herself into the club chair facing his desk, legs over the armrest, almost showing off her cookie, looking like a whore.

The pride welling in him wasn’t enough to distract from his annoyance. “You are not ready to run Hell.”

His eldest pouted. “You gave it to Muriel once, and she’s younger than me.”

“Never again!” Muri declared. “You don’t want it either, sis.”

“I want to run something.” Bambi crossed her arms and almost fell out of her shirt. Just like her mother, who’d once fallen on his cock. He still maintained it wasn’t his fault he came. None of his three girlfriends at the time had any sympathy for him.

“What about that brothel you own?” the Devil pointed out.

“I sold it because it was boring.”

“If you’re bored, have sex,” Lucifer suggested. It always fixed him.

“I wish. It’s been ages since I’ve screwed anyone.” Rouged lips turned down.

“I find that hard to believe,” Muriel muttered.

That made two of them. Bambi’s mother had been a succubus, killed by a human while she was feeding. Bambi hadn’t been even two digits old. In a rare gesture of respect, he’d hired the best madams Hell had to offer to teach his daughter about her mother’s heritage as the most highly paid whore. He’d done his job so well his daughter held records. Slut of the Year. Whore of the Decade. He knew her mother, Mitzy, would be so proud.

“I’m abstaining so that I can make it special with someone.” Bambi might as well have dropped a bomb. Her words had an explosive effect.

Muriel’s eyes widened. “Holy shit, you’re in love.”

“Lust,” Bambi corrected. “But War won’t come near me if he thinks I’ve been with other men.”

“I can’t believe you’re still seeing him.