I know the last chapter got some negative feedback. Believe me when I say, what happened between Tina and Alastor is more complicated than you think.

Speaking of which, theme song for this chapter is "Complicated" by Avril Lavigne.

"What we tell others?" Hildegard asked her boss as they approached the hotel.

"Hmm." Tina rubbed her chin. "We'll have to at least tell the Princess, of course. Miss Vaggie will just ask too many questions. I'll need Proxy to make up the VIP invitations."

"Can I tell Dinah? And Dana?"

The Songbat stopped in her tracks. "The twins are part of the entertainment. If word gets out that Valentino will be there, they might be too scared to even show up."

"So you not warn them?" Hildegard crossed her arms. "That is worse."

"I know. But I don't wanna cause a panic. Not to mention Al… Oh boy. If he was against this redemption idea before, he'd be really against it now."

"I will not have part in this. Dinah deserves to know. They all deserve."

"Look. I've got an idea. Valentino asked for three invites to the party. He didn't say they had to be at the exact same time as everyone else's. I'll have Proxy draw up the Three Vs' invites for nine o'clock instead of seven. That way, they'll be two hours late, givin' everyone time to enjoy the party before chaos ensues. And I'll rework the schedule so everyone who worked for Val performs before he and his buddies show up."

Hildegard tilted her head. "And if they show up early?"

Tina shrugged. "Then you can knock me upside the head and say, 'I told ya so.' For now, keep this between us, okay? Especially the part where I did this to get Angel Dust's soul. The Princess and her partner don't approve of dealmakin' and Al won't like this either."

The hellhound opened her mouth to speak.

"Please, Hildegard? I don't wanna have to make this an order."

With a sigh, Hildegard nodded. "But you let me say, 'I told you so.'"

They found Charlie in the ballroom.

"Tina! Thank goodness you're back!" Charlie panted as she rushed over. "Can you please do something about them?"

She gestured to the stage, where the Dicto twins were in frilly blue dresses, waving giant, feathered blue fans, and shouting.

"Dana, quit stepping on my toes!"

"I will when you stop hitting me with the bloody fan!

"That was an accident! You were late on your cue!"

"You're the one who's off-beat!"

"I'll show you who's off-beat!"

One twin tackled the other and they wrestled on the ground. Charlie looked pleadingly at Tina.

"I've tried to defuse the situation, remind them of how much they love each other, but they just won't listen."

Tina sighed and beckoned Hildegard to follow her. "You get Dinah, I'll get Dana."

Fortunately, Tina and Hildegard were among the few who could tell the twins apart when their hairs were styled identically. Tina flapped her wings and grabbed Dana around her middle. She thrashed in the Songbat's hold, clawing in her sister's direction.

Meanwhile, Hildegard stepped up behind Dinah, took her by the shoulders, picked her up as if she weighed nothing, turned her around, planted her back onto the floor, and then stared down at her.

"Stop," the hellhound said.

Dinah gulped and nodded.

"Let me go!" Dana pushed against Tina's arms. "We're having a quarrel here!"

The Songbat shook her head. "Not until ya calm down. You're both being ridiculous."

"You two sisters," Hildegard said. "You must not hurt the other."

"They're right, Dana." Dinah turned back to her sister. "We shouldn't get into nasty fights like Miss Twinkle and her ex."

"Huh?" Tina said.

Dana stopped struggling. "Oh my gosh, yes. We are acting like them, aren't we?"

Tina released the twin in bewilderment. "What?"

The sisters ran to each other and took hands.

"I don't want to fight like them, Dana."

"Me neither, Dinah."

"I apologize for hitting you with my fan."

"I apologize for stepping on your toes."

"Forgive me?" they said at the same time.

Then they embraced. Charlie put a hand over her heart, Hildegard nodded in approval, while Tina crossed her arms.

"Whaddya mean ya don't wanna fight like me and Al?"

"Speaking of Al." Charlie approached the stage. "Have you seen him today? He missed his rehearsal period."

"How should I know?" Tina shrugged. "That man's always been one to come and go all willy nilly." She glanced at the twins who were still hugging a little too sensually. "Hey, Your Highness, could I talk to ya 'bout something?"

"Sure. Anything." Charlie beamed.

"Alone."

"Oh." Her smile dropped. "Oh, of course. Let's talk in my office."

"You want to invite who?" Charlie asked.

"The Three Vs," Tina repeated.

The Princess blinked several times. "But, uh, aren't Vox and Alastor sworn enemies or something?"

"Yes, well," Tina said, folding her hands on the desk, "the Bible says we gotta love our enemies, so I thought, if our whole message is redemption, we gotta make amends with those who've wronged us, as well as those we've wronged."

"That's…" Charlie lit up. "A genius idea! Why didn't I think of that? Maybe I should invite Helsa and Seviathan too!" She cringed. "Then again…Vaggie might not like me inviting my ex."

"Yeah, speakin' of Miss Vaggie." Tina bit her lip. "Maybe not mention this to her."

Charlie frowned. "You saying I should…keep secrets from my girlfriend?"

"Sometimes keepin' secrets from your partner is necessary. I mean Miss Vaggie's already wary 'bout havin' Al around. If we tell her we're invitin' three other Overlords with sketchy reputations, she'll stop at nothing to prevent it. And don't get me started 'bout how Al will react."

"Well…" Charlie rubbed the back of her neck. "I suppose that makes sense. But won't Vaggie and Al be just as upset if the people they hate show up out of the blue without warning?"

"Then you let me take the blame for it." Tina leaned forward. "I just think it'll be good for our cause if we show that we'll even take in Hell's biggest offenders." She put a hand over her heart. "Isn't that what Jesus would do?"

Tina really hated being this manipulative, but she had to follow through on her end of the bargain in order to free Angel.

Charlie took a calming breath. "Yes, you're right. You can go ahead an invite them."

"And you'll keep this between us, right?"

"Cross my heart and hope to die."

The Songbat grinned as she stood. "Glad ya see things my way, Princess."

As she exited the office, she pulled out her phone and texted Proxy to make up the invitations. Then to Hildegard to get ready to deliver them personally. Tina didn't trust Hell's mail service.

Then one last text to Valentino: Expect invites by end of the day.

Later that afternoon, Angel Dust came storming into the ballroom.

"Angel, how you feeling?" Charlie asked. "Tina told me you were sick. You all better now?"

"Yeah, yeah." He pushed her away. "Where the Bat Girl at?"

The Bat Girl was rehearsing her number for the party. "Need something, hon?"

Angel stomped up to the stage, waving his phone at her. "I've got a bone to pick with ya, lady!"

Tina jumped offstage. "Yeah?"

He shoved the screen into her face, showing a text from Valentino: Clean out ur dressing room, Angel Cakes. Ur contract's up.

"Hmm." Tina folded her arms. "Guess he got my message."

Angel lowered his phone, his expression a mixture of fury and fear. "What the Hell did ya do?"

"Everything alright here?" Charlie asked.

"Just a private matter, Princess." Tina picked up her purse from the edge of the stage and took Angel by the arm. "Sorry, but this can't wait."

She led him back to his room. Once they were alone, Angel threw his phone on the bed and crossed his lower arms.

"How, toots?"

Tina shrugged. "Told ya I can be persuasive."

"Oh, don't ya play coy with me." He wagged a finger. "Val wouldn't've lemme go for nothing. So spill. What sick price did the fucker make ya pay?"

"Nothing I couldn't afford." Tina reached into her purse. "Which reminds me. I've got a present for ya."

"Quit beatin' round the bush and tell me what the bastard made ya d—"

Angel was struck dumb as she withdrew a glowing parchment. He'd seen it once before. His signature was still at the bottom.

Valentino's name had been replaced with Tina's.

"Fuck," Angel said. "You weren't shittin' me."

"As promised," she said, holding the contract out to him, "I got you back your soul. What ya do with it now is your choice."

"Whaddya mean, toots?"

"See, funny thing about Hell." Tina sighed. "Just because you're free of one demon, doesn't mean another one won't snatch ya up. Which is why whenever I get new souls, I offer them a choice. You can tear this contract up. Or I can hang onto your soul, to ensure it doesn't fall into the wrong hands again."

He tilted his head. "Any of them broads ever go for that crap?"

"Oh, yeah. Technically, I still own the Dicto twins and a few others who don't trust themselves not to run back to their old boss. They're free to come and terminate their contracts at any time. They just choose not to."

Angel raised his hand. The contract was at his fingertips, but he hesitated to touch it.

"I won't blame ya for still wantin' to be dependent on someone." Tina glanced down at her brooch. "Sometimes, we just ain't strong enough to stick it out on our own. If ya want me to keep your soul, I promise I won't force ya to work like a slave. But remember ya did promise to take your rehabilitation seriously. That said, it's still your life. So, Angel, what ya gonna do with it?"

As the spider continued to stare at the contract, Fat Nuggets nudged against his leg with a snort. Angel looked down at his pet. Fat Nuggets was owned, but unlike his master, he was well cared for.

Angel supposed if he were to let the Songbat be his new boss, she wouldn't mistreat him like Valentino. With her employees, she was firm but fair. And if this hotel project fell through, and Tina had to make other plans, Angel could go with her. That wouldn't be a bad deal.

Then he studied the Songbat again. She'd once been in his shoes. Forced to place her life in someone else's hands. While she hadn't given up her complete soul, she had surrendered a part of herself just to survive.

Now here she was, free and independent. Looking out for others who had been used and abused. Piloting her own life. Creating her own path.

Everything he wished he could be.

After much contemplation, Angel Dust smirked. "You'd make a pretty good boss, toots."

Then he took the contract in four hands. "But I like ya better as a friend."

He ripped the paper to shreds. Tina placed her hands on her hips with a grin.

"So, what ya gonna do now that you're a free man?"

"Deal's a deal, honey." Angel sprinkled the scraps into Fat Nuggets' food dish. "I'm gonna give the rehab thing a real shot." He held up a finger. "But if Charlie's little Heaven spiel turns out to be a whole lotta baloney, I'm movin' on."

Tina shrugged. "That's fair."

"Seriously, though. I wanna do better." He crossed his lower arms and rubbed the back of his neck. "'Specially when I see people like you, toots. Doing your own thing, not lettin' nobody tell ya how to live, and still being halfway decent to lowlifes like me when ya don't have to."

"Wow, uh, thanks."

"Which is why," Angel said, putting an arm around her, "it's time for me to help you."

She raised an eyebrow. "Help me with what?"

He poked her nose. "Help you and Smiles make up, of course."

"What?" Tina backed out of his hold. "No, no. I told ya, I don't wanna—"

"Oh come on, toots." He chuckled. "Remember what Dr. Cougar Lady said: 'We can't live our lives in denial!'"

"I'm not in deni—"

"Then why ya blushin' so hard, hmm?"

Her hands flew to her cheeks. "Cuz you're embarrassin' me, that's why!"

"Embarrassin' ya because it's true! Ya ain't foolin' nobody, babe." Angel ruffled her hair and pinched her cheek. "Ya may be playin' hard-to-get, but every time ya look Deer Boy's way, your eyes are a-glistenin' with that forbidden, forlorn desire. Even grumpy old Husky notices."

"Ugh!" Tina turned her back to him. "I got enough to this shit from Wilbur and then Lucifer tellin' me who I should and shouldn't be with. Why can't y'all mind your own business and butt outta other people's love lives?"

"Whoa, hey, hey." He held up four hands. "I wasn't tryin' to force ya into something uncomfortable, babe. I was just offerin' some friendly advice." He pointed at the door. "Besides, that freakishly handsome Bambi ain't just gonna admit defeat and walk away. Ya gotta deal with him sooner or later. Whether it's gettin' back together with him or layin' down the law once and for all. And since ya did me a solid, I'll help ya out in whatever way ya prefer."

Tina hung her head, realizing he was right. Angel wasn't trying to be intrusive. He just saw the problem she was having, and wanted to help fix it. She forgot, sometimes, that even independent beings needed assistance every now and then.

After all, that's how she'd met Alastor.

"There is," Tina said with a sigh, "one thing you can help me with."

Angel sat down on his bed and patted the space beside him. "Talk to me, honey."

She accepted the seat. Fat Nuggets leaped onto her lap and made himself comfortable.

"You can pet him if it makes ya feel better," Angel said.

Tina gave a small smile and did just that. "If only we were more like animals."

"Uh, hello?" He gestured to their furry bodies.

"I mean if we didn't have consciences, or emotions like guilt." The pig snorted in contentment as she scratched behind his ears. "We could just fall prey to our instincts and not care about the consequences."

"Hey, whaddya think this Hellish afterlife's for?"

"We may not have to worry about damnation anymore, but there are still consequences to our actions. We could hurt the people we love, or allow someone else to hurt us cuz we think we deserve it."

Angel cringed. "Touché. But what's this gotta do with you and Smiles?"

"I may have…accidentally…" She winced. "Told him I loved him today."

"Whoa, what?" Like a giddy teenager at a slumber party, he brought his legs onto the bed and sat on his knees, leaning towards her. "Come on, Tee, ya gotta gimme more deets than that!"

"I don't know how it happened! I was leaving, he called, 'love you,' and I said it back without thinking!"

"Damn, girl! You fuckin' Freudian slipped on his ass!"

"Shut up." She flopped her forehead onto Fat Nuggets. "How am I supposed to face him now?"

"Well, did ya mean it?"

"No." Her neck reddened. "Maybe?"

Angel laughed and slapped his knee. "Fuckin' Christ, you're a hot mess! You and Smiles deserve each other."

"What?" She straightened up.

"Aw, don't tell me ya haven't seen how he gets all flustered when you're around. I can hardly believe he's the same scary-ass bitch who exploded Egg Lord into oblivion. Face it." He poked her shoulder. "The man's a fuckin' simp, and so are you. The only difference is he ain't hidin' it like you."

"So what if I am?" she snapped. "I don't need no man in my life botherin' me. I'm my own woman now, and it's fine."

Angel raised an eyebrow. "Look, Tee. I get it. Ya wanna be independent and shit. Ain't nothing wrong with that." He draped an arm around her. "But nobody said ya can't be independent and still be in a relationship. I mean I know I ain't the best person to be givin' this kinda advice. But it's more than just a business thing tween you and Al. That right?"

She crossed her ankles. "It hasn't been for years."

"And ya wanna be with him, right? Not just cuz of some deal?"

Tina looked off to the side, contemplating her answer.

Alastor annoyed her with his constant advances. At the same time, though, they showed how much he knew and cared about her. And reminded her of how things used to be.

When they were both happy and content.

"I…I do." She facepalmed. "Fuck it, I do."

"Aha! I knew it!" Angel slapped her on the back. "So what's holdin' ya back? Was whatever Smiles did that made ya dump him that bad that ya can't forgive and forget?" He frowned suddenly. "Crap, he didn't beat ya, did he?"

"No," Tina murmured.

"Threaten ya?"

"No."

"Lock ya up and starve ya for three days to the point ya started chewin' your own dildos?"

She gave him a confused look. "That's…oddly specific."

"Bottom line," Angel said, holding up his lower palms, "did he do anything to hurt ya, emotionally or physically?"

She hung her head. "No."

"Then what?" He threw up all his hands. "What's your problem with him?"

Last time Angel had asked this, they were interrupted. Tina waited for another interruption to save her. But it never came.

She couldn't hold it in any longer. The truth had been bottling up inside her for weeks. And if there was anyone who would be least likely to judge her situation, it was the now former porn star.

"Al's not the problem," she finally admitted. "I am."

Angel cocked his head. "I ain't following."

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "I'm…incapable of being in a relationship. Any relationship. I've pushed away my family, my friends, my lovers. I don't even let the colleagues I work so hard to protect get too close. And I do it all because…because…"

Leaning her elbows onto Fat Nuggets, Tina buried her face in her hands. "Cuz if I don't do it, I'm gonna get hurt. If I don't hurt 'em first. I've already hurt Al. If I let him back in, I'll just hurt him more. But not lettin' him back in hurts him too. And it hurts to hurt him. So if there's no way not to hurt him, what am I supposed to do?"

No matter how hard she tried to keep the tears in her ducts, they were dripping onto the pig. Angel Dust cringed as he watched her. It was awkward whenever someone else started crying in front of him. He always felt the need to comfort them, but worried he might say something stupid or insensitive like usual. The only ones he could talk to seriously were Cherri and his sister Molly.

So, he just pretended like he was dealing with one of them.

Raising a tentative hand, he patted Tina on the back. "Hey, uh, there, there."

"Sorry." She sniffed. "You must think I'm pathetic. A grown woman like me cryin' over her ridiculous insecurities."

"Not at all, toots. We all need someone to vent to every now and then." Getting a little bolder, he wrapped his arm around her and pulled her tight to his side. "So what you're sayin' is that you're not with your husband, cuz ya feel ya don't deserve him? As in he's too good for ya?"

She wiped her nose on her arm. "Yeah."

"The psycho cannibal killer's too good for ya?"

"You'd think that'd be a dealbreaker." Tina scoffed. "He could kill anyone with a snap of his fingers and then cook up some jambalaya like it was a regular Tuesday. When he proposed that crazy marriage scheme, I thought there was no way I'd ever fall for a guy like that. But then… Then he had to go and act like the perfect husband."

She listed items off her fingers. "Givin' me everything I needed and didn't need, supportin' my career, even our fights would always end with us apologizin' to each other and goin' on like nothing happened."

"You and Smiles apologizing?" Angel huffed. "Now that's the most unbelievable thing I've heard all day. And I just got my soul freed."

"Shut up." She pounded her fists on the bed, scaring Fat Nuggets off her lap. "I wanna hate him, but he makes it so damn impossible! Cuz every time I make a mistake, instead of punishin' me, he stupidly forgives me every single fucking time! And I don't know why, when he knows very well that what happened ten years ago was entirely my—"

Suddenly remembering Angel was there, Tina shut her mouth. That was the one thing she didn't want to discuss.

Not with Angel, not with Alastor, not with anyone.

Thankfully, the spider didn't press her. "Believe it or not, toots, I get where you're comin' from. And I'm sure most of the folks ya picked off the streets do to." Flexing his upper arms behind his head, he leaned back against the wall. "Ya wanna know why I put up with Val for so long? Cuz I felt I did deserve him. After all, people like me are down here for a reason."

Tina lifted her feet onto the bed, hugging her knees to her chest. "I don't think you're down here cuz you're gay, Angel."

"Oh, I wasn't talkin' 'bout that. I meant the being a mobster shit." The casual lilt in his voice dropped. "Not to mention all the drugs, murder, and the, ahem, extramarital activities. Point is I was just as much prepared to punish myself in death as I did in life. And the thing about Val, though I knew he was bad news from the start, he didn't make me feel bad for being gay. If anything, he helped me to embrace it. It wouldn't've been so bad if he didn't also make me think…no one would want me as anything more than a piece of ass."

Or didn't beat the shit out of you, Tina thought, but didn't dare say aloud.

"A lotta guys made me think that 'bout myself too," she muttered.

"Did Al?" Angel asked.

She shook her head. "He thinks I'm perfect."

"Ha!" He waved a hand. "Nobody's perfect."

"That's what I keep tellin' him."

"But he's aware of your flaws, right?"

"Oh yeah. More than anybody."

"Then he probably just means you're perfect the way ya are, not that you're perfect as in ya never do anything wrong. I mean look at where we are." He gestured around with his lower hands. "What I mean is he might like ya despite your flaws, and wouldn't do anything to change ya. I mean I'm only assumin' this if he ain't forcin' ya to be a pretty little housewife or makin' ya out into something you're not."

Angel paused. "Shit, I gotta give Bambi more credit. Compared to the johns I've shacked up with, he's startin' to sound like a fuckin' prince."

Tina scowled. "You trying to make me feel worse about this?"

"It's your choice, babe." He laid a hand on her shoulder, his expression sincere. "But listen. Just cuz ya ain't perfect, don't mean ya don't deserve a little happiness. Ya said so yourself I didn't deserve to be mistreated and miserable. Well, neither do you."

It wasn't going to be easy for Tina to argue her way out of this one, because Angel had brought up some pretty excellent points.

"I think the therapy sessions are startin' to get to ya," she said with a smirk.

Angel smacked his forehead. "Oh, fuck, I do sound like Charlie, don't I?" He ran a hand through his hair. "Though, if you ask me, talkin' with you was more helpful than talkin' to that group of weirdos."

Tina blinked. "Huh. Guess you're right."

"Seriously, though." Laying two hands on her shoulders, he turned her to face him. "Give Smiles another chance. Ya don't meet a lotta steady guys down here. Try, I don't know, talkin' things out with him. Get some time alone, share a meal, go dancing. Find out he's what ya still want. Who knows?" He wiggled his brow. "Maybe he's finally ready to bang ya."

At the return of Angel's lewdness, Tina giggled and pushed him off. "Yeah, right. I gave up on that little fantasy ages ago. It's never gonna happen."

"Hey, he's desperate. I'm sure he'll do anything with the right persuasion." He snapped four sets of fingers and pointed at her with a wink. "If ya want, I can have a little man-to-man talk with him for ya."

"You do and I'll make your body match your outfits."

Angel crossed his legs to cover his groin.

"But…I'll think about what ya said."

"If ya do, maybe try and hold out on the bangin' for a few days. Say…after Valentine's Day?"

Tina scrunched her nose. "Why?"

"Well it's just that everybody screws on Valentine's Day and you'll want your first time to be extra special. Plus, Al likes being unpredictable, right?"

Clearly, there was some ulterior motive to this, but Tina shrugged it off as she rose from the bed. "Since you're finally bent on redemption, I think now's as good a time as any to clean the crap outta your room."

Angel's smugness vanished. "What, now?"

"Now." She lifted his pillow. "Good. You're not dumb."

He followed her as she began inspecting his room. "Hey, hey, I know I made a deal, but can't we start that tomorrow? I still, uh, got some pain from yesterday. Yeah. Need my medicine, ya know?"

"Let's see." She tapped her chin. "If I were a porn star, where would I hide…? Aha!"

Angel gasped as she went for his box of sex toys. "H-Hey! Do ya have any idea where those have been?"

"Good thing I decided to wear gloves today then." She rummaged through the dildos, handcuffs and straps of leather. "Uh-huh. Just as I suspected." She pulled out five drug bags. "Didn't think anybody was brave enough to look in there, did ya?"

The spider bit his lip. "I've, uh, never seen those before in my life."

"Hmm. Are the rest in your underwear drawer?"

He blushed. "K-Keep outta my drawers, ya pervert!"

"Considerin' you're not turnin' this into a teasin' pick-up line, I'll take that as a yes."

He made a beeline for the dresser, blocking it with six arms.

"Come on, Angel. You can keep all the sex stuff if it'll help ya blow off some steam, but you know the drug policy here."

She placed her hands on his waist and pried him from the dresser like a sticker. Angel folded all pairs of arms as she opened his top drawer.

"Some friend you are."

After a thorough search, Tina left Angel's room, carrying twenty bags of indeterminate drugs in her arms.

"Taking up a new hobby, darling?"

Tina spun around and dropped the bags. Alastor laughed.

"It truly is amazing. Even with those expert ears of yours, I still manage to get the jump on you!"

"H-Hi, Al."

It was all she could manage to say, after the last words she'd spoken to him.

"And what's all this then?" He pointed to the bags on the floor.

"Oh." She crouched to pick them up. "Contraband. Was takin' 'em to the trash."

A snap of Alastor's fingers, and the bags were gone. "There. Saved you the trip."

"Thanks."

He offered his hand. With much reluctance, she allowed him to help her up.

"Aren't you going to ask me where I've been all day?" he asked.

Tina was too flustered to roll her eyes. "W-Where've ya been all day?"

"So glad you asked!" He proudly brought a hand to his chest. "It just so happens I was extending a personal invitation to a very important guest for our party next week!"

"Really?" This was surprising news. "Who?"

"Ah-ah-ah!" Alastor wagged a finger. "You'll spoil the surprise!"

"Fine." Turning up her nose, she walked past him. "Then I won't tell ya who I invited, either."

"Oh, so you were out inviting someone too?" He followed her. "Anyone I know?"

"Uh-uh!" She held up a finger. "Surprise, remember?"

This banter worked in her favor. Now she had an excuse for not telling him about the Three Vs.

"Speaking of the party." Alastor's demeanor switched from playful to bashful as he rubbed the back of his neck. "Have you, err, given any thought as to who might escort you?"

Tina stopped, but didn't dare look at him. "Are…are you askin' me to the dance?"

His face was redder than his hair. "Well, it would look rather awkward if someone else were your escort, wouldn't it? With us being married, and all." His mouth twitched. "Unless…there is someone else on your mind."

She clenched her hands into fists, recalling Angel Dust's advice. Past experience told her she was just setting herself up for more disappointment, and Alastor for more heartbreak. And how was she supposed to talk her way out of saying that she loved him?

"I hope I'm not out of line in asking this," Alastor continued. "But given our previous conversation—"

"It was an accident."

All static disappeared from his voice. "What?"

Chance or no chance, she didn't want to give him any false hopes. And she had to be honest.

"I…I didn't mean to say it." Tina shut her eyes. "It slipped out. I'm sorry."

Alastor was silent for a long while. "We promised never to lie about a thing like that."

"I didn't lie. I just…" She inhaled sharply. "You tricked me. You're not supposed to say anything romantic."

"Does it really count if you said the same thing back? I'm not the only offender here, darling."

"Well, why'd you say it?"

"The same reason I said it the first time." Alastor walked around to face her. "The same reason you said it today." He bent down to her level. "Because it felt like the most natural thing to say. Now."

He took her chin with his finger and tilted it upwards. Her eyes opened to find that his smile was loving, though his gaze was sad.

His voice was even sadder. "Are you going to lie to me again? Or are you just not ready to admit that you still love me?"

Although Tina opened her mouth, an answer never came. A refusal, Alastor would've respected. But to be given no answer at all wounded him.

Tina didn't know why she couldn't simply say no. That she didn't love him. It had been so easy to say it to Angel Dust and Hildegard. But not to Alastor. Not to his face.

It didn't feel natural.

Because it wasn't true.

Sighing, Alastor released her chin and straightened up. "Is our deal off then?"

Tina had every right to call it off. After all, he'd broken it by saying he loved her. But then she'd said the same thing back. And even if she hadn't, did she want her and Alastor to go back into that never-ending loop of arguing? Things had been relatively peaceful between them since they'd made that deal, and they couldn't afford to be in conflict. Not with the big Valentine's Day party just around the corner.

She couldn't let the Princess or her employees down.

Then there was everything Angel Dust had said, about how Tina deserved to be happy. That if she still loved her husband, she should just accept it.

But she wasn't ready for that either. Not now, anyway.

"I…" Tina looked down as she tugged on her skirt. "I'm not sure."

Alastor rubbed his chin. Then came an audible ding as a brilliant idea occurred to him.

"Why don't we discuss it over dinner tonight? My treat!"

Her anxiety quickly dissipated into annoyance. "What did I say about romantic gestures?"

"Who said anything about a romantic gesture?" He motioned between them. "This will simply be a casual meal shared between business associates! Who just happen to be married!"

"Why does that sound familiar? Oh, right." Tina crossed her arms. "That was when ya proposed we enter a fake marriage, only to say 'I love you' five years later."

"Oh, I promise not to try anything, precious!" He booped her nose. "Have I ever lied to you?"

"Well there was that one time you—"

"My room, seven o'clock! Don't be late!"

"Wait. I didn't agree to—"

"Ta-ta, my teeny Tina!" He waved as he disappeared into the shadows.

The Songbat facepalmed. "Fucking idiot."

The creak of a door opening caused her to turn. Poking out of his room was Angel Dust's grinning face.

"H-How much of that did ya hear?" Tina asked.

"Enough to know that ya got yourself a hot date tonight, girlfriend!" He rushed up and grabbed her by the shoulders. "And because we're best buddies now, I'm gonna make sure you look fabulous for it!"

"Angel, no. One, it's not a date. Two, I don't need a—"

But he was already dragging her back to his room. "Makeover!"

"Remind me again, Voxy, why I had to give up my biggest star for a few worthless invitations to some shitty party?"

The Three Vs were gathered in Valentino's office. The pimp and Vox were lounged on a loveseat while Velvet sat across from them, focused on her hell phone. In Valentino's hand were the three invitations the Songbat's hellhound had recently delivered.

"I told you, babe." Vox swiped one of the invites. "If we wanna get even with the Radio Demon and his little bitch, we gotta be at that party. The chameleon's efforts have failed, so we must take matters into our own hands. Besides, you can always get Angel to sell his soul back to you. Once we've shamed that washup hotel, he'll have no choice."

"Bat Girl's no idiot. Get a load of this, boys." Velvet held up her phone, showing a picture. "The flyers they put up round town say the party's at seven. Those invites say it's at nine."

Valentino glanced at the tickets and scoffed. "Bitch is trying to pull one over on us by having us show up late."

"Then let's show up late." Vox smirked. "At eight o'clock."

"Ooh, hoo, hoo." Velvet kicked up her legs. "She won't see that coming."

"Then once the Princess welcomes us with open arms, we throw the wrench in her already poorly oiled machine. You still got those pics, Val?"

"Sent the digital copies to Velvet." Valentino pointed at the ragdoll. "You hacked into the hotel's social media?"

"You betcha." Velvet waved her phone. "Including Bat Girl's profile."

Vox laughed as he wrapped an arm around Valentino. "After this, there's no way that has-been husband of hers will want her back."

Told you it was more complicated than you thought!