Page 51 of The Devil's Dilemma

I rubbed at the mark on my chest, where the imprint of Dante’s fingers still tingled.

The moment I’d felt my life ebbing away, as my last breath left my body, my mom had come to me again.

“Don’t stay here too long. Not yet, my darling boy. You still have things to do.”

“I want to stay here with you. I missed you, Momma.”

“I know you did, angel, and I’ve missed you every single day. I’m right with you, though, whether you know it or not.”

“Why is he killing me? I stole from him, but that doesn’t warrant murder.”

“He doesn’t know who you are to him yet, but he will. Give him time. He will regret what he’s done to you, and you will forgive him.”

“For killing me? I don’t think so. It’s the ultimate sin.”

“Not for him. For him, it’s second nature, but in time, he’ll realise.”

“I don’t know what I’m supposed to do. I don’t understand any of this.”

She kissed my forehead, and once again, I was a little boy sitting on her lap, a reading book in her hand.

“Once upon a time, there was a dark prince. He did a bad thing and got sent to earth to be punished. He hated it there and wanted nothing more than to burn it to the ground as revenge for what had been done to him. At first, it was easy, but as time passed, he was forgotten. No one knew who he was anymore, and life became meaningless for him. It was time to make a change.

“Then, one day, a boy was born. A boy with a light in his heart. A light so bright it would show the dark prince the way, show him that not everything was as terrible as it seemed.”

“Is that me, Momma? Am I the boy with the light in his heart?”

“Yes, angel. My sweet, darling boy. You have the light inside you. But evil men wanted to kill the boy because he would be the one who led the dark prince out of the darkness and restore balance.”

She stroked my hair like she used to do. My darling Momma. I missed her so much.

“Why did you have to leave? I love you so much. I lost my way.”

“You did, angel, but you will find it again, and when you do, it’ll be the most wonderful thing in the world. Because of you, there will always be a place for people to live.”

“I’m scared, Momma.”

“I know, my sweet child, but there’s nothing to fear. He will protect you with his life. He doesn’t know it yet, but you are the most important person in the world for him, and once he realises that, he will love you with all his heart and his being.”

“I want to stay here with you. I don’t want to go back.” She looked as I remembered from all those years ago, not a line on her face. Brilliant blue eyes and the longest, blondest hair, with soft curls that hung delicately past her shoulders. Skin so pale, hardly a blemish. God, how I missed her.

“You must. It’s time. Be brave, my little soldier, and soon it will all become clear.”

“Why did you die?” I needed to know.

“It was my time. I’d done what I was meant to. I gave you life.”

My perfect dream ended, and I was left with tears on my face and a scorching pain in my chest.

Now I was lying in his bed, unable to sleep. Dante had stormed out of the apartment. Conrad had followed shortly after and locked the door, the click loud.

A prisoner once again.

At least it was better than the white cell I’d been in before. This one had a comfortable bed at least.

My phone was gone. Where had that got to? All I had was the casino chip and my thoughts, of which there were plenty.

I’d never enjoyed my company, always seeking to be with others rather than on my own. Today, I had no choice but to sit with my thoughts until Dante came back.

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