Page 6 of Devilish

“Wait a second,” he said. “I don’t want you to work here. I was offering you somewhere safe to stay. But I can understand why this might not work for you. I have another idea, but it requires some trust.”

He extended his hand. “I’m Lucien Vale. I’m thirty-six, though I won’t blame you if you thought I was thirty-three. It’s the genes.” He winked at me, and it was so not what I expected that I could only blink and stare.

Lucien nodded at his hand. “You gonna leave me hanging, or…?”

I didn’t know why I did it, but I shook his hand. His fingers engulfed mine easily, warm and strong and…comforting.

“I’m Kai Daniels,” I said, and then bit the inside of my cheek. “I’m twenty-three.”

“And look eighteen,” Lucien teased. “Are you sure you’re twenty-three?”

I nodded. “It’s the genes.”

His low chuckle was genuine, so effortless that I almost cracked a smile.

He had a deep laugh. It was…nice.

“Well, Kai,” he said, and lowered my hand. “I was wrapping things up here for the night to head home soon anyway, so since you need somewhere to stay and I have a spare room, why don’t you come home with me tonight?”

3

LUCIEN

KAI DIDN’T MOVE from where he stood in the corner of the elevator as it whisked us up to my apartment. He’d stayed quiet on the drive over, was quiet still now, and I had a feeling he was second-guessing his decision to come with me.

I wouldn’t take offense at that. His hesitancy had less to do with me and more to do with the situation he found himself in. There was a lot I could infer about his relationship with Rupert, and none of it was good. Which meant the best thing I could offer him right now was a safe place to lay his head tonight without worry.

The doors opened, and I gestured for Kai to exit first. He took a deep breath and then walked out, and I had to hand it to him—he put up a brave front. No telling what he’d been through, but those were questions for another time.

There were only two residences on this floor—mine and one belonging to an Australian billionaire who preferred to spend her time in Sydney Harbour, so I always had the utmost privacy in the place I considered my sanctuary. Though, truth be told, if she ever came back, I’d work my charm to buy her out.

“No one will bother you here,” I said, unlocking the door. “All the crazy neighbors flew south for the spring.”

Kai didn’t seem to even hear what I’d said, too busy staring wide-eyed at my house.

I supposed itwasa little extra, but then, so was I.

“You can come in. I won’t bite.”Unless you ask me to.

With tentative steps, he walked inside, eyes roaming over every inch of the place.

Curious, I tried to take an objective look at what he was seeing.

I’d designed a dark, hedonistic paradise, rich and luxurious in shades of black, red, and purple. Exquisite chandeliers were set to a dim light that always captured the mood, above imported furniture and antiques of the highest quality, made with the most sumptuous leather and velvet. Against the backdrop of cathedral windows overlooking Manhattan, an ornate staircase led to the second floor.

Kai’s gaze stopped on one of the many ancient artifacts I’d collected over the years, this one proudly displayed on the wall.

“Incredible, isn’t it?” I said.

“Is that a…”

“Jade and bronze butt plug from over two thousand years ago? It is.” I reached for the display box and brought it down to Kai for a closer look. “Now, when we look at something like this, we automatically think it’s for pleasure. At least, I do.” I winked at him. “But this was found in the tomb of a king in China, and the lore is that the dead would be buried with butt plugs to seal in the body’s life energy.”

Kai’s brows shot up, and I chuckled as I put the box back on its perch.

“I know. What a waste.”

I stepped farther into the large, open space, giving Kai some room to breathe, but when I turned back to see him still staring at the artifact on the wall, my lips quirked.

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