Page 39 of The Devil Within

I know, Flower. I know almost everything about you but please keep talking.

I bring our clasped hands up to my lips and lay a sweet kiss to her fingers; the same fingers that were covered in blood for me not that long ago. “Two broken souls looking for a brighter tomorrow, huh?”

She flashes me a sweet little smile. “Yeah, something like that I guess.” There’s an awkward pause for a moment before she finally asks, “So I know you’re a lawyer, and I’m sure that keeps you busy, but what do you like to do for fun?”

Keeping your best friend as my captive to use whenever and however I please, in between stalking you. That answer would probably push her away; I better stick to half-truths.

“Hunting,” I tell her, which technically isn’t a lie.

Before she can ask more questions that I really can’t answer without ruining the date, we pull up to the curb outside the restaurant. She goes to undo her buckle but I shoot my hand out, covering hers.

“Do not move,” I instruct her before undoing my own buckle. She looks a bit stunned, but she obeys.Good.

Rounding the car, I open her door and try my best to not laugh at the heated look on her face. She doesn’t like being told what to do. My lovely girl likes to claim she’s a switch, but she’s very dominant. She only likes to give up control if it means she’s going to get something very good out of it. Luckily for her, I’m very much interested in pulling as much pleasure as I can from this sweet little Flower. Lowering myself into the car, I gently unlatch the belt for her. This close to her, I can smell the scent ofher perfume. It’s some type of dark floral that masks the normal scent of her honey and lavender. I don’t like it. I want her to smell like her natural self. I’ll have to sneak into her home later and dispose of it.

I’ve brought her to one of my favorite little Italian restaurants downtown. The food is incredible, the atmosphere is soft and quiet, but it’s not pretentious and annoying. It’s a family owned place that’s been here for years. I used to grab takeout from here on a regular basis. The image of walking in here with both my girls wrapped on my arms flashes across my mind and fills me with intense warmth. I can’t wait to have them both completely. I know I won’t be able to take Celeste out on the town here, not with everyone assuming she’s dead, but once we’re far from here, I intend to spoil them both constantly like they deserve.

The hostess leads us to a round table in a darkened back corner. There’s a candle and a small vase with a rose on top of the crisp white table cloth. It’s exactly what I requested when I made the reservation. I pull out her chair as I guide her to sit and push her in before taking my own seat. Others cast glaces at us, probably jealous of the feisty and sexy little piece of arm candy across from me. She turns heads anywhere she goes with her colorful and confident attitude.

“So, what is it you do for a living then?” I ask her as if I don’t already know. I know almost everything about her. I have done my research. I am not the kind of man who likes to rush into things without all the facts.

“I work at a tattoo shop. I’m the piercing girl.” The way she says it with such softness as if she’s embarrassed makes my blood boil.

I snap my eyes up to meet hers with a subtle smirk. “Really? You put holes in people for a living?”

I’m so enraptured in the seductive creature across from me that I don’t even notice the waitress approaching the table untilher hand lands lightly on my shoulder. I look up at the waitress who flashes me a seductive smile and throws her bleach blonde hair over her shoulder.

Why the fuck is this woman touching me?

The waitress welcomes me to the restaurant and asks if I’ve been here before, but I’m not really listening, my eyes are trained on the woman across from me. Her eyes are focused on her lap. She looks uncomfortable. I definitely do not like that. Is she seriously insecure? Doesn’t she understand that she’s not just someone I’m interested in? She is myobsession.

When the waitress asks what type of wine I’m interested in for the table, I can’t take Liv’s silence a moment longer. “I’m usually a fan of red, but I’m just here to impress you, Flower, so what do you want?”

That finally gets her attention. Her beautiful emerald eyes snap up to meet mine. They’re hypnotic and enchanting just like the rest of her. “What?”

“The girl asked if we want wine.” I hold her uncertain gaze, showing her that I am here for her and only her. “So what do you want, red or white?”

She breaks our stare to look up at the waitress. A smile pulls at my girl’s face, telling me that she appreciates whatever expression the bimbo is making.

“I like red,” she states. Of course I already know that she prefers her wine pink, sparkling, and cheap, but I do appreciate the effort she’s making to impress me. It makes me puff out my chest a little.

“Merlot it is then,” I state without so much as a glance at our waitress.

I can’t take my eyes off the girl in front of me. She’s perfection. When our waitress returns, we order and I can’t help but be entranced with the siren across from me. Her voice is soothing and lyrical. She’s the intoxicating mix of colorful and dark, softand deep, calm and chaotic. The more I learn about her, the more time I spend with her, the more I am enamored with the contradictory nature that is her perfection. She has me completely under her spell.

“Flower?” she asks and I’m startled out of the trance she put me under.

It takes me a second to figure out that she’s referring to the nickname. “You don’t like it?” I ask as I take a sip of the wine.

“I do,” she states but there’s a slight hesitancy in her tone. “But why?”

I can’t tell her the truth. I can’t tell her that the taste of her pussy reminds me of the flowers of spring. She’s like a breath of fresh fucking air; the promise of new beginnings and a new life. That’d be really fucking weird to say to her on our first date.

“You’re sweet, colorful, and pretty,” I finally manage to say and regret it instantly.

What a fucking line, you idiot.

“But I get the feeling you also have thorns,” I add.

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