Page 86 of Devil's Claim

What was the saying about making a deal with the devil?

Hadn’t someone said haggling with him was necessary? Maybe that was truthful, although right now with the number of thoughts running through my mind, I wasn’t entirely positive.

Although that’s what I’d done. I’d counteroffered my position to the rugged and dangerous devil.

How long before my soul was bartered off in front of a raging fire?

Unwanted emotions had kept me awake almost all night long, my stomach churning from the number of knots. I wanted to pretend nothing made sense and that I was experiencing another nightmare, but the nagging voice in the back of my mind prevented me from fooling myself.

Again.

Worse than the aspect of haggling was the thought, however minuscule, that Kruz might actually care about me. Up until now, I’d been certain all he cared about was power, his reputation, and control. Even money seemed to be a distant second. What should that tell me about the man? Enough to know I should do my best to back out of the almost deal I’d made.

Yet I knew that wasn’t possible.

Just when I wanted to back out of my decision, I reminded myself that I was entering into the agreement to ruin my father. And perhaps Malcolm’s father as well. I’d yet to hear the specifics of what Kruz and the men he worked for had in mind for dealing with this Fassi person, but as long as it exposed my father for the monster he was, I’d help in any way possible.

“Where are we going, Mommy?”

Maverick’s voice held more seriousness than usual. He’d asked me twice where we were and I honestly hadn’t managed to figure out what to tell him. He didn’t know his grandparents and I wasn’t about to burst that bubble. He’d never been to another country, so that wasn’t helpful. I’d still need to deal with what to say to him about his father when he eventually asked.

“To visit a friend of Kruz’s. Isn’t that right?” I asked as I turned my attention to the man sitting next to me. As withthe night before, we were being chauffeured to the heart of Barcelona. That’s all I’d gotten out of the man. He’d gone quiet again, constantly checking his phone as if waiting for important information. I was still reeling from the first words out of the man’s mouth when I’d ventured out of my room hoping for coffee.

Still, his cool demeanor was unnerving.

Which I expected would last for hours, although I had no idea if he’d babysit me during the day. He’d insisted I bring Maverick, obviously refusing any babysitting duties. I could only imagine how well having a three-year-old child in an office environment would go over. But at this point, I was thankful to have my little man by my side. Especially since I had no clue what I was getting in the middle of or how much danger we were in.

But now I knew nothing in life was a coincidence, although fate had intervened, keeping me from being shipped off to God knows where.

The deal still felt raw in my mind, tiny tidbits of information eating at my brain cells. I seemed calmer than I felt, but my nerves were on edge. This felt like a job interview with a company I knew nothing about and dangerous elements as the employee base.

I pressed my hand against my mouth to keep from laughing. What the hell was I saying? I’d been shipped off to another country. Okay, yes, by agreement, but what was the difference? Weren’t we just playing a game? A vicious one, yes, but still a game.

The main difference between this and a game of chess was that lives were at stake. Including mine. The ugly reminder mademy skin crawl. I scratched my arm absently, almost immediately realizing Kruz was watching me twitch.

When he reached over, taking my hand into his, I almost pulled it free, but Maverick noticed everything. The last thing I wanted was a barrage of questions from an almost four-year-old with the determination of an ox.

“We’re visiting a member of the family,” Kruz answered, squeezing my hand then releasing. I’d give the man a B+ for trying to make his dark and brooding voice soft and comforting, exactly what a child needed.

Maverick looked up at Kruz with huge eyes but said nothing. I knew confusion when I saw it. That didn’t mean the questions were stopping permanently. They were merely on a temporary hold.

“How about once we’re finished, we get some ice cream?” Kruz continued and Maverick’s eyes lit up like he was the kid being told he could soon have his favorite treat. I liked this side of the man, the one who tried so hard to give my little boy some joy.

“Yay!” The news excited Maverick. With his claps and giggles, I wasn’t certain if I’d be able to calm him down.

I leaned over, trying to keep my whispered words under the radar. “Don’t make promises you can’t keep.”

“I don’t intend to.”

A darkness fell across Kruz’s face just before he looked away. He was a looming shadow that should terrify me and I was wishing for something beautiful shared between us.

No fantasies, girl. No fairytales. This is just business. Keep your eye on the ball.

The reminder was what I needed and would continue doing until it stuck with me. This was just an arrangement, albeit a very lucrative one.

Only a few minutes later, the driver approached a beautiful skyscraper, heading underground to what I assumed was a garage. The all-glass building was glistening in the sun. People were everywhere on the beautiful day, couples arm in arm strolling down the sidewalk while businessmen and women pushed them aside, hurrying along as if late for an important meeting.

The lump in my throat tasted like bile and there were hordes of angry butterflies in my stomach.

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