Page 22 of The Devil and I
Chapter Fifteen
Rayna
Before I met Lucas, most of my lonely nights were full of nightmares. Brutal alternate realities where the man that raped me found me over and over again, finding new ways to hurt me every time the sun went down. My darkest memories would resurface with the rising of the moon, from the death of my parents to my suicide attempt, and everything in between. Over and over again, until I woke up each morning feeling like I'd lived another lifetime of suffering in one single night.
Tonight, everything was different. Much like every night since Lucas found me, my sleep has been peaceful. There are no demons in my head, taking pieces of my soul with another new nightmare. Lucas chased them all away. Now, my dreams are dark, but that darkness is different.
In the shadows of my sleeping mind, I see the wicked grey eyes of the man that saved my life. I feel the warm embrace of his strong arms, wrapped around me to protect me from all of the things that want to see me die.
I am safe here, with a shadowed version of my dark savior, keeping all the other monsters at bay. There is no trauma, no pain, no fear. My quiet dreamscape is hallowed by a low, rumbling voice like distant thunder that soothes every piece of my battered soul. Though realistically, my spirit has undergone a transformation since Lucas brought me into his world. Instead of a heap of broken pieces lost somewhere far away, I am something that resembles a woman made whole again. Each piece of me carefully stitched together, strengthened by the glue of his devoted care taking.
Lucas made the space around me safe and used his rough hands to help put me back together again. With patience and the unyielding force of his will, he held me together so that I could start to really heal. He listened, where others ignored me, and gave me the one thing I have yearned for since my parents left this world: protection.
Slowly, I feel myself pulled to the surface of the dark waters that are my dreams. A ringtone echoes through my mind, dragging me unwillingly back to consciousness. When my eyes flutter open, I expect to see the early morning light. Instead, my eyes open to inky darkness. I shift beneath the warm sheets, rolling over to the bedside table to grab the cell phone Lucas had left behind for me.
Unknown Callerblinks across the screen, but I answer it anyway. “Lucas?” My voice is thick from sleep, so I repeat myself just in case he didn't hear my drowsy whisper.
“Hey, baby. Are you okay?”
Laying my head back down on my pillow, I close my eyes as his velvety deep voice rolls through me. The sensation of his words directly in my ear has me shivering, a smile spreading slowly across my face. “Mhm.”
“Sorry to wake you, I just needed to hear your voice.” He sounds a little off, but I can recognize what sounds like longing in his beautiful voice. It makes me flush with warmth for him.
“What time is it?” I ask with a small groan, realizing he doesn't have a clock in his bedroom. I drag a hand over my face to rub at my eyes, trying to focus in the darkness.
He chuckles gently, the sound as rich and sweet as expensive chocolate. “It's late. Stay in bed where you're safe.”
“I'd be safe with you here, you know,” I tease.
“I know, baby.” he sighs, “I'll be home before you know it.” My mind wanders to images of Lucas climbing back into bed in the darkness, pressing all of that hard muscle down on top of me with a fiery kiss.
“I miss you,” I tell him wistfully, feeling myself getting a little wet at the thought of him settling his big body between my legs. “I wish you were here.”
“You sound a little breathless, beautiful girl.” His gravelly voice is inundated with heat, and the growl that rumbles from the phone makes me want to touch myself. I let my hand drift over my hip from where it lay at my side, settling between my thighs to tease me with a feather light touch. A needy sigh escapes me, and his answering groan makes me grin knowingly.
“Rayna.” My name, as it falls from his lips, is a growl. “Are you touching yourself?” The sound of renewed hunger in his tone is making my body tremble as arousal flutters through me, heating me.
“Maybe,” I whisper. He growls again, and the sound is delectable. I want to press my tongue against the column of his throat and feel the vibration.
“You didn't ask for permission to touch my property.” He rumbles, his voice full of the kind of sexual foreboding some men could wield like a seductive weapon.
“Who is going to stop me?” I tease, realizing briefly that being alone here gives me the kind of courage I've never been able to explore before. Lucas isn't the kind of man that has buttons you can easily push, and the thought of playing with him like this feels especially risky. Here in the dark, with miles of space between us, I felt like pushing a couple of his dangerous little buttons.
If it were anyone else, Lucas would probably laugh at the attempt to rile him. In my case, it was obvious he was about to let me under his skin. There are pleasurable benefits to being loved by the devil himself. This new, wicked game is definitely one of them.
“Does my beautiful girl really think she's safe from her monster?” he questions darkly, amusement lacing every word.
“I don't see you around, Lucas. I can touch myself and there's nothing you can do to stop me.” If the sound that comes out of him is anything to go by, I am definitely getting under his skin. It is intoxicating, the power I can have over a man like him. He is always so sure of himself and under complete control, a steady anchor in the roughest of waters. Except now, with him on the other end of the phone and unable to get to me, I can rattle all of that carefully constructed self control.
“When I get my hands on you, Rayna...” he starts, but I quickly interrupt him.
“When? When isn't right now. Right now, I've got my fingers on my clit,” I tell him, my voice heavy with lust. Whatever embers he left burning low in my belly have sparked, and the fire spreading through me is quickly burning out of control. I moan softly as my fingers rub slow, firm circles around the bud of my clit.
Lucas sounds pained, frustration heavy in his dark tone. “Such a bad girl. You're brave teasing the devil like this.”
“If I'm lucky, he'll show up and fuck me,” I whimper, imagining a dark and brooding Lucas strolling into the bedroom with his fists clenched, ready to destroy that soft place between my legs.
“Oh, he'll show up. And when he does, you'll regret all this teasing,” he growls, and I smile when I hear the sound of turn signals through the call. I imagine him changing direction so he can come find me in his bed, instead of wherever he is heading now.
