Page 31 of The Devil and I
“I'll do anything to keep you safe and happy, baby. I promise you that,” I tell her as I plant a kiss on the side of her neck, pulling her closer in a tight hug. I don't ever want to let her go.
“I wish I could stay here forever, you know. Just read books, watch the birds, and be with you.”
It takes an immense effort on my part to keep my emotions in check. I don't want to overwhelm her with the madness inside of me. She doesn't quite realize that my obsession goes deeper than anything she can fathom. She knows I'll kill for her, I proved that last night. She doesn't realize that isn't the peak of what I will do.
Most importantly, she doesn't realize that when I say I cannot let her go, I mean it. I think she needs to hear it now. And if it's a stupid decision to tell her, I'll deal with the consequences as they present themselves.
“You need to understand something, Rayna,” I begin, pulling back just enough that I can hold her gaze with my own. “Youarestaying here forever. Even if you tried to run from me, I would tear this world apart every second of the day until I had you back in my arms. There is nothing in this world that can take you away from me. Nothing.”
I watch Rayna's dark eyes as her pupils constrict and then dilate. A beautiful shade of red spreads across her face and throat as arousal blooms in her.
“Fuck. You're just as sick as me,” I groan, lifting my hand to drag my thumb across her plump bottom lip. Whether she was born this way, or I corrupted her myself, it didn't matter. All that matters now is that we're together, and we belong to each other.
“I want you to chase me, Lucas. It's fucked up, but I need you to re-write what happened to me in your own way.”
Fuck. She's bringing the monster in me to its knees again. I am her god damn servant, desperate to give her all the dark pleasure she's asking me for. I can't help but lean in to her, my mouth brushing against hers. She parts her lips and invites me in, and I take everything she is offering without hesitation, like the monster I am.
My tongue sweeps against hers, and the way she gently teases me back makes my heart race so hard I wonder if I'm about to have a fucking heart attack. She is so damn soft. Every part of me wants to break her in a way that satisfies us both. She sings her siren song and the predator in me answers, craving the hunt, the take down, and the sweetest damn feast her body promises.
I pull away from her, my hand sliding up to grip her hair from behind her head.
“We'll play that game, baby. Your monster will give you what you need,” I promise, placing one last kiss on her lips before pulling back from her. “First, there's some stuff that needs to happen.”
“Oh?” she answers breathlessly, watching me closely as I turn away and move back towards dinner preparations. My pan is hot, the water is boiling, and I should really try not to burn the house down.
As I drop the ingredients into the hot pan and begin cooking in earnest, I pull out my phone and find the number I need. She watches quietly as I multitask, bringing the phone to my ear. I call the moving company I researched earlier in the week, and set up an appointment to have Rayna's apartment cleared out tomorrow. When I chance a glance at her over my shoulder, her eyebrows shoot up in surprise. I offer her the most charming smile I can muster as I finish the call.
“Movers will box up your stuff tomorrow and bring it all here in the evening,” I explain as I continue to cook.
“Luckily, I think I forgot to lock my door,” she tells me as she slips down from the counter and steps beside me, a small laugh leaving her as if she finds that thought funny. Her subtle laugh is a little off, though. Understandably so, since the memory attached to that bit of information obviously isn't a pleasant one.
“You did. I had someone check for me,” I explain, but she doesn't seem surprised. “There are benefits to being a cop.”
“Clearly,” she responds with a smirk, and the look on her face has me setting down what I'm holding so I can haul her back up onto the counter behind me. The giggle that leaves her as I lift her up is a much happier sound.
“Sit. Dinner is almost ready.”
Her voice is light, and I can hear the heels of her feet tapping on the cupboard below as she swings them back and forth. “So bossy.”
She has no idea. Yet.
It doesn't take me long to finish dinner, and much to Rayna's surprise, I insist on hand feeding her every single bite of the fettuccine alfredo I cooked for her. She doesn't protest, thankfully. She just eats each bite with a small smile on her face, waiting patiently for me to decide she has eaten enough of the food.
When I'm satisfied that she's eaten enough, I eat the food I set aside for myself. We hang out in the kitchen for quite a while, talking about things from our past, while the sun sets on my warm, secluded home. By the time Rayna lets out a yawn, the sun has set, and I've finished putting the dishes away.
“Let's go to sleep,” I tell her, turning off the lights and leading her back to the bedroom. “We'll need to drive into Toronto tomorrow, and I want to make sure you're well rested.”
Once again, she lets me remove her clothing and get her into bed. I can't help but appreciate her patience as she deals with my overbearing need for control over everything.
“I'm not looking forward to going home,” she explains as she settles under the bed sheets and waits for me to join her.
“This is your home now. We're just going to go check your stuff, stop for dinner, and come back here,” I tell her reassuringly as I lift the sheets and slide in next to her.
“Dinner?” she asks me, her eyes lighting up a little.
“Yeah. What are you in the mood for?” I ask, pulling her body towards me so that I can hold her. She settles her head against my chest, drawing a leg up over mine.
“Sushi,” she says through another yawn.
