Page 3 of The Devil After Dark
I should have been able to stop this—or I should have at least been paying attention to our surroundings. I had been too busy watching the woman walking down the sidewalk alone. I had been completely transfixed with her. The way her hair swung down her back and the way her hips moved had me completely checked out. And she’d used her own shirt to keep Jason alive while I sat there on the pavement like a complete fucking idiot and my best friends dying. Everyone else had run in the opposite direction and thiswoman, who had completely distracted me, had run towards us. She had run towards the blood and bullets and torn her shirt off to help.
I buried my face in my hands and ground my palms against my eyes. This was not who I was. I owned this city. I was wealthy and powerful and I did not cower or cry when someone lashed out at me or my family. No, I hit them back harder—I was ruthless. Unfeeling. I was not the man who was distracted by long hair and a delicious ass.
“Mr. Padovano?” the doctor asked from the doorway to the private room they had allowed me to occupy.
“Yeah,” I responded and lifted my head.
The doctor crossed the room and sat in one of the chairs across from me. “Jason did well through surgery. He is in recovery now, where we will keep a close eye on him, but we do expect him to make a full recovery at this point. He was very lucky. There are a few things we will be monitoring, but the surgery went as well as it possibly could have. We will keep you posted and someone will come get you when you’re able to see him.”
The doctor gave a reassuring nod and then left quickly. She was probably sparing me from having to open my mouth and the embarrassment of my relief spilling out. I had lost too many people in my lifetime, and the last time I sat in a room like this I learned my kid brother and father weren’t as lucky as Jason. Zac saved me from my thoughts as he entered the room with two large paper cups of coffee. Handing one to me, he sat down in the spot the doctor had vacated. “Jason is expected to make a full recovery,” I said as calmly as I could and took a sip of the scalding hot coffee to mask the wave of relief I was feeling.
“Good. What’s the order, Cass?” Zac asked with a voice devoid of feeling.
It was the same answer as any time something like this happened. “We kill them.”
four
LIANA
It was2:05 AM and I was still awake, pacing my condo. My condo complex had four buildings, three floors, and six units each. I lived in the second building, third floor, condo B. It had a beautiful wraparound balcony and a great view of the rolling hills and estates that stretched to the west away from town. Across the street was a sports court facility where the old men of the town would gather for games in the afternoon. Most of the time it was empty and made for a quiet neighbor. The other condo on my floor was owned by an older retired couple who were gone most of the year living in their home in one of the southern provinces. It was quiet and I usually loved it. But tonight, it was too quiet for me.
Coming from the lesser class, the ones without magic, it had been hard for me to dream of a life like this. I lived in a world where the magic wielders had everything—the wealth, the power, they governed, and lived lavish lifestyles. The rest of us were just living in their world, working our way up and trying to live normal lives without getting in their way. We have a complicated history. Milleniaago the magic wielders and those without magic fought and warred. Those without magic tried to exterminate those who had magic, seeing it as un-godly for someone to have power like that. But of course, those with magic won out. Thankfully, they chose not to exterminate us in return. Instead, they chose to let us live under them and we earned the charming title of ‘lesser humans.’
Now, hundreds of years later, technology has given us lesser folks the tools to somewhat keep up with the magic wielders. The magic wielders still hold the power, but for the rest of us, life has never been so good. So I cherished the job I had that afforded me the ability to live in my little condo and buy everything I could ever need. I was content. A little lonely at times, but mostly content. The events of the night had me feeling lonelier than ever and I could not, for the life of me, find a way to get some sleep.
At 6:00 AM I sent a message to Roger letting him know I was working from home today. We had no meetings so I knew he would not even question it. At 7:00 AM my phone buzzed and I saw a message from an unknown number:
Cassio asked me to send you an update on Jason. He is out of surgery and the doctors tell us he is going to be okay. -Zac
I let out a relieved sigh and sent a message back.
I am so glad to hear it. Thank you for sending me an update.
Turning my phone to silent, I flopped down on my couch. I pulled a blanket off the back of my couch and draped it over myself. I was still wearing the shirt Cassio had given me. There was something comforting about pretending I had someone special who would let me wear their shirt. The fantasy made me feel slightly less lonely, and only slightly pathetic. Closing my eyes, I quickly drifted off tosleep.
I felt hungover when I blinked my eyes a few hours later. My mouth was sticky and I had clearly drooled a little. I sat up on my couch and looked around my condo. Something felt … off, but I couldn’t put my finger on it. I knew I had reports to get to, but I was in desperate need of a shower and some coffee.
After my shower I sent Zac another message.
Let me know how I can return the shirt.
With a steaming mug of coffee and a muffin next to me, I opened my computer and started diving into my client work for the day. By the early afternoon I had consumed three muffins and was already dragging. Not sleeping was really kicking my ass. I moved to the couch and pulled a blanket on my lap as I tried to answer the ungodly amount of emails I was receiving today. Why was it that when you weren’t in the headspace to work, everyone needed something from you?
My phone buzzed and I abandoned the email I was trying to write to see who messaged me. It was Zac.
Keep it.
Okay then. I guess a man with a driver and a car like the one I had ridden in did not need a silly shirt back. I turned back to my inbox.
By the time I looked up again, I realized it was already starting to get dark outside. It was one of those days where I felt like I had done so much and at the same time absolutely nothing. I closed my laptop and wandered into the kitchen to see what food I had—and to find some wine. Tonight required a glass of wine and a good night’s sleep. Throwing some leftovers in the oven to heat up, I went to my bedroom.
Cassio’s shirt was still on the bed where I had tossed it. Picking it up, I held it to my face, rubbing my lips gently across the soft fabric. It smelled like man. Delicious man. And it was clearly Cassio’s shirt as it would completely drown Zac. I looked at my clothing hamper in the closet and instead of tossing it in, removed my own shirt and slipped back into his. It was definitely huge, but it felt comforting after the night we had been through. I guess this shirt was now mine and I was going to wear it.
five
LIANA
I was tossing and turning.As soon as I would drift off to sleep, any little noise would startle me back awake. This is how I had been sleeping—or not sleeping—for days now. I swore I was hearing the sound of motorcycles in the street—not that hearing motorcycles was abnormal, but now the sounds made me think of Cassio and Jason and their friend who was dead. Mostly it made me think of Cassio. It made me wonder if he ever drove on this little side street outside my condo. What a ridiculous thought, I know, but I clearly was lacking in the relationship department and I couldn’t help myself.
