Page 15 of Devil Bound
It took another hour before he finally got into his car and went to do his shopping.
I followed at a distance, same as always.The market he usually went to wasn’t terrible.It was his shopping that sucked angel balls.Trony would whip him personally for half the things he bought, but I had shown restraint, even if he couldn’t not buy a minimum of ten packets of instant ramen every time he went here.
Today, I didn’t hide.I went in after him, taking my own shopping cart and putting Trony’s basket inside.I pushed the noisy thing forward, toward the produce section where…Nelly was lingering.He didn’t normally do that.
The necromancer had picked up an apple.He was looking at it thoughtfully, and while I had no proof, I justknewhe was thinking of my scurvy deterrent apple.
I smiled and headed toward him.He was so focused on the fruit that he didn’t notice me until I was almost next to him.
“Y-you,” he said.It had become his way of greeting me.
“Nelly.”I looked at the apples.“These are good.Did you know sailors would take them on their journeys to prevent scurvy?”
Nelly’s face reddened.It was the most glorious sight.He shoved the apple into his own shopping cart.
“What are you doing here?”
With some satisfaction, I pulled out my shopping list and waved it in the air, close enough for him to notice the cute design and what I had written on there if he really wanted.
“I have some baking to do, and I’m low on a few ingredients.”
“Ah.”
I looked at the lone apple in his cart.It was the only thing in there.
“Are you really just going to get one apple?”
His flush deepened again.“The fuck is wrong with that?There’s no such thing as a right amount of apples to get.”
“Hmmm.”I tapped my chin with a finger.“You are supposed to eat one a day.If you go shopping every, say, seven days, seven would be the right amount, maybe eight so you have an emergency apple.”
He huffed.“You buy emergency apples?”
I shrugged.“Oh, I have plenty of apples at home.I need…” I consulted my list.“Cocoa powder.The Dutch stuff.Everyone likes chocolate, right?”
Nelly shrugged, then he picked up six more apples, frowned, and put one back.My grin stretched.He was incapable of doing anything I told him to.My mouth watered at the thought of what it would take to get him to do every single thing I wanted.
“Sure.Chocolate.You’re making chocolate cake?”
The wistfulness in his voice was well hidden, but I heard it.Plus, he seemed less flustered by my presence today.Hmm.
I’d gotten his birthday from the HR department, the most direct route, and it was less than a week away.I knew he wasn’t taking time off, but I thought he might go and see his family on the weekend, or maybe have them come over.
With his love of ramen and that tendency to let himself get riled, I assumed he’d been spoiled as a child, and who wouldn’t spoil him?He was beautiful now, with his big golden eyes, and as a child, he would have been of the cute variety.Possibly also of the noisy, contrary variety, but those who became parents loved dealing with that type of thing, so naturally, I assumed I’d have to charm his parents after I’d charmed him.
Were they too busy to come see him?Was he disappointed about it?I was going to have to bring coffee to the nice head secretary of the HR office again to find out.
“Something like that.It’ll have chocolate in it.Lots and lots of chocolate.I’m glad to hear it’s popular.”
Nelly shrugged.“I wouldn’t know.Don’t let me keep you.”
With his six apples, he did what he normally did.He ran from me.This time around, he didn’t even buy any ramen.
I got the few ingredients I was sure Trony had at home anyway, but I spent a good five minutes selecting a nice bar of chocolate.I’d cut it into pieces, and the pieces would become the hearts of the muffins.I’d put one of those on his desk on his birthday, and maybe, if I got very lucky, he’d put two and two together and realize it was from me.
Then he’d come to my door, rain making his clothes stick to his skin.He’d confess his love and ask me to help him out of his wet clothes.
I’m the Devil,I would say,not your manservant.But this once, I will make an exception for you.Only because I can see you are already slick for me.
