Page 56 of The Demon

“Of course, we have a visitor arriving and it would be rude not to greet our guest.

“Who is he again?”

“Baron. He went to Rockwell Academy at the same time as us and lived in the house next door. He was mainly Angelo’s friend, a brother from another mother, but the rest of us liked him too. He appeared to fit in more with us than his own friends and when we made our blood pact, Baron came along for the ride and is now our sixth member.”

“So, he’s as fucked as the rest of us, then.” Eliza yawns, making me smile because she’s not wrong about that.

“Come on, we don’t have long, and I’m starving.”

I drag her from my bed and almost consider carrying on where we left off when I soap her beautiful body in the shower. Her gentle, “Fuck off, Malik” when I linger a little too long on her pussy makes me laugh and I love this newfound peace I’m enjoying. I’m no longer alone and realize exactly what my friends experienced when they found their own freedom and it’s amazing how it all worked out for us, except for one thing. Frankie.

I’m hoping Baron can help us with that because our friend has always been more mysterious than most. We don’t know much about him except that he works for the government and lives in New York. We meet up occasionally, but he never gives anything away from his own life, just content to listen to our tales of desperate acts and crimes against humanity.

We dress for dinner as Angelo always insists on and as Eliza pulls on the diamond choker that I ordered especially for her, I stare in amazement at the beauty before me. Her long, dark hair is piled high on her head and the diamond hair clips dazzle against her silky locks. Her make-up is subtle yet highlights her beauty and her smoky eyes give her an air of mystery that I love. The red silk dress falls to the floor like a river of blood and the diamond bracelet that matches the choker crowns her as my beautiful queen.

“You look beautiful, Eliza.” I can’t tear my gaze away and her eyes flicker with desire as she whispers, “You don’t look so bad yourself.”

My black Armani suit and black silk shirt are customary for formal occasions and when I send a man’s soul to hell. I prefer the shadows and wallow in the darkness because that’s where I belong, but I step toward the light that is Eliza as she dazzles before me. I wonder if she realizes that she is one second away from all her hard work being tossed to the floor as she feels my hard cock between her legs once more.

Almost as if she senses that, she says firmly, “No, Malik, we must go.”

She winks and I swear I am blinded by lust as she wiggles her ass and heads straight for the door.

With a deep sigh, I follow her, promising myself that tonight she will learn the repercussions of that and as we walk hand in hand toward the great hall where Angelo likes to receive guests, I pray this isn’t a late one.

CHAPTER36

ELIZA

It’s so good to walk beside Malik into a room where the occupants have pulled out all the stops. When Malik told me they dressed for dinner, he wasn’t kidding and beside the dark, magnificent men, all dressed in black, are their wives, dripping in designer chic and expensive jewelry. I almost feel a part of this and as we stop beside Winter and Alessandro, my heart almost gives out at the desolation in their expressions. They live with grief and madness with a huge dose of acceptance because they will never be happy all the time their son is missing.

Angelo hands out glasses of whiskey for the men and champagne for the ladies and I could be excused for thinking we are merely attending a fine dining experience. A charity gala perhaps, or a ball in a rich country. Not waiting for an old friend to show up and dine in the style these people have become accustomed to.

As the men congregate together, talking in hushed whispers, the women do the same and Charlotte lowers her voice and whispers, “I recognize that look, Eliza. What the fuck happened to you?”

I’m aware I have a huge dose of love dust in my eyes because I stare at Malik often and lose myself in the memory of what happened.

“He asked me to marry him.”

The women share looks between them and Louisa laughs softly. “I knew it.”

Charlotte says with concern. “And you’re ok with that?”

The others stare at her in surprise, and she shrugs. “What? I’m only asking.”

I nod. “After our conversation, Malik came and found me. He told me to be patient with him and he would learn how to open up. That he wanted me as his wife and to live here with him.”

“He said that? Wow.” Jasmine laughs softly. “Way to go, Malik. I never knew he had it in him.”

“And you said yes because you wanted to?” Winter asks cautiously, and the smug smile on my lips makes them all burst out laughing.

“Then you’re as fucked as the rest of us.” Charlotte grins, shaking her head and Jasmine laughs. “It appears more than fucked if that expression is anything to go by.”

I shrug and cast a glance at my fiancé and the burn of his gaze hits me square in the heart as I anticipate the danger heading my way later this evening.

For a while we just stand and chat and I am definitely in a happier place. For some reason, I feel part of this, part of their family and love how they have accepted me with open arms, despite my part in Frankie’s disappearance.

Suddenly, as the clock strikes eight, we hear footsteps outside and all eyes turn to the large door as it opens and Roberto steps inside and says thickly, causing us all to freeze at the rare emotion in his voice as he announces, “Baron Fitzgerald, Lauren Fitzgerald and um, Frankie Majerio.”

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