Page 17 of The Devil

I smile awkwardly but I know it doesn’t reach my eyes. So instead, I choose to change the subject. Fortunately for me, they let me without question.

I manage to evade Lucius over the next few days. In fact, he seems positively absent from Hastings Villa, and I find myself relaxing. I fall back into being the girl from before, the one that doesn’t question anything about my life and who will always be her daddy’s good girl. I am happy and content. Meri and her mother dip in and out of the house, always asking if I would like to join them, even though they know I am likely to politely decline. My troubling thoughts have caused me to fear the outside world even more than usual; here, I feel safe, especially with Lucius being decidedly missing. Even Owen has been encouraging me to go out into the real world, but I am more than happy to remain hidden away. I read, I garden, I explore the grounds, and I listen to music in my own little bubble where no one can get to me. It’s blissfully uncomplicated, so much so, I have completely lost track of what day it is.

A week passes by before I hear Lucius again but it doesn’t sound like his usual calm and indifferent tone of voice. He’s angry with someone; he sounds low and menacing, and every now and then, I hear the slam of a fist against a hard surface. The intensity of the thump makes me glad I am not on the other end of that argument.

“I told you, there’s no fucking way,” he growls at the phone, “it’s not up for discussion.”

I can hear his expensive shoes pacing back and forth across the marble flooring in the living room. I know I should probably go somewhere else, anywhere far away from him, especially with the mood he’s in, but I can’t help but remain frozen on the spot. My breathing is erratic, even though I’m trying to hold it in to make myself as quiet as possible. As I spy through a crack in the doorway, I see him taking a long inhale on his blunt before he begins running his fingers through his ebony black hair. He must have only just got home because his aviators are still covering his icy blues, and he’s just thrown his car keys onto the table with a loud clatter.

“That was not part of the deal, Eric, and if you come near said deal, I will break your fucking legs!”

My eyes bulge over the threat he’s just made to his best friend, all the while waving his arms around in his black blazer. His dark denim jeans hang low around his hips and his feet rest in a pair of black boots, even though it’s more than a little warm today. Me, on the other hand, I’m dressed in my usual denim shorts and a black tank top, hair all over the place and probably covered in leaves again. I’ve been pruning for Owen; my little plot is now complete and waiting to grow. If I’m not careful, I’m going to have to find something new to occupy my time here.

“It’s a given, by the end of the summer,” he says, his angry tone now turning into menacing laughter. “Have I ever failed before?” Within moments, he’s returned to the indifferent man who has just thrown himself onto an armchair with an unapologetic slouch taking over his body language. “So?! Do me a favor and tell every other little fuck sniffing around that they’ve been warned. I will not hold anything back if they dare come near her; she’s mine!”

What the actual fuck? He better not be talking about me. Surely not!

That’s it, I’m confronting him on it. However, when I walk into the living room, the complete mess that I am, I find him staring right at me with an arrogant grin on his bastard face. His phone is resting on the arm of his chair, and his ankle is perched on top of his other knee. He removes his aviators and continues to stare right at me.

“Eavesdropping Topolina?” he asks calmly. “So unbecoming of you.”

“Was that last bit for my benefit?” I ask coldly. I’m not sure if he really was talking to Eric about me or if he’d already ended the call and was merely trying to wind me up. Either way, I’ve had enough, so turn to leave.

“What if I was, mia topolina?” he calls after me, and I stop. “Are you going to call me up on it? Or are you wondering how many of my friends are wanting to fuck you as much as I am?”

“You’re disgusting, Lucius, I can’t believe I let you inside my mouth. Excuse me while I go and try and scrub the thought of it away.” I begin walking again but he rushes up and stands in the door, blocking my way while annihilating my stormy and dramatic exit. “Oh, God, what now, Lucius?”

“Maybe I want to kiss you again; maybe touch you too,” he says as though he’s just suggested we go out for lunch. My horrified expression makes him laugh, still with his body blocking my way. “Tell me you haven’t thought about it. Honestly. Even after your aunt warned you away from me. Actually,especiallyafter your aunt warned you away from me.”

“Oh, please, plenty of people have warned me away from you,” I argue, now crossing my arms defensively. “You seem to leave a seedy trail wherever you go.”

“And, of course, you listen to them, like the good little mouse that you are.” He leans casually against the door frame, goading me into defying everyone to give him what he wants. “I bet you’ve never stood out as doing anything slightly out of the ordinary in your life. I bet when you actually venture outside you like to be invisible. I bet the thought of showing me your naked body makes you tremble with fear…or maybe something else?”

I refuse to answer any of his ridiculous statements, even though wanting to remain invisible is one of my main goals in life. He merely smiles, looking at me in such a way, I fear he can read my every thought.

“Give me your hand, Topolina,” he whispers.

I shake my head, no, but he reaches out and takes hold anyway. I try to pull back, but he merely raises his brow and holds on even tighter. I sigh, knowing I cannot fight him on this all the while he brings my hand closer to his lips. I brace myself for when they will make contact with my skin, only they never do. Instead, he pulls it down toward his jeans and hovers the palm of my hand over the apex of his legs. I shoot my gaze up to his hypnotically beautiful blue eyes which remain staring into my own. I try to say something, to move away, but I can’t. He smiles before pulling my hand to cover the hard bulge beneath his jeans. Warm, hard, thick.

“See what you do to a man? You’re making me horny as fuck,” he whispers as he moves his lips to the shell of my ear. “I can only imagine what it would feel like inside of your tight, untouched pussy.”

He closes his eyes and clenches his teeth as he continues to stroke himself with my hand. I don’t know why I don’t bolt, or at least try to stop him. He grabs my other hand and pulls me against his chest, all the while staring at me intensely. His lips move to rest against my own before he finally makes contact, pushing his tongue between them and massaging it against me with a soft touch. I find myself returning his actions and pretty soon, we’re exploring each other’s mouths more hungrily. And still, he strokes himself, emitting a groan of pleasure every now and then.Oh, heaven help me, he is the beautiful spawn of Satan, sent to trick me into thinking he’s a demi-God.

The sound of softer footfalls beginning to descend the staircase has me jumping back from him with extreme shame and embarrassment. Lucius, who had made no such attempt to stop, simply smiles before adjusting himself to make his arousal less obvious.

“Oh, hey, Hels,” Meri chirrups, sounding surprised when she sees Lucius standing next to me.God, I hope my blushing isn’t too obvious. “Wanna come to the mall with me?”

“Actually, yes! Yes, I would,” I quickly blurt out, grabbing the opportunity to escape the stifling environment. I don’t trust myself around Lucius anymore, especially with that devious grin of his. “Let me just clean up. Give me ten minutes.”

She looks shocked over my sudden desire to go out with her when she’s so used to me refusing. Thankfully, being Meri, she doesn’t question it, just smiles sweetly and nods. I rush past Lucius and head upstairs.

“Topolina?” his unhurried voice travels up the stairs to me.

Knowing I should ignore him, I curse myself when I tentatively look over the banister to see what he’s going to say.

“Mine!” he mouths.

My heart feels like it’s pounding like a freight train as I step back and head into my room without a sound.

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