Page 19 of The Devil

“And don’t sleep with Owen!” she warns me so suddenly and sternly, I can’t help but laugh out loud. “Mom’s right, he’s too old and he’s close enough for Lucius to murder. In fact, you can’t get it on with anyone he knows because he doesn’t share too well.”

“There’ll be no ‘sharing’!” I tsk.

Our bonding is instantly silenced once her friends arrive, when she falls back into gossiping and dramatizing their lives. I momentarily pity poor David and the storm that is sure to come his way, though the guy is obviously a glutton for punishment. Apart from a few icy stares from Lori, I am pretty much back to being invisible again. Though, at least it gives me the chance to make my excuses and slip away. Not knowing the transportation system in this place, I figure I can just walk back toHastings Villa. I don’t remember it being that far away when Meri drove us here. Besides, it gives me a chance to stretch my legs and take in the sights of all the rich houses I’ll pass by on the way.

Unfortunately, this turns out to be a pretty crap idea when the scorching sunshine ignites one of my migraines. It is not a short journey at all. It’s at least an hour’s walk, not to mention devoid of any shops. My water runs out halfway, and I didn’t bring any kind of painkillers with me, let alone my migraine medication. Why would I? I never usually go out. The flashes begin first, followed by throbbing pain around my eyes and deep in the hollows. It travels up my forehead, over the top and into the base of my skull. I want to lie down and close my eyes to it all, however, I soon realize I have no other choice but to keep on walking the last mile in the burning heat.

By the time I reach the gates toHastings Villa, I’m retching on the grass while trying to hide it amongst the bushes. I feel bad for soiling Owen’s plants but there’s nothing I can do but give into my nausea. Sometimes it makes me feel better, though not today it would seem. Instead, it makes me feel dizzy, and I have to drop to my knees to try and concentrate on my breathing. In the end, I fall to the grass completely, trying to cool myself on the shady blades and parched soil. I’m so hot, I just want to peel the sticky clothes away from my body and bask in the fraction of air that’s blowing into my hair. When I venture to open my eyes again, the flashing lights are worse, and I can only see in one direction.

“Fuck me, Helena, what have you done to yourself?” Lucius’ low voice sounds concerned, almost caring. I can only surmise how awful I must look, for if the devil himself is worried about me, it can’t be good.

He doesn’t wait for any kind of response, instead, he grabs hold of my arm and wraps it around his neck before scooping me up against his chest. I cling onto him, but I don’t have a lot of strength. I feel so exhausted from the walk that I can barely grip onto his shirt. My weakness doesn’t prevent him from walking me into the house and straight up to my bedroom, where he places me gently onto the bed.

“I need to…close the…” I point to the curtains that are letting in a painful amount of light into the room. He follows my line of sight and immediately closes them before pacing into my bathroom to find my tablets in the medicine cupboard. While he is in there, I strip down to my bra and panties to allow the cool breeze from the open window to fall over my hot sweating body. After that, I sit on the bed and lift my face up to the breeze, indulging in the coolness and freshness of it.

“And you’re in your underwear because…?” Lucius asks as he returns to the room with a glass of water and two tablets.

“I’m hot…so hot,” I try to explain as he hands me the glass and medication. “Thank you.”

“Did you actuallywalkback from the mall?” he asks, sounding accusatory.

“I couldn’t hack Meri’s friends anymore,” I tell him, pushing the words out like they’re stuck to my tongue. “And the mall is ridiculously boring.”

“That was fucking stupid, Topolina,” he chastises me while grabbing for my bag. Usually, I’d call him out on it, but I can barely see him, let alone warn him away from my belongings. “I’m putting my number in your phone. You call me next time; do you hear me?” I nod, choosing to let the argument go. “Now, as much as it pains me to ask you to cover up your fucking gorgeous little body, get into bed.”

He holds the cover up, then helps me to slide myself inside of the cool, soft sheets. Once lying down, he leans over me, bringing his face just inches away from mine.

“How many times do I have to save you, mia topolina?” I think I manage to smile before closing my eyes to go to sleep. I feel him stroking my hair gently before breathing out a long, frustrated sigh. “I’ve gotta get out of here,” he whispers.

I think how nice it felt to have him here, stroking my hair, and soothing away the pain under the palm of his hands. Though, as soon as I hear him leave the room, I sink into blissful sleep.

My eyes open to the darkness in my room and thankfully, my head has cleared. After a quiet celebration of relief, I grab my phone to see what time it is. It takes a moment or two for my eyes to focus and see that it’s one in the morning. I’ve been asleep since two in the afternoon, so I’m now awake and ready to do something. I throw back the cover and make my way to the bathroom so I can splash my face. It feels so good, I decide to have a cool shower to wash away any remnants of my headache and nausea. The water melts over me and I feel the agony of my migraine wash away. I’m lucky it was short-lived this time around, nothing like my last one. Stepping out, I’m still shaky, but soon manage to dry myself, scoop up my hair into a braid, and pop my black night dress over my head.

Everyone is probably tucked up in bed, so I am thankful for my self-contained kitchen and living area downstairs. Hopefully, I’ll unlikely wake anyone when I go and grab a glass of water and take a peek outside. The moon is full and bright and touches the garden with a sparkling of silver. Opening the door, the gentle night air hits me like a blanket of calm. My flip-flops are already on the step waiting for me, so I slip them on and shuffle over to the bench that sits next to the herb garden. I inhale the burst of basil, rosemary, and lavender all at once, then tuck up my legs to rest upon the bench. My eyes are closed but I am far from sleeping; I just feel blissful and appreciative for the feeling of normalcy.

After a few moments, something different infiltrates my senses while sitting here, still blinded by my closed eyelids. A smell of familiar cologne wafts up my nose, and a subtle rise in temperature seems to close in all around me. When I open my eyes in response to it, a tall, broad, darkened figure is sitting beside me. His skin, in contrast to mine, doesn’t show up in the light so obviously, and I end up screaming. Lord knows why because I know exactly who it is. If all the other clues weren’t enough to convince me that it’s him, the low chuckle that falls from his mouth leaves me in no doubt as to who it is.

“Jesus fucking Christ, Lucius!” I gasp as I push at him, not that it moves him, not even a little bit.

“Sorry, Topolina,” he says while continuing to laugh at me. I’ve never seen him looking so animated; it’s a nice sight, even if it is at my expense. “I saw you squirreling away outside and couldn’t resist.”

For the first time ever, I find myself laughing alongwithhim.

“I’m getting over a migraine, you jerk,” I grumble before sipping at my water as if to highlight the point. “If it comes back, it will be all your fault!”

“Maybe I’m just after the chance to put you back to bed in your underwear again,” he teases, with a devious smirk to match.

“Because nothing is sexier than a sick woman passing out in her bedroom,” I tut. “I suppose I need to thank you again, do I?”

“No, this time you need to hear me tell your little ass off for being so stupid.” He turns to face me head-on and with such a serious expression, I cease smiling. “What made you think it was a good idea to walk back in peak-day sun, with no water, and with a proneness to migraines?”

I bite my lip sheepishly because I guess he’s right this time. But weirdly, I also kind of like the fact that he seems to be concerned.

“You are not to do that again; do you hear me?” he says assertively. “Never again!”

He takes my glass and places it to his own lips to drink. Now that my eyes have adjusted to the low light, I can see all of his usual gorgeous features - his dark, ruffled hair, ice-blue eyes, full lips, and impossibly firm body.

“Don’t try and tell me off, Lucius,” I snap, grabbing the glass back, “I’m not a little kid who needs -”

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