Page 30 of The Devil

Meri groans as she flops back down to the mattress in frustration.

“I can’t help it,” I huff noisily, “he’s taken up residence inside my head and won’t fuck off. The squatting bastard!”

“Well, you need to evict Lucius Hastings and go out with the walking, talking orgasm that is Jet. Or at least give the guy from school a go. For your sanity as well as mine. Now, thanks to you, I have to go and pee.”

She pulls back the cover and stomps across the floor toward the small bathroom that we’re lucky to have all to ourselves.

“How on earth did I make you need to pee?”

“You just did!” she replies before closing the door, leaving me to laugh at her ridiculousness.

“Hey, Helena?” I jump at the sound of David’s gruff voice. “Sorry for keeping you up.”

“Oh, I’m used to your nightly rhythm, David,” I laugh, “don’t worry about it. Tomorrow is Saturday.”

“Listen, I hope you know what I’m about to say is for your own good. I care about you, Helena, and I know how much you’re hurting over Lucius,” he says, sounding guilty for mentioning that name to me.

“Okay?” I draw the word out, bracing myself for what he’s about to say. David rarely says more than two words to me. He’s generally a man of little words and like a big cuddly teddy bear, so if he’s got something to say about Lucius, and with that sheepish-looking expression on his face, it can’t be good.

“Listen to Meri and take a chance on someone else. Lucius gets more pussy than a rescue center after Christmas. You deserve to move on from someone like that.”

“What’s going on?” Meri asks as she comes out of the bathroom.

“Nothing.” I try to laugh again, even though it has no mirth in it. “David was just apologizing for his snoring. Thanks, David.”

He bobs his head before inviting Meri back into bed with him. I watch them snuggle together before turning onto my side and silently sobbing into my pillow, leaving a little wet patch on the white fabric beneath. I fold my body into itself, trying to be as small as possible, then give myself a stern talking to. Lucius Hastings has officially been given his eviction notice.

Chapter 14

Helena

I left before Meri and David woke up. I didn’t want to feel their pitying or judgmental eyes on me. To have David give me relationship advice must mean I’ve sunken pretty low; the guy usually restricts his personal communication technique to grunts and huffs. With that in mind, I’ve thrown a load of gear into my overnight bag, which I’m currently trying to get into my tiny Ford car without causing too much noise. It’s still early and I would imagine most people are trying to sleep in. I’ll catch up with sleep when I get home. It will be nice to get into my old bed.

Before I set off, I quickly nip into the all-night café to get a cup of tea and a croissant, if only to keep me going for the journey. It’s only going to take a few hours and my music mix should make it pass by more quickly, but I need a bit of a sugar fix to keep me going. It’s fairly quiet and I know they’ll be closing in about an hour, so I head straight for the till to pay for my sugary treats.

“Hello again.” I turn in the direction of the voice and instinctively smile to be polite. “I guess we’ll be getting that drink after all. If you’re not busy that is?”

Evan’s beaming smile and doe eyes, together with Cam’s, Meri’s, and even David’s words of advice, have me agreeing to sit with him while I eat my rather unhealthy breakfast.

“So, what are you up to today?” he asks after taking a sip of his coffee.

“I’m going back home actually,” I reply with my annoying nervous laughter. “My parents are away for the weekend and Cam and Nate are having a ‘social gathering’ as they like to call it.”

“Yeah, I heard about that. Mason.” He says by way of an explanation. “It’s funny how we never got to know one another in high school, given that my best friend is friends with your brother.”

“Probably because you were the cool kid running after the cheerleaders and other ‘hot’ girls, whereas I was a quiet, shy, nerd.” I laugh but he looks like I just accused him of being an ass. “Not that I blame you. I preferred my own company. The thought of public speaking or being the center of attention always brings me out in hives. I guess I purposefully made myself unnoticeable.”

“You were noticed, Helena,” he says quietly with suggestive eyes. I feel myself blush, to which he smiles in such a way, I can suddenly see why all the girls liked him. He’s cute, funny, and wholesome, just what my father has always wanted for me. He’s the complete antithesis of Lucius. “You just seemed a little standoffish, like you’d tear a guy down before he’d even asked you out.”

“To be fair, I probably would have,” I reply honestly. “But only because I was terrified of the prospect of boys being interested in me, not because I thought I was above anyone.”

“And now?” He tentatively places his hand on top of mine from across the table, the whole time looking hopeful. “What if I were to ask you out to dinner with me? Like on a real date.”

We look at one another for a moment or two, with nervous bile working its way up my throat, threatening to erupt at any moment. I blow out long and slow before I answer him, giving me a few moments to think about it.

“I won’t bite.”

“I know,” I murmur, trying to find the words to explain myself without sounding completely pathetic. An impossible feat it would seem. “I just don’t know if it would be fair of me to date anyone at the moment. I kind of trusted my heart to someone, a rather foolish action on my part. It’s still recovering from where he stomped all over it.”

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