Page 40 of The Devil

These were the words he had said to me before I left for Spain. I was literally speechless. What do you say to your father when he’s practically admitted that he thinks you’re a weak little female who needs a big, strong man to come and look after you? And all at the age of nineteen!

In the end, I told him I’d call when I arrived in Spain and completely ignored his comments about marrying me off to the first bidder. Both Silver and Meri had reacted in the same way when I told them - their mouths gaping open, appalled expressions, and an immediate offer to crack open a bottle of wine.

Before my mind runs off any further about my unsatisfying unofficial boyfriend and his number one fan, my father, I feel a hand grab hold of mine from behind. As it pulls me back, I instinctively turn and smack the owner of said hand on the chin, before kneeing him in the balls. I owe those self-defense moves to Silver; teaching me how to defend myself was one of the first things she did when I told her about my new bar job. I’d like to think we’ll keep in touch, but I know she’s the sort of person that never hangs around in one place for long. She’s probably met a million mes already.

“Fuck, Helena!” Lucius growls as he doubles over in pain. “When did you become such a thug?”

“Oh, God, I’m sorry,” I blurt out and go to reach out to help him, but then stop myself. “Actually, no, I’m not. You totally deserved that, even before you grabbed me just now.”

“What do you mean?” The asshole actually looks outraged over the insinuation that he’s wronged me.

“Oh, I’m not in the mood for this,” I sigh and begin to walk off in the opposite direction.

“Wait, wait,” he gasps at the same time as he begins running uncomfortably alongside me. “Maybe you’re right; maybe I did deserve it…a little.”

“Good, are we done? Can you fuck off and leave me alone?” I continue walking, making him squirm as he hobbles by my side, and with a look of pain satisfyingly written all over his face.

“Wait, Helena…shit…please stop walking, I think you killed my dick,” he says before bending over to cup his injured appendage with his hands.

Although I’m usually against violence of any kind, I can’t help but smile to myself. I’ve been waiting to do that for a very long time. However, moments pass by and he’s still holding onto his nether region, so I roll my eyes and take pity on him.

Placing an arm around his shoulders, I help him hobble over to a nearby bench, where we sit in silence for a moment or two. He tries to breathe through the pain between his legs, whereas I sit with my arms crossed and back ramrod straight, looking as if I have no idea who the weirdo, cupping his balls, is. A couple of guys walk past and laugh at him wincing in pain.

“Are you going to be ok?” I eventually ask. “I didn’t actually mean to hurt you personally; I thought someone was attacking me.”

“I’ll admit, it wasn’t a very well thought out move on my part,” he replies, and for some reason, we both laugh at each other. “What’s with the hair?”

“Oh, yeah, I don’t know,” I reply while twiddling with a loose strand. “Just thought I might like to stand out for once.”

“You always stand out to me,” he says with a crooked grin on his face.

“Oh, please!” I scoff, rolling my eyes over his cheesy attempt to charm me. “That won’t work anymore, Lucius. You made your bed, with me in it, only to leave it in a mess and then forgot all about it. So don’t try and be cute.”

He merely shrugs his shoulders but keeps that ridiculous boy smirk on his face. I don’t know if I want to smack it again or kiss him like we did the last time we were together.

“Come on, Topolina,” he says, “we were hardly in a position to have some grand love affair, were we? You said you understood.”

“I get that, Lucius, but you could have at least been a friend. Maybe text me to see how I was, to see how the funeral went or…something!”

“I can’t befriendswith you, Helena,” he says, now looking completely serious. “I thought it was for the best. For both of us.”

“Well, I’m pleased it was so easy for you to just switch off and forget about me. I’m sure the many women of LA are thankful too.”

“Merial?” he asks, wondering who’s been spreading rumors about him.

“Amongst others,” I reply with a shrug and my best sulky pout.

“Are you jealous?” His ability to turn this into me wanting him makes me want to smack him again. But seeing as I’ve already caused injury to his cock, I best stop where I am.

“Pfft! No way. In fact, I’ve started seeing someone recently and we’ve…well, we’ve taken it to a more intimate level, and I think-”

“He’s shit?”

He grins from ear to ear, loving the fact he has indeed ruined me for anyone else. My mouth drops open over the audacity of this guy. How dare he talk about my unofficial boyfriend who I plan on breaking up with as soon as I get home because he’s boring and unsatisfying in bed?Crap on a stick!

“Totally shit,” I finally admit with a long, sad sigh. The bastard simply laughs, even swinging his head back with self-satisfied glee.

“You’ve totally ruined my chances of ever conceiving I hope you know,” he says, smiling at the same time as attempting to uncup his bits and pieces. “I think you owe me a drink.”

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