A DEAL WITH THE DEVIL : CHAPTER 141 – 150
CLAIMING HER 1
LUCIFER SMILED.
I lifted Selene effortlessly into my arms, feeling her small body shiver slightly against me. Her arms wrapped around my neck instinctively, her legs curling around my waist, as if seeking a sense of safety that the world had otherwise denied her.
I felt a pang of something close to anger—not directed at her but at everything that had led her to this moment, to this fragility.
But I pushed that thought aside as I made my way up to her room, my steps quiet, steady, even as her breathing remained ragged.
“I don’t want to be alone” she murmured, her voice barely a whisper, but I heard the tremble behind it, the exhaustion, the wariness.
I wished I could pull her from the tangled web of her own mind and wrap her somewhere safe, free of the fear that gripped her so tightly.
I looked down at her, letting my gaze soften just a little as I answered, “You will be with Anna. You will be safe.”
In her room, the sunlight cast a soft glow over the bed where Anna was still soundly sleeping. Carefully, I laid Selene down beside her, letting her sink into the sheets, though she kept her eyes on me, her expression tight with worry.
For her sake, I knelt and pressed a hand to her forehead, murmuring a soft spell to shield her both physically and mentally—a barrier to keep out anything that might disturb her rest.
I lingered just long enough to see her eyes begin to grow heavy before I rose to my feet, closing the door quietly behind me. I had barely turned when I found Lucien waiting just outside, his face creased in a frown.
He was leaning against the wall, his arms folded, gaze fixed on some point in the distance. I didn’t need to ask what was on his mind; Lucien’s thoughts were never as well-hidden as he liked to think.
The concern for Selene, the curiosity, and yes, the affection—it was all there, written plainly on his face, the kind of fondness I had seldom seen in him.
“What is it, Lucien?” I asked, and his gaze shifted to meet mine. “Is there something you need to say to me?”
He held my gaze a moment, as if weighing his words. Then he nodded slowly. “Would you like to join me for some cake?”
I almost smirked. Cake. He knew me too well.
“What’s the occasion?” I asked, though I had a sense of what he was about to say.
“My birthday,” he replied with a shrug, the faintest hint of a smile touching his lips, though his usual carefree demeanor was more subdued tonight.
I nodded, willing to humor him. “I don’t mind.”
We set off, stopping at a small bakery Lucien favored. He picked out a cake—a decadent, chocolate confection—and while he insisted on adding a few bottles of alcohol, I made a note of his pensive expression, the way his eyes lingered on the pastry case as if it held more than just sweet treats.
Once we were seated, he took a long sip of his drink, his gaze distant again, lost in thought. I was used to Lucien’s habit of retreating into his own mind, but tonight he seemed different, as if he was bracing himself to say something.
Finally, he broke the silence. “Do you ever wonder what it is about her that draws people in?”
I glanced at him, surprised. Lucien wasn’t one to ponder the mysteries of affection. He had always been straightforward, unwavering, without much patience for reflection. “If you’re asking me, you likely already know the answer yourself,” I replied, watching his expression shift, his fingers drumming against his glass as he considered my words.
“It’s just… strange,” he said, swirling his drink as he gathered his thoughts. “I’ve never felt anything quite like this before. Not this… pull.”
I raised an eyebrow, bemused. “So, you’re confessing to some kind of fondness for her?” I gently cut the cake, excited for the first bite.
He laughed, though the sound was hollow. “Yes. But it’s not the way you think, Lucifer. I wouldn’t dream of having her. It’s more… admiration, respect.
I see her and realize what she’s endured, and it makes me wish for her peace, for her happiness. But it’s never been about possessing her.”
A DEAL WITH THE DEVIL : CHAPTER 141 – 150
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