A DEAL WITH THE DEVIL : CHAPTER 71 – 80

A DEAL WITH THE DEVIL : CHAPTER 71 – 80

The surprise in his eyes flickered for just a second, before he masked it with that infuriating calm. “I didn’t know you were so upset,” he said, his voice still annoyingly even. “I thought we agreed you could go out.”

“This isn’t about that!” I snapped, finally letting my frustration out. “This is about you… and what you did last night.”

“What I did?” He raised an eyebrow. “Care to explain?”

I laughed, but there was no humor in it. “Don’t play dumb with me, Lucifer. You sent me out so you could bring someone else in. I heard everything.”

For a moment, his expression was blank. Then, a slow smile crept across his lips. “Ah,” he said softly, as if the pieces had just clicked into place. “You’re jealous.”

My eyes widened. “Jealous?!” I practically spat the word at him. “I’m not jealous! I’m just not stupid. I know what I heard.”

His smile widened, and I wanted to punch it right off his face. “You really think I’d do that?” he asked, his voice dripping with amusement.

“I don’t think,” I shot back. “I know.”

He chuckled, and it made me even angrier. How could he be so casual about this? “You’re adorable when you’re mad,” he said, stepping closer again.

“Stop,” I warned, stepping back. “Stop acting like this is a joke.”

His smile faded slightly, but the amusement in his eyes didn’t disappear. “Selene,” he said, his tone more serious now, “I didn’t bring anyone else in. Whatever you think you heard, it wasn’t what you think.”

“I know what I heard,” I repeated, my voice firm.

“And I’m telling you, you’re wrong,” he countered, his eyes never leaving mine.

I wanted to believe him. I wanted to trust that he was telling the truth. But after everything I’d seen, everything I knew about him, how could I?

“You’re lying,” I whispered, more to myself than to him.

He reached for me again, but this time I didn’t pull away. His fingers brushed against my cheek, and I hated how my heart reacted, how my skin tingled at his touch. “I’m not,” he said softly, his voice like a soothing melody.

I swallowed hard, fighting the urge to lean into his hand. “I don’t believe you.”

“You will,” he said, his voice confident. “In time.”

I looked away, unable to stand the intensity of his gaze any longer. “Just let me leave,” I said quietly, my voice trembling slightly.

He sighed, but he stepped back, giving me space. “Fine,” he said. “You can go. But when you’re back, we will talk.”

I didn’t respond. I just turned and walked away, my heart heavy with confusion and anger.

I stepped out of the house, the heavy door closing behind me with a soft click. I didn’t look back. I couldn’t. My head was too full of noise, of questions that had no answers.

What kind of person lies so easily? And what was worse—was I overreacting? Was I seeing something that wasn’t there?

The cold air bit at my skin as I walked down the street, my footsteps steady, but my mind was spinning. I wasn’t stupid enough to believe Lucifer’s lies. He said no one else was there, but I *heard* it. And jealous? Jealous of what? It wasn’t like I was in love with him or anything. No, that wasn’t it. I didn’t love him. I couldn’t. I just… liked him. That was all. A strange, complicated kind of like.

But as I replayed everything in my head, the anger wouldn’t leave me. Maybe I wasn’t in love with him, but I sure as hell didn’t like the idea of him sending me away just to spend the night with someone else. It hurt more than I was willing to admit.

By the time I reached work, I was still stewing in my thoughts. The little restaurant where I worked seemed quieter than usual. As I stepped inside, Mrs. Richardson, the owner, greeted me with a warm smile.

“Morning, Selene. How are you doing?” Her voice was kind, and I couldn’t help but soften a little under her gaze.

“Good morning,” I replied, forcing a smile. It wasn’t entirely genuine, but I was trying.

Mrs. Richardson’s expression shifted slightly as she tilted her head. “How are things going with your aunt’s funeral? You must be planning that, right?”

I blinked, the weight of her words sinking in. I had forgotten. Completely. How could I forget something so important? The funeral, the arrangements… It had all slipped my mind.

“It’s in process,” I lied quickly, not wanting to explain how that detail had been entirely lost in the chaos of my life.

“Take it slow,” she replied gently. “Grief can take time. Don’t rush yourself.”

I nodded, trying not to let the guilt settle too heavily on my shoulders. I couldn’t think about the funeral right now. It was too much. For hours, I threw myself into work, attending to customers, taking orders, clearing tables.

But no matter how busy I kept myself, Lucifer lingered in my thoughts, refusing to leave. Why had he done it? Why would he send me away, leave me for someone else?

By the time my break rolled around, I felt exhausted—mentally, if not physically.

After my shift ended, I grabbed my things and left the restaurant, my thoughts still clouded with confusion.

I’d spent the entire day trying to push Lucifer out of my mind, but they lingered, heavy in the back of my head. I didn’t know what to do. The air was cool as I stepped outside, and the streets were quieter than usual.

I knew where I was headed before I even made the decision. Liam’s apartment wasn’t far from the restaurant, and my feet carried me in that direction without a second thought. I needed to see him. I missed him.

As I walked, the familiar weight of doubt settled in my chest. Why did I feel so torn? Liam was the good option, the *safe* option. He made me feel grounded, steady, but my heart pulled in another direction—a darker, more dangerous direction that led straight to Lucifer.

A DEAL WITH THE DEVIL : CHAPTER 71 – 80

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