Paramour for the Devil

by Savannah Hill

  “Hey, Damian.” Ginger brought him to look up for the first time. “I haven’t had a chance to thank you. I heard you paid for our rooms.”

  “No problem.” He reached for his orange juice.

  “Wait, what did you pay for?” Alyssa rotated toward him and blatantly pressed her overly firm breast into his bicep.

  He leaned away, putting his glass back on the table while Alyssa stared at him, waiting for his response.

  When he resumed eating his omelet, Adam broke the silence.

  “I wish we had time to stay another night.” He turned to Natalie. “Play more drinking games in the pool.”

  Haley twisted her hands in her lap, barely listening to the carefree chatter around her as she inwardly battled the absurd feelings of high-strung despair.

  The waitress brought her food a few minutes later, and she picked up her fork, but the thought of eating caused a flutter in her stomach.

  “Why are you so quiet?” Alyssa put her forearms on the table, pushing her breasts together for Damian.

  He seemed to either be ignoring her, or pretending not to hear, and Haley took a bite of her food, surprised at his blatant disregard for the bombshell sitting next to him.

  “He’s always quiet.” Ginger chewed on a piece of bacon.

  Alyssa looked at her with a sidelong glance. “He talked to you.” Her voice dripped with disdain.

  Ginger shrugged nonchalantly. “That’s ’cause I’m awesome.”

  Haley smiled to herself, feeling some relief. Her appetite slowly returned.

  “I totally want to have a Home Alone 2 day in my hotel room.” Ginger smiled. “Just be surrounded by junk food and watch movies in that giant bed all day.”

  “It is a nice bed.” Haley nodded, remembering the plush mattress and suddenly feeling Damian’s arms cloaked around her again. The smell of his cologne had dazed her senses when she buried her face against his masculine throat. Biting her lip, she abruptly felt Damian watching her and broke into a fierce blush. She gripped her fork with a nervous hand and speared a bite of fruit.

  “Bye.” Damian barely spoke the word, staring at Haley as he stood up, and Ginger lifted her head, surveying him while he dropped a few bills by his plate.

  With a spreading grin, Ginger turned her focus to her blushing cousin.

  “So, what is his deal?” Natalie watched Damian leave.

  “He didn’t even introduce himself.” Alyssa scrunched her features. “Like, he’s almost kind of rude, you know?”

  “I think he’s hot.” Another platinum blonde joined the conversation. “He was like, mysterious.”

  “He’s the strong, silent type. Doesn’t talk much.” Adam looked Alyssa’s way. “Don’t take it personal.”

  “Well, he’s never gonna get laid with that attitude.” Natalie lifted her chin, perhaps still offended by Damian’s reaction to her pool invitation the night before.

  Adam snickered. “Oh, he gets laid, trust me.”

  Suddenly curious about what kind of girls Damian was hooking up with, Haley brushed the thought aside with a pinching discomfort in her stomach.

  “I’m finished.” She set her fork down on what remained of her breakfast.

  “Me too.” Ginger downed the last of her water before turning to Adam. “Are we hitting the road soon?”

  “Leaving within the hour. We should be in Seattle by tonight.”

  Outside the elevator, Ginger jabbed her finger into Haley’s side. “Haley Hawthorne, you sneaky little minx. Why didn’t you tell me you slept with Damian?”

  “I didn’t.” Haley shook her head defensively. “Well, I mean I did. Technically. Nothing happened, we just slept.”

  Ginger looked at her in confusion as they stepped onto the empty elevator. “You didn’t have sex? So you cuddled with the son of Satan?” She stared at her. “And he let you?”

  “He asked me to.” Haley struggled to keep the reminiscent smile from playing on her lips.

  “Oh, he is smitten.” Ginger smiled widely, swinging her arms in exaggerated motions. “You’re gonna be Mrs. Damian… Satan?” She squinted thoughtfully. “Mrs. Devil? What’s Damian’s last name?”

  Haley realized she’d never heard anyone mention his last name.

  “Does he have a mother?” Ginger was full of questions. “Oh my God, you could realistically have the mother-in-law from Hell.”

  “I have no idea.”

  Ginger threw her hands up. “You slept with the guy.”

  “I slept next to him. And I don’t plan on ever doing that again, so…”

  “How come?”

  Haley shrugged as casually as possible. “I’m not ready for… whatever this is…” She looked away, biting the inside of her cheek. “I just want to stay single. It’s a happy life. There are no complications.”

  “It’s simpler, that’s for sure.” Ginger gave her shoulder a sympathetic squeeze. “But I don’t think we’re meant to be alone.” She stepped out onto her floor, glancing back at her warmly. “See ya on the road.”

  The doors closed, and Haley frowned at her solitary reflection in them. I’m totally happy being all alone. Relaxing her shoulders, she took a deep, long breath. OK. It is nice to be held. Her thoughts wandered aimlessly to the image he’d conjured of his strapping hands tearing her dress apart. A longing ache lingered underneath her skirt at the view of his mouth trailing down her body, closing over her most private area. The thought of him touching her there with his tongue left her gripped with a deep arousal.

  She worked at keeping her balance as she made her way down the hall. The incredible smell of him was still in the room, and before she could stop herself, she climbed into the rumpled covers of the empty bed and burrowed her face into a wrinkled pillow, inhaling deeply, relishing the memories of his half-naked body pressed against hers. After a few minutes, her hand drifted to her side, regretfully brushing across the embodiment of her insecurities, and her sense of exhilaration fell.

  He hadn’t seemed to mind the sight of her disfigured skin when he’d seen the scar in her memories, but the idea of him seeing it in person flooded her with severe anxiety. She forced herself out of bed, willing her mind to clear itself while she packed her things. I’m better off avoiding him. No worries, no sickening jealousy. He’s dangerous for me. I’ll only end up getting miserably hurt.

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  Damian stared blankly at the road ahead, heading to Seattle in the Chevelle with Noah in the passenger seat.

  “We’ve got to find out if he’s keeping any more victims somewhere before we kill him.” Noah tapped at the keys on his laptop. “And the fact he’s become immortal makes the task of killing him somewhat of a challenge, but we’ll figure it out. I’ve already started the research.”

  After a few minutes of silence, Damian spoke. “You aren’t, I don’t know, hesitant about killing off your possible future father-in-law?”

  Noah gave his shoulders a long and thoughtful shrug, a slight apprehension reflected in his movement. “He’s a monster. Ginger won’t ever know about it.”

  “You’ll know about it.”

  “He’s taken out two innocent people that we know of. I’m rescuing her from a deranged father.”

  “Maybe she’d rather know.”

  “This is about Haley.” Noah clicked through reports on the screen.

  “He practically raised her. And she can read my mind, she could easily find out I murdered him.”

  “So bury the memories deep, just like every other kill.” Noah shook his head as if the answer was obvious. “The ritual Eli’s doing involves eating the mortem rats’ raw skin after they’ve digested the people he’s killed. We’re soldiers. This is our bread and butter.” He glanced over at Damian. “You don’t turn down a mission.”

  * * *

  It was late in the day, turning into evening, and they were still a few hours outside of Seattle. Adam pulled to a stop in front of a steakhouse.

  Looking out the window of the E
scalade, Haley glimpsed Damian leaning on the trunk of the Chevelle with his hands in his pockets. She sat up, automatically running her fingers through her hair before she stepped out of the car.

  Noah stood nearby smoking a cigarette, and he put it out when Ginger walked up to him.

  “Hi, baby.” He greeted her with a kiss, taking her in his arms.

  Stephen whispered something in Aimee’s ear that made her giggle as they got out of the Escalade, holding her close on the way through the parking lot, and Haley stayed at the back of the crowd with her gaze to the ground, trying to ignore all the love in the air.

  They sat at a large table against the back wall, and a rushing thrill coursed through her when Damian pulled out the chair next to hers. She quickly dismissed it, snatching up her menu.

  “How come you’re riding with Damian?”

  Noah slid his arm around Ginger with a grin. “Why, did you miss me?”

  “Aimee and Stephen were making out behind me the whole trip,” she half-whispered, returning his smile.

  “Yeah, really. I have a rearview mirror guys.” Adam looked up from his menu at Stephen.

  “Then just don’t look in it.” Stephen fired back with a playful smile.

  “Why don’t you ride with us the rest of the way?”

  Ginger nodded, her eyes gleaming.

  Noah lowered his voice. “You gonna sleep at our place tonight?”

  “Yes, I love that place.” Ginger’s lips spread in a kittenish smile, referring to the mansion he shared with Damian in Seattle. “Especially your room.”

  After giving her dinner order to the waiter, Haley sat back in her chair, arms resting across her waist, and imagined what the inside of Damian’s house looked like.

  “Where are you sleeping?” Her heart leaped in excitement at his deep voice in her head, his question catching her off guard, and she turned to him, wondering why he didn’t speak it aloud.

  After staring at his dazzling green eyes for what seemed like way too long, she answered. “My bedroom, I guess.” Even in her own head, her voice sounded timid. Damian leaned back against his chair.

  “At the castle?”

  “Yes.” Haley sat up a little, anxious to find out where his questions were leading. “Why do you ask?” Haley found him staring at her breasts.

  Damian quickly averted his gaze. “Just curious.”

  She dropped her gaze to the table, stunned and somehow flattered.

  Haley ate her meal in silence, paying attention to only half the conversation, secretly hoping to hear Damian’s voice in her thoughts again.

  “Are you excited to go home, Hales?” Aimee looked at her across the table.

  “Yeah.” Her voice sounded sincere, but inside she was a mess of worry.

  “I’ve missed Washington so much.” Aimee sighed. “I love the rain.”

  “Ugh, I hate the rain.” Stephen shook his head, cutting into his steak.

  “Falling asleep to the sound of rain on your window is the best.” Ginger pointed her fork at him with a starry-eyed look. “I miss the pizza from Piecora’s, and late night beers at Mad Pub.”

  “Lazy Sundays at the castle, just watching Lifetime Movie Network all day.” Aimee’s voice was full of yearning.

  “Those are so much fun.” Haley had broken into a smile, reminiscing about the life she left behind. “I miss the snow.”

  “It hardly ever snows in Seattle.” Adam shook his head.

  “Way more than California.” Ginger grasped any opportunity to convince Haley to return home. “And snowy mountains are only a short drive away.” She nodded toward Haley with glimmering excitement. “You’re crazy about snow.”

  “Why don’t you stay?” Damian casually took a bite of his steak.

  Her thoughts abruptly clouded with darkened memories of being snatched from a Seattle street on a shadowy night, and waking up in Hell, her naked body bound in enchanted chains.

  Sparked by his question, Ginger turned to Haley with a hopeful smile. “You could work with me at the Hawthorne offices in Seattle.”

  Aimee joined in. “The Puyallup Fair is next month. That used to be a yearly tradition for us.”

  “Aw, Haley, you love the fair.” Ginger cooed. “And the holidays are coming up. We’ll be decorating the castle for Christmas.”

  Haley stared at their enthusiastic faces, not wanting to disappoint them. “Maybe.” She tried to keep her tone upbeat, but Ginger wasn’t convinced.

  “At least stay for a little while. You can come to the office with me next week and check it out.”

  “Yeah, that sounds great.” Haley nodded with an amiable smile, trying to forget her dark thoughts.

  “The guys that work in the mailroom are hilarious.” Aimee rolled her eyes upward. “And they’re all ridiculously hot.”

  “It’s true. Aimee spends a lot of time in there.”

  “Oh yeah?” Stephen raised an eyebrow at Aimee. “Your mailroom days are over though, right?”

  She gave him a sugary smile, bringing her hand to the side of his neck. “Of course, dear.”

  * * *

  Deep in thought, Haley wandered through the parking lot toward the Escalade, surprised when Damian loosely took her elbow in his hand.

  “Can you ride with me?” His voice was just over a whisper. “I could use your company.”

  She let him lead her, melting under his softly gripping palm, though her inner voice shouted at her to stay away. Allowing him to get close was a risk she’d been talking herself out of all day, and he’d somehow undone that with one touch. They stopped at the Chevelle’s passenger door, and Damian turned to her.

  “I just need you to talk to me while I drive.”

  “Oh, are you coming with us, Haley?” Ginger halted as Noah climbed into the backseat.

  “Um…” Haley awkwardly lingered by the door. “Y-yes.”

  Ginger smiled brightly, following Noah into the back.

  Ignoring her gut instinct to keep her distance, Haley slipped into the car, and he closed the door after her. It smelled like Damian, clean and masculine, and she clicked on her seat belt, admiring the sleek black interior and shiny chrome details. Ginger and Noah were already whispering to each other in the backseat when he got in next to her and started the car. The engine roared to life, and the sound of Tool’s 10,000 Days album played through the speakers at a hushed volume.

  “Thanks.”

  “Sure. I can see why you wanted me to come along.” She glanced toward the backseat. As if on cue, Ginger let out the tiniest moan at Noah kissing her neck. “You should have heard their text messages.”

  “I did.” Damian smiled. “They were disgusting. I’ve never seen him so crazy about a girl before.”

  “That’s nice to hear.” Haley relaxed into her seat. “You’ve known him a long time?”

  “Around ten years, I think.”

  “You knew him before you joined the Order?”

  “Our boss sent him to recruit me.”

  “In Hell?” Her voice tensed at the word, and he nodded once.

  “I bought a house right after that, near headquarters in Seattle. I wasn’t ready to join until recently though, about four years ago.”

  She thought about his statement for a while. “What made you decide to finally do it?”

  “I always wanted to. Once I saw an opportunity to leave my family, I started moving toward that, but it took a long time for me to break away completely.”

  “So you’ve had your house for ten years?”

  Damian nodded. “It’s only a few miles from the castle.”

  The realization that he’d probably been inside her home at some point in the last four years struck her silent for a moment.

  “And Noah has his own room?”

  He nodded. “Actually, I didn’t move in completely until I joined Adversus.”

  “You still lived in Hell before that? In your palace?” Haley smiled at the fleeting thought that he was somewhat like royalty.
<
br />   “No, I had a house.” He shifted uncomfortably in his seat.

  Haley had seen the gluttonously lavish decor in Raden’s mansion, and could only imagine what the palace he grew up in was like. “I bet you have a ridiculous inheritance.”

  Damian glanced over at her. “I make my own money now.”

  She nodded, regretting her comment, and looked around at the pristine interior of the Chevelle. “When did you get your car?”

  “I started building it when I bought the house in Seattle. Took me about two years.”

  Haley stared at him. “Who taught you how to do that?”

  “Books mostly.” He shrugged. “Most of it was common sense.”

  She gave him a doubtful look. “Common to the man who didn’t need guitar lessons. I have no idea what’s underneath the hood of my car.”

  “What would you do if it broke down?”

  “Fall apart I guess.” She smiled at him. “I do have it serviced regularly, my uncle knows an excellent mechanic.”

  He took in a sharp breath. “Do you want me to take you to the castle tonight?”

  Thrown off by the sudden change in subject, Haley pondered his question. “I suppose so.”

  Damian paused momentarily. “You could stay at my house.” He kept his gaze trained on the road during the silence that followed.

  “Where would I sleep?” Her voice was a low whisper.

  “In my bed.” In my arms.

  She heard both answers simultaneously and stared at him.

  “You said you like sleeping next to me.” Damian caught her studying gaze for a brief second.

  Haley turned toward the dashboard, suddenly looking at the car with renewed appreciation, knowing he’d actually built it himself. “I did say that.”

  * * *

  They pulled into Damian’s property just after midnight and parked next to a dark silver 1970 Camaro inside the expansive garage. “That’s Noah’s car.”