by Sweet, Izzy
What did Marshall do?
“You’ll forget this ever happened?” Lucifer says coolly and his eyes narrow with menace. “Just like you forgot to pay me back the five million dollars you owe me?”
All the color drains instantly from Marshall’s face and his eyes dart from side to side as if he’s trying to figure out an escape plan. “I already paid that back. You’ll have to talk to Sean if you want your money.”
“Sean’s dead.”
I watch Marshall’s mouth open then close, then open again. He sputters and gasps like a fish out of water, his face starting to turn blue from the lack of oxygen.
I can’t believe Marshall borrowed five million dollars. What would he need with so much money? I know I haven’t seen a penny of it.
“I paid Sean the money,” Marshall finally gets out, and then rushes on to say, “I don’t have five million to pay you…”
Lucifer takes a step towards our bed. “That’s too bad.”
“Wait!” Marshall cries out in panic, the grip of his fingers tearing at the pillow he holds to his chest. “Maybe we can work something out? I could—”
“I’ve had a look at your assets. You have no means to pay me back,” Lucifer says dismissively and takes another step toward the bed.
I look between Lucifer and Marshall and now I’m starting to feel panicked. Lucifer has only taken two steps towards our bed but there’s clear menace in the way he’s moving.
What is he going to do? Are they going to hurt Marshall?
Are they going to hurt me?
Lucifer takes another step and Marshall whimpers. He whimpers.
The sound has my hackles rising and I wonder if there’s something I could do. I glance towards my phone on my nightstand. The moment I don’t think they’re looking at me I’m going to make a grab for it.
But it might be too late for Marshall by then…
I could start screaming, but the only good that will probably do is wake the children.
Marshall is pushing back against the headboard like he believes he could escape through the wall if he tries hard enough. Then he shoots a pleading look towards me.
As if I could help him…
Marshall’s eyes widen suddenly as if he’s had a revelation.
“You want my life as payment?” he squeaks out.
Lucifer lifts an eyebrow and inclines his head. “Yes. That’s how these things usually go, isn’t it?”
Marshall licks his lips nervously, looks to me then back to Lucifer. “Would you accept another life as payment?”
He’s not about to say what I think he is, is he? No, he wouldn’t. No decent human being…
Lucifer’s upper lip curls with disdain but his voice sounds interested. “What are you proposing?”
Marshall is too cowardly to stop hugging his pillow so he nods his head to me instead. “Take her. Take my wife in my place.”
I’m so shocked, so floored, I suck in a sharp breath that never ends.
“You want me to kill your wife?” Lucifer asks and it feels like all the warmth was just sucked out of the room.
“No, of course not…” Marshall recoils at the murderous look on Lucifer’s face. “Just hold her as a deposit, an insurance, while I get you the five million.”
“You mean a ransom?” Lucifer clarifies.
Marshall nods his head up and down. “Yes, yes, that’s it. A ransom.”
My lungs full of air, I expel it all in a loud, “How could you!” and make a lunge for Marshall.
I’m not an object he owns. He can’t just trade me away to some creepy, beautiful stranger to save his own neck.
Marshall squeaks and scrambles away from me. I end up chasing him until he falls out of bed, landing on his ass.
I grip the edge of the mattress, panting with anger as I watch him scuttle backward until he bumps into Lucifer’s legs.
“As much as I would love to accept your offer,” Lucifer says as he pushes Marshall away with the toe of his shoe. “I’m afraid your wife is not worth the five million you owe me.”
Damn. I blink up at Lucifer, feeling utterly conflicted. On one hand, I don’t want to be given away, but on the other, it stings the ego a bit to hear I’m not worth five million dollars.
I snort though as Marshall goes to his hands and knees, kneeling in front of Lucifer to beg for mercy.
“Please,” Marshall begs, reaching out and grabbing Lucifer’s leg.
I’d pity him and try to help the poor bastard if he didn’t just try to trade me away in his place.
“There has to be something else I can give you…” Marshall sobs.
Lucifer makes a face of disgust and looks down at Marshall like he’s a bug he’d like to step on.
“Anything,” Marshall wails as Lucifer kicks at him. “Anything.”
I sit back on my heels and watch Marshall beg while taking the kick, wondering how all of this happened.
Lucifer’s head lifts and his eyes lock on me. His features are still, utterly calm, but there’s something dark stirring in the depths of his icy irises.
“Anything?” Lucifer queries.
“Yes, anything!” Marshall nods his head with sudden enthusiasm.
“I’ll accept your offer,” Lucifer grins at me. “If you give her to me permanently, and throw in your children.”
“No, no! You can’t!” I scream and I’m off the bed in an instant.
Marshall yelps and scuttles back until he’s hiding behind Lucifer’s legs.
Lucifer between us, blocking me, my hands clench into fists and I pant, trying to control the rush of rage that has flooded my head. I swear if Marshall offers this… this… inhuman monster my children, I’ll strangle him with my bare hands.
Lucifer smirks down at me as if he finds all of this amusing. I bristle under that smirk but suddenly feel self-conscious standing so close to him. He’s tall, with at least a foot on me, and I feel puny now standing in front of him.
“Well? Do we have a deal, Marshall?”
Marshall continues to use Lucifer as a shield like the coward he is. He pokes his head out only long enough to peek at me. “Yes!”
“No!” I screech and lunge forward, reaching around Lucifer to grab Marshall.
Marshall squeaks and stumbles backward, just out of my reach.
Lucifer grabs me by the arms, stopping my forward lunge and hauls me back. Chuckling, he pins my arms to my sides and I screech and struggle, trying to escape his grasp.
“We’re done here, Marshall. I suggest you leave now before I change my mind…”
“Leave? Why do I have to leave? This is my house!” Marshall protests.
Head tipping back, I glare up at Lucifer and continue to struggle. Damn, he’s stronger than he looks, though it is hard to tell just how built he is under that suit he’s wearing.
Once again Lucifer looks me directly in the eyes, staring into me as if he can see inside me. “Not tonight.”
“But… but…” Marshall starts to sputter.
Lucifer’s face hardens, his features as cold and harsh as the blizzard swirling in his irises. “Simon, remove him.”
“No. No! I’ll go!” Marshall says, panicked, and though I can’t see what’s going on due to the huge body blocking my view, I can hear a great deal of shuffling going on behind Lucifer.
Marshall grunts loudly and then there’s a thump. “Hey! I’m going, I’m going!”
The bedroom door opens and then slams shut.
I jerk in Lucifer’s arms in surprise but then feel all the fight go out of me. No matter how much I squirm, no matter how much I try to free myself from his grasp, I can’t escape him. If anything, I feel like all my struggles have only tightened the grip he has on me.
Head dropping forward, I quiet my panting so I can listen to Marshall stomping and continue to throw a tantrum about being removed from his own home.
After a minute, Lucifer sighs and I feel his grip loosen a little. “James, assist Simon. If Marshall wakes the
children, feel free to make him regret it.”
“Yes, boss,” the second shadow answers and I don’t even hear him as he walks out. I only know he’s gone by the sound of the closing door.
A moment later there’s some muffled arguing coming from the hallway then all goes quiet.
The seconds tick by. My panting slows as I catch my breath.
All at once I am suddenly aware that I’m alone with this strange man.
The air thickens.
Slowly, I lift my head and peer up at him. He’s looking down at me so intensely I gasp.
My gasp seems to amuse him, and a slow smile spreads across his lips.
I stare at him in disbelief, my mind racing a mile a minute, trying to process everything that just happened. My mouth feels dry and my stomach is twisted. I want to believe this is a nightmare, that I’m still sleeping in my bed.
My husband didn’t just trade me and our children away to save his own neck. He couldn’t… He wouldn’t…
Yet the fingers tightening around my arms remind me that he did.
I can’t let this happen. I can’t accept this. I have to protect my children. He cannot have them! I won’t let him hurt them.
Gathering up every ounce of courage I have inside me, I lift my chin and say, “You can’t have us. We’re not objects you can own or trade away at whim. I am a person, a person with rights, and I will not stand for this!”
Lucifer’s eyes twinkle at me and it’s so condescending I just want to spit in his face.
My anger only seems to amuse him even more. Head tipping back, he chuckles with mirth and just as I start to struggle again, he lifts me up.
It only takes him two long strides and then he throws me.
I go flying through the air and land on my bed with a grunt.
He’s not far behind me, and quickly I get to my hands and knees, scooting back as he approaches.
Long, strong fingers going to the bottom of his suit jacket, he begins to unbutton it as he asks me, “Who’s going to stop me?”
Buy on Amazon: Keeping Lily (Disciples 1)
