Devil's Deal (Infernal Contracts Book 1)

by Tessa Hastjarjanto

  Nora watched his silhouette disappear in the crowd, and something inside her felt off.

  “Hi sweetie. How was church?” Her father gave her a kiss on the head as he passed her in the kitchen.

  “It felt oddly familiar.” Nora buttered her slice of bread and covered it in chocolate sprinkles. The other one had peanut butter on it.

  “They have been your family for years. It only makes sense that it feels like home.” Her dad grabbed another cup of coffee.

  “I know, but it’s still weird. I mean, I haven’t seen them for years. The whole idea of church hasn’t been on my mind since I started high school.” A strange sense of guilt overcame her and left just as quickly. Her parents hadn’t gone to a regular Sunday mass in a long time.

  “You don’t have to explain it. I know what you mean. Faith can be a welcome constant when the entire world seems against you.” He patted her arm as he sat down with his cup.

  “I can’t imagine you having problems,” Nora said to her dad. She didn’t even try to hide her sarcasm.

  “The life of a teenager isn’t an easy one. Especially when the only thing you want is the opposite of what your mother wants.” He winked at her.

  “Did you often break nana’s rules?” She poured a glass of milk, her favourite drink to go with sandwiches.

  “Only always. I was never home on time and saw my friends after she forbade me. My butt still hurts from thinking about it. But that’s how things were back then.” His eyes twinkled and a playful smile appeared on his round face as he remembered his younger days.

  She sat down at the kitchen table, next to her dad.

  “Don’t blame your nana. It was how she was raised. My brother, he was the good one. He did everything she wanted. He even married my mother’s choice. She wanted me to marry her, but I was already hopelessly in love with someone else.” He sipped his coffee. Over the years, he had grown to love the regular Dutch coffee and hardly drank espresso anymore.

  “Mom?” Nora asked.

  “Yes. I saw her when I was having lunch at a restaurant close to my work. There she was. A dark-haired angel entered my life and brought me food. Honestly, a man’s love goes through his stomach. You should ask your mom to teach you. You know how happy Michael is when he eats her food,” he laughed.

  “That’s only because his parents don’t care about food and only do the bare minimum. Anything is good compared to his dad’s food.”

  “The barbecue was pretty good last year.” He cocked his head, wondering if he remembered it correctly.

  “Grilling meat is the only thing he can do well. The rest was store-bought.”

  Her father shrugged. “Nothing wrong with that.”

  “But it’s still not mom’s food.” Nora had made her point. She bit the sandwich with peanut butter and the nutty taste filled her mouth. It stuck to the roof of her mouth, a sensation she only liked when eating peanut butter.

  “You’re absolutely right. She learned all the secrets in Italy. I could ask nana if she could arrange a job for you at a restaurant there. You’re still saving money for a trip next summer?”

  Nora nodded. “I am. I should have enough if I don’t spend too much.”

  “Maybe I can persuade your mom and we can work something out. If you still want to go.”

  “I do! You tease me.” She gave her dad a playful slap on his arm.

  “Nana will spoil you. Maybe she’ll even try to set you up with a boy. Just say that you won’t date until your father approves of the man. She’ll accept that.” He grinned. If it was up to him, she’d never date.

  “What do you think is important in a partner?” She was curious to what kind of man he would pick.

  “Someone who will do everything for you. You’re my princess and I want your future partner to treat you as one.”

  Nora didn’t know how to respond to that.

  “You don’t agree?” He asked.

  “Isn’t it a bit extreme for someone to do everything for the person they love?” Books were filled with women being spoiled by men, but it never appealed to her. It didn’t seem right.

  “Why would it be? I’d give my life for your mother. Or my kidney.” Her dad shrugged.

  Nora was confused. “So you would do everything for mom, but you’re not spoiling her.”

  “No, because she doesn’t need it. I support her in what she wants and needs. This is what she needs. You will have your own needs for support and I want your partner to give you that. Even if your needs change.”

  Nora thought about it for a minute. “I like that idea.”

  “I know you read many romance novels, but I hope it doesn’t mess up your idea of what love is and how it really works.” He shook his head.

  “Don’t worry, dad. I’m staying realistic.” She couldn’t help but think her life had turned into a story fit for a book.

  “Someone like Michael would be nice.” He winked at her.

  She sighed. “I was waiting for that.”

  “I’m saying ‘someone like Michael’. I’m not saying Michael is the one for you. He might be, but you’ll figure it out. You’re a good kid, so I trust your judgment.” Her dad rose from his seat and took his empty cup. “Don’t rush when it comes to love.”

  Only the sandwich with chocolate sprinkles was left. Nora wasn’t sure if she was still hungry. Her thoughts were occupied by what her father said, and the sudden appearance of two boys in her life who were interested in her.

  She still thought it was all too much of a coincidence. She read enough about love triangles to know there was always one of the two potential boyfriends who she already knew. If that was the case, Michael would be one of them.

  But both Ben and Danny are new, and they live together. They might not be brothers by blood, but they are more than just acquaintances.

  Nora wanted to find out what brought them together.

  Chapter 11

  Nora sat alone during their lunch break. She forgot her lunch and had to buy something in the cafeteria. She stayed away from the area where Felicia usually sat. It hurt, but it was better than seeking confrontation again. Fighting was tiring, but fighting with a friend was exhausting. Nora needed her energy for other things.

  She was grateful for the two days away from school or anyone from school. She had talked to Michael over the phone, but she hadn’t responded to any messages of her friends. She hoped they’d understand. At least Josy would.

  “Is this seat taken?” A voice sounded from behind her.

  As Nora turned around she froze, looking straight into his icy-blue eyes. She wished the ice would melt into those tropical waters again. What made them change?

  “I… can come back later?” Ben wanted to walk away, but Nora grabbed his arm.

  “No, it’s fine. Sorry, I spaced out.” She grabbed her backpack from the chair next to her and put it down.

  “Yes, I noticed. Are you okay? You seem occupied. Worried.”

  “You know what happened last Friday. You were there. My friend no longer sees me as her friend, but a nuisance. I really want us to be friends again, but if she doesn’t change, then I don’t think we can be. And Josy is suffering because of that. Emily will always pick Felicia’s side, no matter what her heart tells her.” The words flowed out all at once and she couldn’t stop it. “Don’t mind me.”

  “I’m sorry. I wish I could do something, but it seems like Felicia doesn’t like me much either. I know Felicia has the hots for Danny, and she thinks you secretly like him. So she wants to get you out of the picture. The big question is; do you like Danny?”

  “No, not really. Not like that. I like him as a friend. He knows so much about Italy and his interest in art history makes him a good conversation partner. But I have no interest in dating him.” Nora put away her lunch. She wasn’t hungry anymore. “This isn’t the first time Felicia chased after someone, but it’s the first time that she’d exile one of us, just for a guy.”

  “Envy, such a bad trait
. Too bad so many young girls seem to be blinded by it.” A half-smile appeared on his face, as if he knew what she felt. But he couldn’t possibly, could he?

  “So, I’m sitting over here pouting over my best friend who would rather go after a brainless idiot than retain an old friendship.” Her stomach acted up again.

  “Girl stuff, right. I’m glad guys are much easier to understand. If we don’t like each other, we just punch ‘m.” Ben laughed at his own joke.

  “Before or after you stole a kiss from his girlfriend?” Nora teased him, since she knew nothing about his past or his relationships.

  “After.” Ben laughed. “He had a nice right hook. It hurt all week.”

  “You deserved that. Why would you kiss someone else’s girlfriend?” She didn’t expect to be right. Ben gave off the bad boy vibe, but to steal a girl’s kiss when she was with someone else, that was definitely not right.

  “Well, she never told me she had a boyfriend, and she kissed me. I was the victim, but I didn’t stop her either. Maybe I should have. It wasn’t how I wanted to have my first kiss. Wait, why am I telling you about the most embarrassing thing that happened to me?”

  Nora couldn’t help but laugh. She was glad she got over the incident. Maybe they could be friends.

  “Come with me. I want to show you something.” Ben perked up with a smile on his face. The tropical waters returned to his eyes.

  Nora picked up her bag and followed Ben. He walked straight to his locker. He opened it and something caught her eye. It was a black messenger bag with a panda embroidered on it. It reminded her of the bag he broke.

  “I’m sorry. I’m really sorry for scaring you and breaking your bag. I’m sorry you got hurt because of me and didn’t feel safe. I know this doesn’t make up for it, but I wanted to show you I’m really not a bad guy. Just a little misunderstood.” He gave her the bag with an awkward smile.

  She hesitated, but he pushed it into her hands. This wasn’t what she expected.

  “Thank you,” she stammered. Her cheeks turned pink. “It’s really cute. I like it.”

  “I’m glad you do. It took me a while to find one similar to the one I broke. I tried to find the same, but they didn’t have it.”

  “My grandma brought it from Italy, so that’s probably why.”

  “Oh, geez. I’m so sorry, Nora.” The shock was visible on his face.

  “No, it’s okay. Really. It’s just an object.” She held the bag tight. His gift meant more to her than she dared to admit. She felt guilty for thinking he was a bad guy. Kind would be a better way to describe him.

  “By the way. What happened to that girl? Did Felicia say anything?”

  “Hmm… She mentioned that the girl thought she saw the Devil looking at Danny. Red, black, hollowed out cheeks, fire in his eyes. Apparently she hasn’t been in school much because of her health. Maybe her mental health isn’t up to par either.”

  “Weird.”

  “Yeah.” Ben crossed his arms. “I noticed what you meant. About Felicia, I mean. After you and Michael left, she was different. Nicer. Like all of her hostility left with you.”

  “So it really is me that’s causing it.”

  “No. Stop thinking that. You might trigger those reactions, but you’re not the reason she acts like that. We’ll figure it out, okay?” He squeezed her arm and gave her a reassuring smile. “You’re not alone. Call me anytime you want. There’s a card inside with my number.”

  “Thank you.” A warm feeling spread throughout her body, which lasted for the rest of the day.

  Chapter 12

  Ben wanted Nora to have a normal evening with friends and he invited Nora, Josy, and Michael for a movie night. Josy was thrilled by the invitation. She liked Danny and Ben, but she also felt Felicia was too controlling in who got to hang out with them. She wanted to get to know them better and find out why they moved here.

  Nora had heard the brief reason: family issues. She wasn’t someone who wanted to know all the family dirt and secrets, but there had to be more to it than that. Both are the same age, but they came from different families and from different locations. The chances both their parents knew their ‘uncle’ were slim, it couldn’t be just a coincidence. Maybe they shared a father, or their parents eloped together. They had to have something else in common besides their uncle. Meeting him might satisfy her curiosity. She knew his name was Matthew, but nothing more.

  This was the first time Nora would see their house on the inside. The last time she was here, Danny lent her a book, and she waited outside. It looked spacious. It wasn’t like her parents’ house, a terraced house. A semi-detached house like this was more expensive. She wondered what Matthew did for a living. How he could afford such a place, and house two teenagers who were basically walking garbage bins?

  Nora’s father dropped her and Josy off after dinner. Nora’s mother was kind enough to make snacks. Ben had said store-bought was fine, but her mother insisted. Nora didn’t complain; her mom’s food was definitely better than anything from a store.

  Nora thanked her father for dropping them off and they agreed he would pick them up between eleven and twelve. Even though it wasn’t a school night, her father wasn’t comfortable with his daughter being in a house with multiple teenage boys, even when there was a chaperon.

  She and Josy walked to the front door with a bottle of soda and snacks. Josy rang the doorbell. She was nervous and fidgeted with something in the pocket of her coat. She hadn’t been to a small party before. Felicia’s parties were always open to everyone. Tonight it would be a small mixed group. Not just girls.

  Nora knew he also invited Michael, but she was curious to see if Ben and Danny had made any other friends. They couldn’t hear any chatter coming from inside. It was so quiet; they thought they were at the wrong house.

  Just before they wanted to call, Danny opened the door and welcomed them in. He guided them through the kitchen to the living room. Michael was already there and Ben was on the couch, lounging. That was an awkward combination.

  Nora placed the dish with snacks on the counter and took the plastic off, releasing the scent of freshly fried food.

  “Awesome! Your mom made mozzarella balls, my favourite,” Michael said as he jumped up and stuffed two in his mouth.

  “Careful, they’re still hot,” Nora said.

  Michael didn’t care and grabbed another one.

  “Hi, welcome,” said Ben. “I hope you don’t mind if Matthew and one of his friends also join us. They’re cool, I promise.”

  “No, not at all. It’s your party.” Nora shook her head.

  Matthew and a brown-haired woman came in through the back door. “Oh, hey. The last two are here. Hi, I’m Matthew and this is Diana.”

  Nora was relieved that there was another woman present. Although it was supposed to be just a movie with friends, three boys, one man, and two girls felt off. She expected Matthew to chaperon, and that was the only reason her father let her go. Now they had two and her father would be even more pleased.

  Matthew looked like he could be Michael’s cousin. Both were tall, muscled with straw blond hair. Even their noses looked alike. Diana was quite the opposite. She wasn’t much taller than Nora, but slender and elegant. Nora could tell her clothing was expensive because it fit her perfectly. Her eyes were just as curious as Ben’s. They were almost black, but with a shimmer. It reminded her of the night sky, but she didn’t want to say it.

  “Your house looks gorgeous,” Nora complimented.

  “Thank you. I’ll be honest and say I had someone else do it for me,” Matthew confessed.

  “Yeah, he hired a stylist to do our rooms as well. I’m glad though, otherwise my room would be hideous. This guy has no sense of colour coordination. Even his outfits are styled by someone else,” Danny joked.

  “I have other things on my mind. This gets rid of one distraction,” Matthew explained.

  “What do you need your brain energy for if not dressing yourself?”
Ben joined in on the banter.

  “I’m an architect, but my designs are a little… How do you call it? Unconventional.” Matthew tried his best to regain his pride.

  “Straight up weird, is what he means.” Danny winked.

  “Like Gaudi?” Josy asked.

  “Not even close. You probably won’t see his stuff here. Dutch people are too sober.” Ben tried a mozzarella ball, and spat it back out immediately. “That’s hot.”

  “Need I remind you there are two pyramids being built as a living space?” Matthew said.

  “You’re kidding, right?” Josy said.

  “No, it’s true. They’re in the newer area, and not yet finished. But they’re there.” Matthew had a triumphant look on face. He won this round.

  Diana took the plate with the mozzarella balls, put it on the table and sat down. She hadn’t said a word since she came in. Her face didn’t show any expression.

  Nora had a hard time guessing her age. She could be in her late twenties, or early forties. There were no wrinkles to be seen and her makeup was neat and sophisticated. She could be one of those women shopping in Milan, or Fifth Avenue in New York.

  She was the perfect opposite of Matthew, who appeared chaotic and extrovert. He had a sense of humour, while Diana had shown no interest in the jokes between the men earlier. But they looked well together.

  “Excellent idea, Diana. Let’s go watch a movie. Is there anything you want to see?” Matthew asked.

  There were a bunch of DVDs on the coffee table in front of the TV set. Josy looked through them, as Nora looked over her shoulder. She didn’t have a preference since she didn’t know any of them.

  “I remember this one being good.” Josy picked up the DVD of Constantine with a grin on her face. “And the main guy is a hotty.”

  “Let’s start with that one if no one has any objections.” Matthew accepted the DVD and placed it in the player.

  Josy sat in the corner on the large couch with Danny next to her. If Nora sat on the other couch, she was stuck with at least one guy beside her; Ben or Michael. It was a good thing that they would not watch a romantic movie, she would’ve felt uncomfortable with either of them next to her.