“She was the real estate guy’s girl, right?” I ask.
“Yes. He’s not going to sit any longer on this issue, either. He’s personally come to us and asked for any information we can get.”
“I’ll be speaking with him, Simon,” Lucifer says.
“Are you going to give him the details?”
“Of a sort, but I’ll offer to personally deal with the matter. That will keep him in line… At least with us. It will also help form a better bond when it comes to the Senator trying to push his way into the matter.”
“You need to turn the girl over to us, Johnathan,” Simon says coolly as he looks to Andrew and Lucifer.
Raising his hands, Andrew grunts, “Leave my ass out of this.”
Fucking shithead.
“Johnathan… This is going to pose problems if you don’t,” Lucifer chimes in.
“Don’t give a shit. You didn’t either, and neither did you, Andrew, when it came to finding your wives.”
“That…” Lucifer starts to say, and his cold eyes warm with mirth as it dawns on him. “Is true.”
“Same thing floats here. I bought her, I keep her. Her father can suck my hairy ass for all I care.”
Standing up from the chair, I finish with, “Think of it this way… We can keep her as a good way of keeping him in line. He wouldn’t dare push you too hard. He can’t have any of his darker connections come to light, can he? It would be a good deal for us to have a senator, or maybe even something larger, in our pocket for a rainy day.”
“Point taken,” Lucifer nods his head, and he’s being far too understanding of this.
It’s giving me the creeps.
“What’s happening with the other two girls?” I ask. Beth’s going to want to know.
“They will be returned to their families, and the families will be made aware of the work we did to get them back.”
More people that will be beholden to Lucifer. Owing the devil himself a fucking favor is not an easy burden to bear.
“I’m going to take Beth and Charlie home. Need to get the house set up for having a family in it.”
15
Beth
The drive back to Johnathan’s house is tense and quiet. There are too many things between us, too many words that need to be said, but can’t be in front of Charlie.
I have absolutely no clue what was discussed after I was asked to leave the room, but when Johnathan finally did come to fetch Charlie and me, he looked stiff, like something is bothering him.
He’s been glaring at the road the entire drive back. His big hands gripping and squeezing the steering wheel in a death grip.
Now that he knows what happened to me, is he going to give me back?
I don’t know why, but that possibility makes me feel sick to my stomach. It’s one thing to want to get away, to escape his prison.
It’s another thing completely to be tossed out on my ass.
I want to stay with him because I want to be with Charlie, I convince myself.
It’s not that I want to stay with the man who told me he bought me and owns me now. No, it can’t be that. It can’t.
That would be insanity.
We’re from two different worlds. Even if for one crazy moment I wanted it to, it could never work out between us.
Despite what happened in his bed last night. Despite what his touch does to me. Despite the way he looks at me like he fucking needs me.
We might as well be two completely different species.
We’re two opposites that were never meant to attract.
“Are you hungry?” he asks, his deep, rumbling voice breaking the tense silence.
I start to shake my head, but my stomach speaks up in protest, growling in hunger.
That stiffness in his body just melts away. And when he looks over at me, his eyes softening, my heart does a little flip-flop.
I must have finally cracked. That’s the only explanation for my reaction to him.
“How about you? Do you like pizza, Charlie?” he asks.
Charlie seems to perk up, sitting up straighter in his seat as he answers Johnathan’s question. “Yes.”
“What kind of pizza do you like, little buddy?” Johnathan asks as he makes the final turn onto the street he lives on.
“Pepperoni,” Charlie smiles.
Johnathan hits the little button on his visor and the garage door starts to roll up. “Pepperoni pizza it is.”
Johnathan parks and we exit the car. I linger by my door, waiting for Charlie to get out. Once he does, I can’t help but smile as he steps up to me and slips his hand into mine.
That is until he turns to Johnathan and holds out his other hand.
At first, Johnathan just stares at Charlie’s hand as if he doesn’t understand what the boy wants, but then a slow smile creeps across his lips. Walking up to Charlie, he ruffles his hair affectionately before covering his little hand with his much bigger one.