Page 7 of The Devil After Dark
“Goodnight,” he whispered.
“Goodnight?” I whispered back. That was it? He would stop that easily?
“I’ll see you soon,” he said as his thumb ran along my lower lip. Then he pulled back from me and climbed off my bed. I watched him walk to my door where he stopped and looked over his shoulder. “No more pajamas, Liana. I know you’d rather sleep naked.” Then he exited my room and I heard my front door close a few moments later.
Oh my gods. I buried my face in my pillow. He said he would see me soon. I was utterly relieved and completely desperate for more. What just happened? What had I just done?
nine
LIANA
How soon was soon?The next day I just sat at my desk staring into my coffee. I should really tell someone. I should really call the police. Unfortunately, I had woken with a lovely aching reminder between my legs of what had happened last night and somehow I had actually fallen into an extremely restful sleep after it. I had no idea who would break into my home to do that to me, but fuck. Why did I want them to do it again? Why was I kicking myself for not actually fucking him? What if that was my only chance and I’d missed it? Thea had been sharing too many dark romance novels with me for me to be thinking this way. How messed up was I to actually be upset with myself for telling him to stop?
My phone rang and I saw it was Roger’s extension. He was only a couple offices over, but insisted on just calling me if he needed something quick. “What’s up?” I asked.
“How are the details coming on our fundraiser dinner for the hospital?” Roger asked into the phone.
I rolled my eyes, not that he could see. “I sent you an emailupdate two days ago, Roger. Everything is ready. I will check in with the vendors again before the event.”
“This is why you make the big bucks,” Roger replied. “Thanks.” Then the line went dead. He never read my update emails, but I continued to send them anyway.
I looked back at my coffee, I was clearly not getting any work done today. I dialed Roger’s extension. “Yeah?” he asked.
“I’m heading out for the day. Call me if you need me.”
“Liana, it’s ten in the morning,” Roger responded.
“Yeah, and my work is done. I am going to go do some strategic thinking from the park or something.” I was already closing my laptop and grabbing my bag. I needed a distraction.
“You do you,” he said and I hung up the phone. Roger really didn’t care where I worked from, only that I got the work done and that I was physically present for meetings that needed to be in person.
An hour later I found myself in the city wandering the streets. I kept telling myself I would stop at a cafe for some coffee or go into a shop to buy literally anything. Instead, I found myself standing outside one of the temples. The city was littered with temples to the gods. This one was for the God of Luck. Just down the cobbled street was the temple for the Goddess of Fertility and Love. I could see its small fountain on the front of the stone building from where I stood.
I was not a practicing worshiper of the gods, but these temples were beautiful and serene. The magic wielders seemed to be the most involved in the temples, but many others still attended services or stopped by to worship on their own time. I didn’t grow up doing it and only ever had observed curiously from a distance. The few times I went into the temples, it was just to quietly look around, which was encouraged by the priests and priestesses. Today, I stood just staringat the intricate patterns carved into the stone work. Wolves seemed to be a common theme throughout all of the temples. Our creation story even talked of a majestic white wolf who guided our people to a land of safety and prosperity. I wonder what that wolf would think of the bloody conflict that colored our history.
I turned from the temple and continued my wandering. I had made up my mind. I was not going to tell anyone about last night. The police weren’t known for helping in situations like these and what would they do anyway? Take a statement from me in case it happened again? I had no idea who he was and I hadagreedto his demands. Maybe they would consider my consent coerced, but I just wanted more of what the masked man had given me.
I aimed for one of the small cafes nearby. Hoping for more was crazy, right? I would make sure all my windows and doors were locked and hope he did not return … or maybe hope he did. Gods I needed to get a life if I was thinking I might actually like it if this man returned in the middle of the night.
I finished my lunch and was enjoying a cup of coffee when someone said my name. “Liana Sutton!” the man said brightly.
My eyes snapped up to see Daren Worthington. Daren was a client of Roger’s—of the firms. “Mr. Worthington,” I greeted him with a smile. “How are you today?” Daren did not even ask if he could join me as he pulled back the chair across from me and sat down.
“Doing quite well, Liana. What are you doing in the city? Shouldn’t you be working?” he teased. Daren was a good looking man, like most magic wielders. Probably a combination of magic and money. He had an angular jaw, beautiful green eyes, and thick brown hair that was always styled immaculately. Daren hired our firm on a retainer fee to basically just do whatever weird projects hecame up with on occasion. Typically the projects gave back to the community in some way, which was why I put up with him. The current project was the fundraiser for the hospital and of course Roger had assigned me to be in charge even though I had no event experience. Daren had given us an excessive budget and I promptly found an event planner to help. He could have hired the event planner himself, but I wasn’t going to tell him that.
“Don’t worry, Daren, I am always working,” I responded, faking my pleasantries. Daren was also a bit slimy. He usually had half naked women draped over his arms and was one to throw a fit if he felt like we were not giving him enough attention.
“Of course you are. I was going to call the office, but since I have you here, I would love to take you out for dinner … Roger too,” Daren said as he waved the waiter over. “Coffee, please.”
“When are you available, Daren? I’m sure Roger would love to get something on our calendars,” I replied.
“How about next Thursday?” Daren asked.
I picked up my phone from the table and quickly found my calendar. “I will get it scheduled.”
“Thank you, Liana,” Daren leaned back in his chair and looked me up and down. Gods it was so uncomfortable, but I had come to expect that from him. I mostly ignored it. Sure I had boundaries, but I was acutely aware that most of his actions were meant to get some sort of reaction out of me. I denied him any reaction and instead, chose to ignore his actions.
“Well, I am so sorry,” I said as I placed some bills on the table under my coffee cup, “But I do need to get to another meeting. I am looking forward to dinner with you next week and we can catch up then. If you need something sooner, just give me a call.” Before he could respond, I had already stood up and was giving him a wave as I slipped out of the cafe’s front door.
