Page 83 of Claimed By the Villain
When it’s all over, I’ll beg her forgiveness for leaving her out of this part of my life.
“What did you notice?” I ask, forcing myself back to reality.
“Lucifer is in love with you, Jackie.”
“What? No. I mean, he’s insanely attracted to me, I know that. The chemistry between us is explosive, but love . . .? I don’t think so.”
She smiles, staying quiet for a few seconds. “From what I understood, Lucifer was like . . .part of your family, wasn’t he?”
“Yes.”
“Which means you didn’t grow up in a typical home, or your parents wouldn’t have taken him in,” she says, quickly adding, “No judgment. I just assume you lived more or less the way we’re raising our kids.”
I noticed that even though they look like normal children for their ages, Beau and Amber’s kids are a bit more mature than you’d expect. All of them, without exception, even their teenage daughter, Lilac, whom I heard was adopted as a child, look you in the eye when they speak and take a moment before answering any question.
I think they’ve been taught from the start to be cautious, not to trust smiles and pats on the back right away, to consider everyone a potential threat.
I wasn’t raised with that much strictness. Maybe Martin was, but probably because I was a girl, my father didn’t demandas much from me. Besides, while Dad was cold when it came to affection, my mother was a storm of love.
“Yes, always,” I finally answer. “I knew the world was cruel, though not in any firsthand way. My parents never let violence get close to me.”
“But they brought Lucifer into your home.”
I smile. “My mother did. He and Martin were enemies at first. Lucifer, from what she told me—”
“From what she told you?”
“Yes. There’s a nine-year difference between us, and when he came into my house, I was barely more than a baby.”
“Ah, I see. Forgive me for interrupting.”
“As I was saying, he and my brother used to fight until one day Martin invited him to dinner at our house.”
“And his parents?”
“Beau didn’t tell you?”
“No. I don’t ask my husband everything, Jackie. Only what I need to know. We’ve been married many years, and there are things he doesn’t want to or can’t tell me. I’m fine with that because I know any secret Beau keeps from me is to protect me and our kids.”
“You two have a beautiful bond.”
“It’s true love. Imperfect, and sometimes it makes me want to throw things at him, but it’s the deepest feeling I could ever dream of. Now tell me your story.”
“I don’t think bringing Lucifer into our home was planned. It just happened, and after a while, he never went back to his. Then, when we were teenagers, my mother officially became his legal guardian.”
“She saw something in him that could still be saved.”
“I think so. I remember how Mom always hovered over him, making sure he’d eaten, studied, just the things parents do.”
She smiles. “I’m sure he loves you, Jackie, but maybe he doesn’t know the name for what he feels, so he confuses it with lust.”
“And how do I get him to open up?”
“I don’t have that answer.”
“Our original marriage deal was for five years, you know?”
“Yes.”
