The corners of Enzo's mouth curl despite his attempts to stop them and a wide smile breaks out over his face. He's amused, but more than that, he's relieved.
“The Oracle is a cunt and I doubt you need to see him again, Adriana.”
The smile that breaks over my face matches his. It's a fucking relief to know I won’t meet that asshole again, although Enzo's been careful enough not to offer me an absolute.
“If you are not frightened of me, is it by me?” Enzo asks. “Was it what I put you through...”
I shake my head.
His eyebrow arches.
“Don't lie, baby.”
“I'm not,” I snap.
Enzo carries me out of the wood, and we emerge at the side of a large lake. The trees reflect in its calm waters and the stars seem to fall into its depths. Fireflies dance over its surface as the moonlight plays with the orange lights, merging silver and gold on top of the lake.
“You like water. We can do water more often, baby,” Enzo whispers, planting a kiss on my forehead. “Adriana, talk to me. You've been distant. It's very clear something is wrong and we agreed you'd be honest with me.” There's a familiar edge to his tone and I eye him carefully as he looks at me. “If you don't talk, I'll take matters into my own hands. It'll bring me little pleasure and you will not like it.”
I groan and roll my eyes. “Why are you such an asshole?”
Enzo draws himself upright and his jaw ticks. “It's my nature. As is punishing you for being a brat. Don't think I'm not counting, sweet girl. You're racking up quite the lashing.”
I swallow, and he smirks.
“Talk.”
“I don't like the way you treat me.”
That eyebrow arches higher and I shift my weight, suddenly uncomfortable.
“Enzo, it was entirely avoidable. All of it.”
His teeth grind and looks to be on the verge of losing his mind. He sets me on the ground and we stare into each other's eyes, and I cave without a fight as his will overpowers mine.
“I mean, most of it. The bits I didn't like.” I tip my head back and look up at the night sky, hoping someone answers my prayer. “I didn't mind fucking in public. You're there and I feel safe. I mind not knowing about things. I mind the fucking surprise.”
“You didn't mind being fucked in public?”
I shake my head.
“Or me using a leash?”
I shake my head again.
“Or even being fucked in the cunt and the ass at the same time?”
For a third time, I shake my head.
“I minded not having a choice about seeing you for the first time and not knowing it was going to happen. I hated those assholes feeling what we have. And I'm pissed you're still hidingthings from me.” I clench my hand into a fist and Enzo spots it. “You keep saying there's no escaping this, but you won't tell me what the fuck is going on. And something is very clearly going on.” I'm ranting and I don't care anymore. “Because you fucked off to Hell and a demon almost killed me in your goddamn house. After an army of them tried to in that nightclub. So what the fuck is it you're trying to stop killing me, Lorenzo? For the love of God, just tell me, because then at least I won't be unprepared for whatever the fuck it is.”
He runs his hands through his jet black hair and walks away, taking a few steps toward the water's edge. He kicks his heel into the ground and the waves keep coming, lapping against his shoes as the inevitability of this conversation dawns on him.
“Hell is a hierarchy, and a very long time ago, there was a vacancy in one seat of power. I won it but acquired enemies—one of whom is, or was, called Mordecai. His power was almost as great as mine, and our rivalry grew. Lucifer played us against each other, favoring whoever triumphed and gave him the greatest victories.”
Enzo turns and the light in his eyes fades away.
“We fought, viciously. Realms were destroyed, kingdoms lost, and it almost killed me to kill the cunt. I needed Byron's help and he needed revenge on his former master, and that's how he became bound to me.”
