“Apart from Father being moodier than usual, nothing has really changed.Mama still insists I go to every social meeting.I swear I am going crazy.”
“Oh no.”I grimace.Lucas staring holes in my head makes me nervous so I shorten the conversation.“I have to go, love you like crazy.”
“Love you so much, Lee.Please be safe.”
I hang up with a heavy heart.Lucas has a faraway look and I take a few seconds to collect myself.I walk to the window and look at the city below.Will I ever see my sister and friend again?Will I ever make it out of here?
I turn resolutely to Lucas.He has resumed his slouching on the couch.“I want to get out of here and return to work.”
“You will have to discuss this with D, Lil-girl.”
“But you could talk some sense into him?”I plead.
“I’m afraid that when it comes to you, all his good sense vanishes.”
I am about to argue when the front door opens and the man himself strides in.
“Yo, D, we’ve been eagerly waiting for you.”
“We have not!”I give Lucas the stink eye.
Unfazed, he stands up and wraps an arm around my shoulders, ignoring the glower Damiano shoots his way.“Our Lil-girl here wants to get out to have some fresh air.”
Damiano looks ready to explode.He stomps toward us and rips me out of Lucas’ arms to squish me against him.Geez, possessive, much?
“You are not getting out of here,” he barks.
“D-man, you’re not scoring points here,” Lucas says.
“You can’t keep me locked up here forever,” I protest simultaneously.
Damiano looks from Lucas to me and narrows his eyes.“Luc, leave us.”
I give Lucas the puppy eyes, silently pleading with him not to leave me alone with Damiano, but he sends me a rueful shrug and leaves.
I am alone with the Devil again.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Lily
I let out a breath and twist in Damiano’s arm to look up at him.“I need to get out of here, Dark.”I say, my voice edged with frustration.“I am slowly losing my mind being locked up.I need to go back to work.”
His expression darkens instantly.He pulls back just enough to look down at me, his jaw clenched, eyes blazing.“You are not returning to work,” he says flatly.“It’s not safe.And you don’t need to work.I’ve got money to burn.Say what you want and it’s yours.”
I glare right back at him.“That’s not the point.I want to make my own money.I have bills to pay—”
“If you mean your student loans”—he cuts in—“they’re already taken care of.”
I freeze.My jaw goes slack.
“You…you paid my loans?”
He gives a single, unapologetic nod.
“But…” My voice pitches upward.“You can’t do that!Those were mine, my responsibility!I’ll pay you back—”
“No, you won’t,” he snaps.“I’m not a fucking bank, Lily.I’m your man.You don’t owe me for taking care of you.”
