AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Tell me about your work,” I say.
“Modern, mostly. Oils. But since I’ve been here, I’ve been concentrating on the beauty of my surroundings. The colors are so vivid and bright. I swear, sunrises and sunsets don’t look this way in El— Portland.”
“Not with all that smog,” I agree, deciding consciously not to comment on her stumble.
“I’ve started three different projects just from the view of my lanai,” she continues. “I love mixing color, and these are some new shades I’ve never worked with before. Plus all the flora. Tropical flowers are something else. And everything’s so green! Even the palm trees are greener than the ones at home.”
“Are they?”
“They seem to be. To me, at least.”
Her eyes light up when she speaks of color. Not surprising, given she’s an artist. But I can’t help but notice the light in those gorgeous browns is short-lived.
Yup, definitely hiding something.
“You want to take a walk on the beach after dinner?” I ask.
“Don’t you have to go back to the bar?”
“Nope. I work days. Nine to four with a half hour for lunch.”
“People drink that early?”
“Some do. We also have an awesome juice bar. You should come by in the morning and I’ll make you one of my special blends.”
She smiles. “You have a specialty for just about everything, huh?”
“Not going to lie. I do.” I polish off the rest of my burger.
Em’s sits half-eaten on her plate.
“Not hungry?” I ask.
“I am, and it’s delicious. It’s just so big.”
“I guess I should have warned you. The single is a half-pound of meat.”
Her eyes go wide. “You just ate a pound of beef!”
“Nah. The doubles are made with third-pound burgers. Though I could easily put away a pound.”
She rakes her gaze over me. “How do you eat like that and stay in such great shape?”
I waggle my eyebrows. “Like what you see?”
She blushes. Adorably. Man, she’s fucking hot.
“I’d say yes,” she says, “but I’m pretty sure you turn on the charm with every woman who sidles up to your bar.”
She’s not wrong. “Maybe. They don’t all get a dinner invitation, though.”
“Dinner’s free,” she says. “The colony is all inclusive.”
“So it is. But, pretty girl, I’d gladly take you out and pay for the finest dinner on the island. We’d have to go across to the resort, though, and it doesn’t open for another month.”
She blushes even redder. “I don’t know what you’re after, Scotty, but I’m pretty sure I don’t have it.”
“Who says I’m after anything?”
“I know the type. I’m from LA, remember? You’re a typical beach bum who beds a new woman every week. I’m not gunning to become a notch on your bedpost.”
Yeah. I’ve heard those words before. Many times. And almost every time, I’ve gotten the woman who uttered them into my bed despite her protestations. But that’s not what concerns me at the moment. This wasn’t a mere stumble. I raise an eyebrow. “LA? Not Portland?”
Her cheeks turn crimson and she drops her gaze to her unfinished burger.
“Why’d you lie, Em?”
She twists her lips and then finally lifts her head to meet my gaze. “I’m sorry. I…”
“It’s okay,” I say. “You don’t have to explain.”
“No. I do, actually. I got too comfortable too quickly. I let my guard down. I shouldn’t even be here talking to you.” She stands.
I rise as well. “Sit, Em. Please. It’s okay. I’m not angry at you for lying. And if you can’t let your guard down here, on a beautiful island, I don’t know where you can.”
“I can’t,” she says. “Not here. Not anywhere.”
She’s frightened. The fear rolls off her in waves.
I could walk away. Easy. Walk away from whatever she’s carrying around.
Except I don’t want to.
Is it the fact that she’s hot? No. She’s far from the only hot woman available at the colony. No, it runs deeper. She’s hiding something, and I find myself caring about it.
About her.
5
Emily
“About that walk on the beach?” Scotty says.
I shouldn’t have lied to him, but I was trying to maintain distance. That didn’t work out so well. Already Scotty has me feeling too comfortable. Giddy, even. Like I’ve had a couple drinks, except it’s been over an hour since my Scotty special at the bar.
Maybe Lucifer won’t find me here. Maybe I truly am safe.
I shudder without meaning to.
Just his name—Lucifer. He’s not actually the devil, of course, but Lucifer is his real name. Lucifer Charles Ashton III. Yes, he’s the third in his line to actually bear the first name Lucifer.
And boy, has he lived up to the name.
He’s known in the LA underground as Lucifer Black. Ironically, he’s blond, but despite his coloring, he’s full of darkness.
I was seduced by that darkness. By his power. By his seductive male beauty and his lavish gifts.
I let myself get comfortable, painting in my room. When I went to the bar earlier and met Scotty, I realized I hadn’t looked over my shoulder at all today.
