2 Weeks Later…
I can’t breathe.
I thought I would be able to handle this, but I really don’t think I can. How can I face my best friend when her life has been altered? There’s a very real chance she could hate me, and I wouldn’t blame her if she did. This is all my fault.
The minute I realized I was no longer a normal human being I should have walked away from my old life. It would have been the smart thing to do for everyone involved in my past.
“Babe, you have got to calm down. You’re hyperventilating.” Colten is holding my hand on one side, while Brian does the same on the other side, and Orion sits in front of me with a concerned expression.
“Is it normal for her to panic like this?” he asks with genuine concern. “I don’t like it.”
Colt shakes his head. “Dude, not all of us are cold fishes. Harleigh happens to be more emotional than all of us in this room, aside from angel boy over there.” He nods at Bry, who just grunts.
“So, I shouldn’t be worried she’s going to faint?”
My head snaps up at that. “I’m not going to faint!” I snap out, and he smiles.
“There’s the sass I love.”
I growl at him for showing his asshole ways. Fuck, I know it’s not his fault he is who he is, but damn, he’s doing a good job of pissing me off right this second.
“Tell us what you need,” he says in a softer voice, and all the anger inside me melts. He may be cold to pretty much everyone, and completely awkward as fuck in most situations, but he’s my awkward.
“Can you hold me?” I ask him. He tilts his head at me before giving me a quick nod, and getting back up to sit in his chair.
It’s so easy to climb into his lap as his arms envelope me, making me feel safe. The crispness of his dress shirt is cool against my cheek as I lean into him and relax.
“Damn. Never thought I’d see the day,” Colten jokes, and Brian smacks him upside the head softly.
“Fuck off,” he growls, and Colt laughs harder while Orion looks between them with confusion on his face.
“Ignore them, O. They’re just been tools.” I lift up and give him a kiss that deepens quickly, until he pulls away leaving me breathless.
“You’re everything, Harleigh Roe,” he states.
I smile, turning in his lap to face the other guys, so my back against Orion’s chest.
“What are we going to do for dinner tonight? I’m not sure I’ll have the energy to cook, or even eat tonight.” I sigh, but the look Colt has makes me stiffen.
“Anything that doesn’t involve you holding a towel and lighting the kitchen on fire, babe.”
I groan and scowl at him as he bursts out laughing.
He went there. The idiot just had to fucking go there.
“I was fucking nervous, you dick!” I yell at him, and he snorts.
“Leave her alone, asshole,” Brian chimes in, while Orion stays silent and holds me tighter. “If you had the power of Hell fire with no idea how to control it, you could do a lot of shit too, so shut the fuck up.”
When we were home for the break, I was helping Mom do dishes and tidying up the kitchen the day Mark was coming over, and my nerves got the best of me. The tea towel I had been holding caught fire, and when I dropped it, the floor melted from the sheer heat of it.
My parents were baffled, and I had to apologize and try and explain why things caught fire randomly without mentioning Lucifer and my ability to conjure fire from Hell. I’m pretty sure they didn’t believe the bumbling lie I came up with. I can’t really even remember what I said to them.
“Are you ever going to let me live that down?” I sigh, and he laughs.
“Probably not, but I will try to hold off on the jokes for a while.” He gives me a small smile with a devilish glint in his eye.
“Sure you will.” I laugh before getting up to kiss him. “Let’s get this day started before I have another panic attack.”
By the time music class is almost over, I’m pretty sure I’m going to have a heart attack my anxiety is so damn bad. I didn’t see Adeline this morning, but I know she will be here for lunch, and I have no clue how it will go, or how she will be.
“You need to calm down, babe.” Orion tries to soothe me, but I ignore him and go back to chewing on my nails until he grips my chin, forcing me to look at him.
“I said calm down, pet, and I meant it.” His voice is hard as he commands me, and my entire body stops moving. “Good girl. Now breathe for me. Again.” I follow his instructions, my eyes never leaving his, and within minutes I’m calmer.
Holy shit. He just dominated me in the middle of a room of people, and I followed along like it was my given duty to listen to him. That’s kinda fucked up.
“Umm…” I go to speak, and he smirks before moving his mouth to my ear as his hand releases my chin, and gently circles my throat.
“Don’t overthink it, pet. You needed it, and it’s so fucking hot when you submit to me.” He nips my ear, and I whimper and lean into him, making him chuckle. “Are you wet for me, baby?”
I nod into his neck, and he growls.
“Fuck, I want you so bad, Harleigh. Tell me I can have you soon.” He kisses my neck, and I moan quietly.
“Yes. Please, yes.” He pulls back and looks into my eyes with so much fire and lust, that I’m instantly soaked for him. I want nothing more than to have him take me somewhere and fuck me with everything he’s got.
Just when I think he may actually do that, the lecture is over, bringing me back to the present, and my heart rate starts to pick up along with my breathing again.
“I will be right by your side, Harleigh, and they will meet us there.” I nod. “I fucking love you, and I will not let anything harm you, ever. You know that.” He gives me a fierce look, and my eyes start to water. He may not be emotionally open, but he loves the hell out of me, and that means so so much.
We just barely make it to the lunchroom when her blue hair stands out to me, freezing in place as I watch her across the room. I can feel Bry and Colt move up behind me, but my attention is solely on Adeline as she moves in the lunch line, her body stiff and rigid.
“Hey, beautiful.” Bry kisses my head and squeezes my shoulder for support. “What do you want to do?” he asks me, and I shake my head because I don’t know.
“Why don’t we sit down, baby.” Colt squeezes my hand, and starts leading me to our seats when Addy looks up, and her eyes meet mine.
So many emotions pass through us before she starts to cry, and I run at her until she’s catching me. We’re both standing in the middle of the cafeteria, an absolute sobbing mess.
“I missed you so much,” I cry into her hair, and she sobs back.
“Ugh, I missed you, too.” She pulls back to look at me, and I can see the sadness in her eyes.
She’s not the fierce and vibrant Addy I grew up with. She’s a shell of her former self, and looks absolutely miserable.
“You’re really here?” She nods, letting go of me and taking a step back.
“I am. Harleigh, I—” I put my hand up to stop her because I know what she’s going to say.
“Are you okay?” I whisper.
She snorts, taking another step back.
“No, Harls, I’m not okay. I was kidnapped to lure you in, and found out my best friend has been lying to me, and then he turned me into this,” she hisses, waving her hands in front of her body. “I can never go back home, Harls. I’m stuck in this new life that I never chose, because of you!”
I cry as the guys surround me, and she looks between them and back to me, waiting for my response.
“Adeline, I didn’t know! This was all new to me until last year, and I never once thought you would be affected. I wanted to tell you, I did!” I cry harder, and the guys move closer to me, while Orion looks at her like he wants to kill her.
“Maybe we should go talk about this somewhere with less eyes?” Brian suggests, and I look at my best friend with pleading eyes.
“Fine.” She throws her hands in the air, and stomps over to the door to wait for us, but the sobs are taking over my body. I can’t bring myself to move, so Colt picks me up, and we all make our way to Mark’s office.
I close my eyes and picture Lucifer as we make our way there. Part of the plan we came up with was to bring her to the office, and then cloak the room and everything in it so no one can listen in while we tell her what’s going on, and hope she believes us.
“It’s time. I need you,” I whisper, and then open my eyes as we walk into my father’s office.
“Harleigh. Guys.” He nods toward us, standing as Addy walks into the room scowling.
“I thought we were going somewhere to talk? You brought me to a professor?” she scoffs, and looks at me in Colt’s arms.
I breathe through the tears. “He’s more than a teacher, Adds. Give us a chance, okay?” I beg when there’s a knock on the door, and Orion opens it to let Lucifer in.
“Well, it’s nice to see you free, Adeline. I know your disappearance has been devastating to your family and friends,” Gramps says to her.
She looks at him with disgust. “You mean the family I can never go back to? They have to believe I’m dead in order to keep them safe. That family?” Ah fuck, she’s going to lose her shit when she realizes she’s trying to go toe-to-toe with the fucking Devil.
“Can we do this now?” I look between Lucifer and Mark, and they both give a nod, while Orion locks the door. Everyone is silent for a few moments before Lucifer speaks up.
“It’s done. We’re safe to speak freely.”
Mark pulls out a remote, pressing a button before he nods and tells us it’s safe as well, and Colten sets me down.
“Fuck, Adeline. I missed you so much, and I’m so sorry he took you, and changed you. Can you give us a few minutes to talk, and just listen? You’re safe right now, and there is no way any of this will ever get back to him.”
She looks between us all. “He has eyes everywhere, Harls. Are you insane?! You’re going to get my family killed!” she hisses, and Orion goes to say something, but Brian cuts him off.
“Addy, you don’t know who these guys are, yet, but I promise you there is zero way he can listen into this conversation. Magically or otherwise. We have taken every precaution, so we can all be on the same page. Your family is safe.”
She sighs and sits down with tears in her eyes, and I move to the chair next to her, and take her hand.
“I saw you, Adds. I know he’s blackmailing you to get to me, and he’s threatened your sister.” I squeeze her hand as her eyes meet mine.
“How do you know that?” She sniffs, and I try to hold back my tears the best I can.
“I had a premonition. I saw him telling you, and threatening her. We know what he’s doing, and we know he wants you to lure me out, so he can get to me.”
She nods.
“I’m so sorry, Harls. I don’t know what else to do. I can’t let anything happen to my sister.”
“I know, and we have a plan, but it’s going to take some time to put it all in motion without him being suspicious.”
“What’s the plan?” She looks at me with pain written all over her face, and it makes me want to murder Paul in cold blood for hurting my best friend, and making her fear anything.
“Harleigh says you’re an incredible actress. Is that right?” Lucifer speaks up, and she shivers at his voice.
“I love to act. Why?” She looks at him, and Mark speaks next.
“In order for this to work, you’re going to have to put on the performance of a lifetime. Can you do that?”
She looks between them and back to me.
“What do you need me to do? And how do I know I can trust them, Harls?”
I give her a small smile.
“Addy, I would like you to meet my father, Mark.” She gasps, blinking before looking between us, but I don’t give her the chance to speak. Not yet. “And my grandfather…” I take a deep breath, and go to announce his identity, when he moves in front of us, holding his hand out.
“It’s nice to officially meet Harleigh’s best friend. I’m Lucifer.”
All the colour drains from her already pale face as she stares up at him in shock and fear.
“Lucifer? Like…”
“Yes. The Devil.”
She chokes down a swallow before turning to me.
“My best friend’s grandfather is Lucifer fucking Morningstar?!” she squeaks out, and I wince.
“Yeah. It’s kinda new to me too, but yeah.”
“Holy shit, Harls!” She squeezes my hand until I wince from the pain.
“Can you ease up on the hand a little there, Adds?” She looks down to where our hands are connected and eases up.
“Sorry. Just…shit.”
“I know, but he’s on our side, so you don’t have to fear him,” I tell her.
He chuckles darkly.
“She’s right, Adeline. I am of no fear to you. Well, unless you harm her because then all bets are off. She’s extremely precious to me,” he warns her, and she pales even farther. I’m not sure how much more she can take.
“Get in line, asshole,” Orion speaks from behind me, where him and the guys are standing, and I groan at Lucifer’s laugh.
“Kid, who do you think I would go to? I can’t exactly do it myself without disrupting the balance. You’re love for Harleigh just makes it that much easier for me. I don’t have to trust anyone else with the task to take someone down, I just have to tell you about it, and it’s done.” Lucifer shrugs, and O glares at him.
“Fine,” Orion agrees after a second.
Addy looks between them for a moment before her eyes land on O, and she asks.
“Who is he, Harls?” I look back at O to see him smirking, and I squint my eyes at him.
Me: Behave, O. She’s my best friend.
O: We don’t know if we can trust her, pet. I only care about you.
I roll my eyes at him, but I can feel my cheeks flush at his name for me.
Me: I know, because I know her. Just trust me.
He gives me a small nod, and I turn back to answer her when I hear Colt say something stupid, before Bry tells him to shut up.
C: Pet? You’re dominating our girlfriend in everyday life now, too?
B: Shut up, Colten. Not the time.
“He’s my boyfriend. Meet Orion.”
She blinks at me again before looking at Colt and Bry.
“You have three boyfriends now?”
I nod. “I do, but that’s it. He’s the final piece of my soul.”
She’s quiet for a moment.
“So fucking weird. You’re a lucky bitch. I bet the sex is fucking fantastic.”
The guys laugh, but Mark and Lucifer groan.
“Can we not talk about my daughter having sex?” He winces. “It’s bad enough I have to see their hands all over her during class, and training.”
“I second that. No sex talk around us,” Lucifer states.
“Oops.” She looks so embarrassed I can’t help but laugh until she asks her next question.
“Okay, what is this plan you guys have, then? Because I cannot risk my sister or my family.” She’s visibly nervous as she waits for us to answer her.
“What all does he want you to do, Adds?” I ask her softly, and she bites her lip nervously.
“He wants me to regain your trust until I can talk you into leaving the guys, and the school, alone with me. I’m supposed to tell him where we’re going, and help him ambush you.”
Orion and Colten curse up a storm while Brian puts his hands on my shoulders to calm me, so I don’t get overly upset. We’re on a time crunch before Paul gets suspicious of why he can’t hear anything that’s going on with her.
“Alright, that’s easy enough to fake. You guys are best friends after all, right?” Mark asks, and we both nod.
“Yeah, but it’s not that simple. I have to do check-ins with his son who goes here. His name is Darren.” I wince, and she looks at me with questioning eyes. “Can we trust him?”
I shake my head. “No. But there is something you need to be aware of before you meet him.” She nods at me to continue. “Darren is O’s identical twin.”
She just stares at me for a second before speaking.
“You’re dating my kidnapper’s son? Seriously, Harls?! How the fuck am I supposed to trust you if you’re dating the enemy?!” I look at Orion, and he nods, stepping forward.
“Adeline.” He says her name with a tone that demands attention with how cold and detached it sounds. “I love Harleigh. I no longer speak to my father, but you can bet I will kill him when I find him.”
She looks at him before turning back to me. “He’s joking, right?”
I scrunch up my nose while I try to figure out how to explain just how dark O can get, but he laughs.
“No, I’m not. Harleigh is the only thing in existence that I care about, and he tried to hurt her.” He stops short, like he’s worried about how much to actually tell her, so I cut in.
“He isn’t joking. Paul tried to take me the night he took you, but O stopped him and saved me. I didn’t even know he existed at the time.”
I’m not sure what’s running through her head, but she’s silent for a moment.
“Harls, I trust you. I’m not sure how I feel about your newest man candy, but I do trust your judgement. If you say we can trust him, then I will take your word for it.”
I let out a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding.
Getting my best friend’s blessing on my third, and final boyfriend, was something I’d been worried about, given everything that’s happened to her. I know she’s going to have trust issues for a long time to come, over this, but I hope she never loses faith and trust in our connection.
I love her, and would go to Hell and back, and do anything for her. She’s my person. My ride or die.
“Can we trust Darren?”
Everyone is silent when she asks the question, but it’s Lucifer who answers.
“Jury is still out on that one. He threatened Harleigh not long ago, so in my opinion? No. But we can’t do much about it other than hide important details from him,” Gramps explains.
She nods. “Alright. How do we do this, then? What am I supposed to tell Darren as he checks in? I assume we aren’t going to take Paul down immediately?”
We all shake our heads.
“We can’t. He needs to feel comfortable in his plan before he will make himself known again. And he’s not working alone.”
She sucks in a breath.
“Are you sure you’re up for this, Adeline?” Mark asks, and she nods her head.
“I have to be. I would do anything to keep the people I love safe. That includes, Harleigh.”
He nods. “Then let’s get to work.”