Chapter 24
JADE
When Ash and I come back into the office, I’m expecting to see Sebastian lounging on my desk, kicking his roller skate. But there’s no sign of him.
‘Looks like lover boy’s skated off into the sunset,’ drawls Ash.
‘Shut up!’ I snap, collecting the Care Bare and the concert tickets from the desk drawer and stuffing them in my shoulder bag.
I should really finish that article about Echo Ministry, but it can wait.
Talking to Sebastian is more important. Whatever he wants to discuss isn’t going to be pleasant, and I feel sick with nerves.
In romance movies and books, bad conversations always happen after the protagonist has had really good sex with someone.
‘Tell Danny I wasn’t feeling well and went home if he asks,’ I say to Ash, who shrugs.
‘He probably won’t.’
I sit on the Tube, racking my brains to get a heads-up on what Sebastian’s going to say—and if it’s bad news.
But I can’t fully believe it will be. Last night was fantastic.
For him too, going by the noises he was making and the things he was saying before we got interrupted by Kiki.
Cuddling the Care Bear, I stroke its soft fur, remembering how alive I felt, so seen and desired by him. I’ve never felt like that with anyone.
But as I exit the Tube at Camden, jostled by the booted and suited and poodle-haired commuters, I realise that I’ve forgotten one important aspect about Sebastian: he’s not human. He’s a devil—and devils lie.
Cold resignation washes over me. The other side of the coin, and the more likely possibility, is that he’s a silver-tongued devil with badass bed skills.
It was a one-off. That’s what he’s going to tell me.
Even if he feels a teensy bit attracted to me because we get along well, it’s not going to happen again.
Plus, why would he waste any more of his precious time with me?
He’s got other more beautiful fish to fry.
Now that I’ve faced up to reality, it’s easier to harden my heart.
I refuse to be a snivelling wreck in front of him.
I want to get in first and be the rejecter, not the rejectee.
At least it will give me some dignity. Something that will no doubt comfort me when I’m howling into my pillow at night, knowing that Sebastian’s whispering the same sweet silver-tongued nothings into another woman’s ear.
However, when I see Sebastian lying on my bed with his ankles crossed and his hands propped behind his head, my resolve disappears in a poof of smoke.
I drop my bag on the floor, raking my eyes over him.
His hair is back to its thick caramel-highlighted glory, and his white T-shirt has rucked up slightly from his stonewashed jeans, displaying a sliver of hard tanned abs.
Heat fizzes through my entire body; and the room suddenly feels sultry, steamy, as his warm brown eyes meet mine.
Is it undignified to beg for sex?
I’m sure many important women throughout history have begged for it. Whimpered, in fact.
I swallow. ‘Hey.’
Sebastian’s lips curve crookedly. ‘Hey, gorgeous girl.’
Pushing aside a sudden impulse to leap on him, I force myself to stay where I am. Reminding myself they’re just pretty words. They don’t mean anything.
I wait.
Sebastian clears his throat and sits up, swinging his long legs down off the bed.
His feet are smooth and bare, and my eyes linger on his perfectly formed toes gripping the floorboards.
It’s difficult to banish a vivid image of me sucking on each of them, ten sexy lollipops, while he moans.
But I take a shaky breath and manage it. Good girl.
‘Sorry I didn’t wait for you at the office,’ he says, gazing at me. ‘It would’ve looked a bit odd. And I wasn’t sure how long you were going to be in the men’s...’
This last sentence is delivered with a bite of sarcasm, which my heart latches on to desperately because it reeks of him being jealous. No, heart, you must not!
Perching on the edge of the desk and keeping a safe distance from his hotness, I say evenly, ‘It’s not what it looked like.
I ran into my dad at a press conference at the Savoy, and to cut a long story short, Ash scored some coke from him.
I was trying to save the office from becoming drug addicts.
’ I pull the baggie out of my jeans and throw it on the desk.
Sebastian glances at it briefly and lifts an eyebrow.
‘So him licking your hand was part of your intervention method?’
Shit, he saw that.
I fold my arms, starting to feel a bit annoyed. Why is he giving me the third degree? ‘As I said, it’s not what it looked like ... Anyway, what did you want to discuss? You said it was important,’ I say abruptly.
Sebastian rubs his jaw distractedly, and I notice his forehead is sweating.
In fact, he’s got damp patches all over on the front of his T-shirt like he’s been running .
.. or having a horizontal workout. Has he been having sex with someone?
My fingers grip the solid wooden edge of the desk, my knees buckling at the thought.
But he says instead, ‘I had a meeting with my boss. It didn’t go well.’ He frowns at the floor.
My fingers unfurl slightly as I grasp his meaning.
‘Oh. Were you ... in hell?’ I whisper. That would explain the sweating and the strong smell of sulphur I can now detect emanating from him.
The thought of him being down there surrounded by darkness and flames is slightly terrifying.
But at least he wasn’t fucking someone else.
‘Are you OK?’
Sebastian nods but doesn’t expound on the experience, which worries me that he’s been traumatised in some way.
‘He didn’t ... torture you or anything?’
‘No, just ranted and raved about what a pathetic devil I am. That I’m not doing my job properly. It was kind of funny actually.’
‘Sounds like a typical boss. They’re all hot air. I guess yours has more of that than most.’ I know I’m gabbling, but it’s out of relief that he’s fine.
Sebastian tries to smile, but it comes out a bit lopsided. There’s a pause; then he says, ‘Um, Jade, listen ... about you and me...’
My gut swoops, and my fingers are back to gripping the desk. ‘What about it?’
Sebastian’s jaw works. ‘I’m wondering if there’s any kind of future for us?’
I stare at him, struggling to ascertain the meaning of that statement. It sounds vaguely like he’s rejecting me. My heart sinks. I can’t do it—I can’t say I’ve been dreaming about us curled up on my couch, eating pizza. It’s too humiliating.
‘Last night was fun,’ I say carefully, feeling like I’m stepping through a minefield. ‘But as you said, it’s not like I’m going to have your devil baby. I know what you are. What you do. I’m not stupid.’
Sebastian’s lips tighten. ‘I never said you were. I’m simply trying to be realistic...’
I nod. ‘So am I.’
My left eyelid twitches once, then again. I rub it, feeling tired and wanting to get this over with. ‘Look, I get what you’re saying, OK? I’m a big girl. Don’t worry, I’m not going to lose sleep over it.’
I avert my eyes, and Sebastian doesn’t say anything. He seems stunned into silence. Reaching into my bag, I take out the Care Bear and prop it on the desk.
‘Thanks for this, by the way. And the note. But you didn’t have to.’
‘Jade—’
My eyes prick with tears at the gentle edge to Sebastian’s voice, but I blink furiously to keep them at bay.
‘I should be fine from here on in,’ I say, lifting my chin. ‘The week is nearly up. I just have to get through my dad’s concert tomorrow night. Thanks for the taster experience. It’s been ... interesting.’
Sebastian seems to wake up at this point and realise what I’m doing: that I’m cutting him out.
‘Jade,’ he says more sharply, ‘there’s something you should know.’
I clench my teeth. Jeez, can’t he just let me have my moment of dignity? ‘What?’
He sighs and drags a hand over his face. ‘It’s about us sleeping together. It’s my fault. I was caught up in the moment, and I thought my boss wouldn’t care, that he’d turn a blind eye to it. But he hasn’t. Turns out Lucifer’s been keeping a close eye on me. On us.’
‘What do you mean?’ I say slowly, dread pooling in my stomach. The smell of sulphur intensifies, and my skin creeps, like there are hidden ears and eyes in the wall. Watching us.
‘There’s no way to say this nicely. Lucifer’s claimed your soul, and even though I pleaded for it, he’s not budging. He was in a foul mood for some reason. More than usual,’ says Sebastian dolefully. ‘I think I’ve really pissed him off.’
Blood drains from my face, and my hands start shaking. I slump against the desk. ‘What the fuck?’
Sebastian rises hastily and grips my shoulders. The heat from his hands burns through my net top and scorches my skin. I stare up at him.
‘I’m sorry,’ he says, looking down at me. ‘But you did make a deal with me. You knew what you were doing.’
I wrench away from him, anger boiling through me. ‘But I didn’t sleep with you when I made the deal, remember? That was the arrangement. And last night wasn’t part of that. It was ... different! If I knew I’d be spending an eternity in hell, I wouldn’t have done it!’
OK, sex with Sebastian was definitely worth spending an eternity in hell for, but I’m not telling him that.
I don’t think he’ll care, but Sebastian looks like I’ve slapped him. His expression hardens, and he seems to grow taller, bulkier; his forehead is sprouting horns, eyes flashing red. I gasp in horror and stumble backwards, towards the door.
He groans as if my reaction pains him, and when I blink, the vision has gone, and he’s himself again.
‘What the actual fuck?’ I yelp.
Sebastian looks at me coldly. ‘I’m sorry that I repel you. I won’t bother you again.’
He snaps his fingers and disappears. Taking the Care Bear with him.