Page 114 of A Deal in Darkness
The Oracle provided a room for me to receive Adriana, but the small mercy gives me no pleasure. Nor reprieve. She’s about to arrive and her journey here will have been unpleasant.
Hopefully, Byron explained some of it to her before she left. The cunts at the Temple refused to let me leave and instead sent a priest to liaise with Byron. I raged against their sheer damn nerve, but the Oracle insisted that proper protocol be followed and the cunt refused to change.
I’m going to remember this.
And one day—soon, if I have my way—I am going to more than fucking even the score. On behalf of Adriana. Whether she wants me to or not, and if she wants me to, I’ll make damn sure that our revenge hurts.
Light bursts from the floor and she appears, startled and unsure of herself. It’s hardly surprising. My girl’s been dragged to the inner circles of Hell with fuck all warning. It’s her first trip down here and the ride will most likely have been bumpy.
Even Byron’s reddish complexion looks a little green.
“You can fuck off now.”
He bows and backs out of the room, quickly exiting before he stokes my fury. I don’t have time to waste and Adriana needs my full attention, although she’s currently giving me none of hers as she watches Byron leave.
“Adriana, we haven’t got much time.”
Her lips twitch. Fuck. “Apparently not. How much am I worth, Lorenzo?”
Byron’s told her something and she’s pissed. She’s also fucking stunning and the thought of fucking her senseless and claiming her as mine has my cock hardening.
“If we don’t do this, then you die, Adriana. That’s the only reason I’m entertaining this nonsense, and your life is the only price I’d ever sell this for.”
I’m getting aroused, but Adriana isn’t. She doesn’t have time and she needs to understand this situation pretty fucking fast. She blinks rapidly as her beautiful blue eyes look up at me and she nods, holding back the tears flooding her sclera.
“I promise, baby. I wouldn’t do this for any reason other than saving you. If there was any other way, then I would take it,but the Seer is never wrong.” I run my knuckles down her face. “Nor is the Oracle.”
“Never?”
“Never,” I say, stealing her hope. “I’m…”
I cut myself off and realize that I am.Sorry. I’m fucking sorry for doing this to her. It’s a knife to the chest and my heart stops beating, temporarily paralyzed by the guilt of what I’m going to do to her.
But I don’t have time to be self-indulgent. Not when we have minutes to prepare and Adriana isn’t ready.
“What did Byron tell you?”
“There’s an altar and a lot of demons watching. They’ll…” She swallows and pales. “Experience it. All of it.”
I nod. “They’ll be in demonic form, baby.”
“I know.”
I swallow and pray for the first time in my life. “Me too.”
“I know, Enzo.”
My girl leans into me and I wrap my arms around her, enjoying her softness before she takes it away. This is going to hurt her and she might understand, but she won’t forgive it. Not easily. It won’t matter how many items of jewelry I give her or how many houses or cars or horses I buy her. Not for her.
The only way to fix this is time, and the knock on the door announces we’re already out of it.
“Baby, I…”
She stares up at me and a single tear falls.
“Don't let the bastards have your tears, baby. Save them for me.” I wipe it off her cheek. “I will protect you, Adriana—and Iwon’t let them touch you. I promise. I’ll make this pleasurable for you if I can and if I cannot, then I’ll stop those cunts enjoying it—and when the time is right, I will exact your revenge.”
The second knock is a hammer.
