The Devil's obsession with the Heiress

[Music recommendation: Hold · Built for the Sea]

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Jade snapped out of her thoughts and looked toward the building as Cillian pulled up to the curb.

Turning her attention back to him, her heart skipped a beat when their eyes met. For a moment, neither of them spoke, but the tension between them was so thick they could practically taste it.

Just then, her phone vibrated, snapping her back to reality.

She quickly cleared her throat. "I suppose I should thank you once again for... tonight." Jade looked down at her hands, her voice softening. "Whenever I needed someone, Aliana was always there. But since I know she has her own things to deal with..." She looked up, meeting Cillian’s gaze once more. "...I’m grateful that you took the time to let me vent, and that you helped me out of an embarrassing situation."

Cillian’s lips curled into a gentle smile, his tone dropping to a quiet murmur. "Isn’t that what friends do for each other?"

Jade offered a small smile, repeating softly, "Friends."

The moment the word left her mouth, both of their eyes betrayed them, dipping down to each other’s lips before snapping back up. Jade’s heart thudded against her ribs. Whatever was happening between them was getting far too dangerous, especially in such a tight, enclosed space.

Quietly, she stammered, "G-goodnight then."

Cillian tilted his head slightly, his voice unusually low. "Goodnight, Jade."

Jade turned to get out, only to be yanked backwards hard.

Like a scatterbrain, she had completely forgotten to unbuckle her seatbelt.

Cursing under her breath, she reached for the latch just as Cillian’s hand reached for it at the exact same moment.

The instant their fingers brushed, both of them froze and whatever fragile wall they had built between them crumbled to dust.

Neither of them knew who leaned in first, but Jade’s hands grabbed his collar, yanking him toward her, while Cillian’s hand buried itself into her wild red hair, pulling her face to his as their lips slammed together in a hungry kiss.

Their mouths moved together with wild intensity, like two starving people finally tasting a feast.

A moan erupted from her throat as his tongue slid past her lips, tangling with hers so fiercely that she arched directly into him. Leaving his collar, her hands slid up to wrap around his neck, her nails digging lightly into his skin. The touch drew a low grunt from his throat, pouring gasoline onto the fire between them.

They were completely untamed, losing themselves in each other until Jade could barely remember what rational thought felt like.

She had known Cillian spelt danger from the moment they met. She had always sensed that beneath his playful, devilish persona lay something wild, keeping her on guard.

But now that line had completely blurred, all she could wonder was why she hadn’t done this sooner.

Why hadn’t she just let herself be reckless with him?

What had been holding her back?

Because whatever this was between them, it felt far too good to stop.

Right as the thought crossed her mind, Cillian pulled her over the centre console and onto his lap. She straddled him, momentarily breaking their kiss to adjust.

But during that brief shift, her eyes fluttered open, catching something outside the car window and she froze.

Cillian cupped her face, about to dive back in to continue their searing kiss, when Jade’s hands snapped up to cover his mouth, halting him mid-motion.

A sharp frown marred his features. "What’s wrong?" he asked, his voice low and breathless against her fingers as he took in the sudden shock in her eyes.

Jade, equally out of breath, lowered her hand from his lips. Her gaze flicked nervously between him and the window as she whispered, "Those people..."

Cillian finally followed her gaze outside, his tone turning sharp. "Who are they?"

...

Back in Valentine Residence.....

After their peaceful dinner, Aliana and Gavriel moved to his private study to finally have the conversation they had been tiptoeing around since waking up.

Clad in a comfortable light-blue maxi dress that hugged her figure, Aliana stood before the towering bookshelf where she had previously discovered Hellborn. Reaching out, she pulled the volume from the shelf.

As she traced the spine, her light grey eyes widened when the gold-embossed title gleamed faintly in the dim light.

She turned back toward her husband, who sat casually in a wingback chair across from the fireplace, his intense gaze following her every move.

"This book isn’t ordinary, is it?" she asked softly. Crossing the rug, she stopped before his chair and presented the cover to him.

Gavriel barely spared the book a second glance.

Instead, he took the book from her grip, tossing it onto the wooden coffee table without a care. Before Aliana could register the gesture, he caught her wrist and pulled her directly into his lap, causing her to let out a surprised gasp.

Wrapping his arms securely around her, he murmured, "It’s from the underworld, but you won’t be needing that." He gathered a handful of her soft hair, bringing it to his nose to inhale her scent. "Ask me anything, Ana, and I will answer."

Aliana stared quietly at his striking features before adjusting herself into a more comfortable position against him. Her palm lightly traced the broad planes of his chest beneath his white shirt, her fingers coming to a pause over his shirt button. She toyed with the fabric absentmindedly, working up the courage to speak before meeting his gaze.

"I have a question..." She paused, giving her head a small shake. "Actually, I have a mountain of questions. But there is one in particular that I haven’t been able to make sense of ever since I learned the truth."

Her eyes searched his face as she finally voiced the thought. "In that book, it said the devil is the sovereign, the absolute ruler of the underworld. If... if you are the devil, then why are you here... in the world of the living?"

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