Chapter 11The moment Lucifer stepped into the room the air thickened with tension. His towering frame was silhouetted and his icy eyes swept over the scene before him as he assimilated what had just happened. Katherine was curled on the floor, she was trembling and her hands clutched frantically at the torn edges of her blouse. Her cheeks were streaked with tears and her disheveled appearance spoke volumes about the humiliation she had just been through. His jaw ticked. Natalia froze on the spot and the confident smirk she had on slipped as Lucifer’s eyes zeroed in on her. The other dancers, who had been laughing moments ago suddenly shifted uncomfortably under the intensity of his presence. “What is going on here?” Lucifer’s voice was calm but it was laced with a deadly edge and it made everyone to freeze in place.Natalia was the first to recover, she attempted but failed woefully to mask her unease with a sheepish smile. “Lucifer, we were just having a little fun with the new
Chapter 12The night was quiet and the soft hum of the city below was muffled by the thick glass windows of Lucifer’s personal chamber in the house. A single lamp was the only source of light that made out a warm glow over the room while it simultaneously highlighted the modern furniture and the polished mahogany desk where he sat.Lucifer leaned back in his chair with his iPad resting in his lap as he scrolled through reports. His sharp features were illuminated by the screen but his attention wasn’t entirely on the text. Beside him on the desk was a box of cookies and one was already half eaten and forgotten.He reached for the remaining piece absentmindedly and he bit into it as the door creaked open slightly. Tricia, his old housekeeper peeked in with a knowing smile, her grey hair was tied into a loose and messy bun at the top of her head. She had only just returned from her trip to see her family. “Lucifer,” she said and Lucifer could hear that her voice carried the usual gent
Chapter 13The club buzzed with murmurs and curiosity from both the staff and the patrons of the club the following evening. The usual crowd of gamblers shuffled cards and threw dice but the absence of one prominent figure didn’t go unnoticedThe middle aged man, Donovan was evidently absent. He was a steady patron at the club and was a huge part of the gamblers but he was no where to be found the following evening which was completely unlike him. There were rumors of him being found dead and badly battered right in his bedroom. But that was all there was. Many who witnessed the events of the previous night feared that he may have been killed by Lucifer Cain but no one dared say a word about that particular piece of information. The who. Word around town was just that he was mysteriously killed by unknown people. Probably people he gambled with and cheated since he was a huge gambler. Only a few .....heck a handful knew the true story. “Have you seen Mr. Donovan?” a tall man in a
Chapter 14Lucifer Cain was the devil himself, there was no surprise there. Underneath the dim lights of the club in the strippers backroom, news traveled fast and this time, the news held an element of surprise, mixed with shock and confusion.He had helped Katherine—a stripper. Something that had never ever happened in his club before.Katherine sat silently in a corner, pulling a sweatshirt over her skimpy dressing. Her face burned in shame as she managed to swallow the lump in her throat.The strippers who were huddled on the other side of the room were talking in not-so-hushed whispers, giving Katherine dirty glances every once in a while.“Is she the girl?” One, Marissa, asked chewing on her bubblegum noisily as her eyes traveled up and down Katherine's body. “Yeah, that's the one.” Natalia scoffed as she dragged her fishnet stocking up her thighs. She still couldn't believe that Luci would go that far for her.“So, Lucifer killed Donovan for that one.” Another girl rolled her
Chapter 15Katherine shot up from her bed, dizzy and disoriented. At first, it was a light tap on her shoulder, before it quickly turned into water splashed on her face. “Who’s there?” She called out, her heart racing. She rubbed her eyes as they focused and one of the maids came into sight. “It’s me, ma’am. I’ve been trying to wake you up for the past few minutes, but you were out cold… Are you alright?” Angelie looked down at her with eyes of concern. Katherine stilled for a moment, as reminders of what had happened last night crept back into her mind, her face still dripping water. After taking a deep breath, she shook her head frantically, “Yeah, No… I’m fine.” Angelie nodded, using her hand to usher Katherine out of bed. “Lucifer wants you to get ready.”“Huh? What for?” She groaned. She most definitely didn’t want to see him. At least not now. She could feel bile rising in the back of her throat once again, as she followed Angelie. She hoped he wasn’t going to take her to the
Chapter 16As Katherine turned and tossed in bed, the morning sun began to rise up over the horizon, shining directly into her eyes. She groaned, covering her head with the pillow and trying to drift back up to sleep.It wasn’t possible, the deed had been done and now she was fully awake. Her eyes fluttered open and she turned around but was met by crumpled sheets on the bed. Lucifer wasn’t there. Where had he gone?She sat up slowly, and her core tingled, along with it a dull ache which was a good reminder of the vigorous activities that they’d indulged in last night. She bit her bottom lip, and her face flushed as she remembered just how he had treated her last night.Although she was battling for dear life in some scenes, it was gentler compared to the first time they had had sex. She took a breath before managing to sit up and slip out of bed. She pulled her cover up on and made the short walk to her own room where she got ready for the day.As she stood under the shower, her mind
CHAPTER 17Katherine’s back hit a wall as she tried to move away from Lucifer."You were expecting me? Why?" she stammered, staying still as he moved so close she had nowhere left to go.Lucifer didn’t answer right away. His eyes studied her, calm but intense, like he was deciding exactly what to do with her. “Let’s just say I had a feeling,” he finally said, his voice low. “You just couldn’t resist sticking your nose where it doesn’t belong.”Her chest tightened, but she forced herself to stand tall. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”He let out a quiet laugh, dark and humorless. “Katherine, you’re a terrible liar. I knew you’d show up eventually. What I didn’t expect was for you to be this careless.”“I’m not here to cause trouble,” she shot back, though her voice trembled. "I just want...."“Stop,” he interrupted, leaning in closer. “Don’t waste your breath. Whatever you think, it doesn’t matter anymore.” His hand came up, but he didn’t touch her. Instead, he let it hover n
Chapter 18Katherine stared at Lucifer in awe. So, she’d really just been worrying for nothing all this while, huh?“Wait, are you serious, Lucifer? She asked again to ensure that she heard correctly.“Katherine,” He lifted his eyes away from the documents, “What did I say earlier? Get out of my study.” He commanded, and Katherine nodded, her body jittery.Happy, she ran out of his office and back to her room, only to jump in bed and kick her feet excitedly. Even though this was no call for celebration, she had narrowly escaped Lucifer’s wrath and that was something to be grateful for.As the day went by, Katherine’s routine remained extremely uneventful. It was starting to feel as though she was a slave in this giant mansion—she knew nowhere, had nowhere to go (if she’d even be allowed) and all she could do was drift in and out of sleep.She decided to move to the library and pick some books out to read. Situating herself in the window nook, she sat there and read until her eyes were
CHAPTER 136Asher sat with Noah resting quietly in his arms, the child’s tiny face pressed against his chest. His little hands clutched at Asher’s shirt without even knowing why. Asher glanced down at him and for the first time really looked. Although both parents Dna had contributed to the boy, his eyes… they were just like his father’s,Lucifer Cain.The ruthless, famous man whose reputation made even hardened men lower their heads. So this was the person Katherine had been running from all this time. The deadly Mafia.He wanted to know how she ended up with him. He had called her wife, asked for his son, showed possession and Katherine was vulnerbale. So vulnerbale and broken. Even after he left, she was still sitting in silence and trembling.Asher swallowed hard as he tried to put his messy thoughts together. The first time he heard of Lucifer, he had wanted to look for a way to harm Ethan. To set him up and fuck him up. But he couldn't stand it. He couldn't stand them. They wer
CHAPTER 135The house was quiet, except for the soft sound of the old ceiling fan and the gentle scratch of a cloth as Katherine wiped down the table. The scent of cleaning solution hung in the air. She hummed as she cleaned, trying to relish the moment and clear her head, before the doorbell rang.Her hand froze mid-wipe, cloth pressed against the wood. The sound came again, persistently, like it needed attention.It was just her and Asher home. And no one came here.No one should.Her chest tightened. She didn't want to do this. Not again.Day after day, boxes arrived. Packages filled with things she never asked for — diapers, clothes, money and various self care she could never afford. She wanted to throw them out, burn them, scream at the sky, but she didn’t.Instead, she let them pile up in Asher’s room, turning his space into a cramped storeroom of her trash. The Landans’ patience had run thin and she couldn't blame them. Kind people had their limits.The bell rang again, caus
CHAPTER 134“Where is she?” he demanded coldly as he burst into the house in rage. Katherine glued herself to the wall of her room as Ethan approached her like a mad dog. He had a scowl on his face. “What the fuck came for you today?”“I…I don't know ow what you're talking about,” she stuttered in fear. “Show me or you'll hate it if I have to force it from you, myself.”“What did I say about treating women, Erhan?” Asher said in anger as he strutted into the room. “show her what it is to force a woman and I'll show you what it is to train a man.”Ethan lunged for his son but he dodged. “Are you blind? Can't you see what she's doing? No one has ever tried to find us for years. But ever since she came things have been happening.”“And shouldn't that be a good thing? Or did you do something wrong? Something that you're scared of someone else discovering,” Asher taunted and smirked at them. Ethan stepped back panting heavily while Katherine leaned farther away with fear as he neared he
CHAPTER 133There was a gentle knock on the mahogany door. The deep voice from within called to enter, before the guards pushed the door apart.“You need to get those thugs you call securitymen arrested,” the dark man said in annoyance. “If they ever lay a hand on me again, I will ensure their body is laid in the ground.“Any news?” The second man said in boredom.“A never disappointing one,” the dark man said and dumped the carton of files on the table before taking his seat.“What did you find?” The second man asked before placing his cigar on the tray. “Hold on friend. I've got to step out of this or I swear my toes would get eaten by this monsters,” the man said as he quickly unfasten the laces of his boots. “These commanders got to tell me how they do it.”“Enough!” the other man said and slammed his hand on the table. “What did you fucking find?”“I found the house and exactly according to my tracking, it's situated at the end of nowhere. Belongs to some family. Who builds thei
CHAPTER 132When it's a coincidence, it doesn't repeat itself, does it?Amanda sat at the rocking chair, cooing at noah who was in her arms. The baby giggled and threw his little arms in the air playfully. The girls were at her feet playing dolls and fir the first time, she felt at peace.There was a relief. Maybe because her creep of a husband wasn't around. Noah let out a little but loud fact and the stench was abominable.“Mom!” Adelaide shrieked. “His poop is leaking out.”“Oh dear,” Amanda exclaimed in panic. “This dress costs two hundred dollars!”Katherine came rushing in at that moment from the laundry room. She picked up noah in fright. “Oh Amanda I'm so sorry…Maddy love, please fetch mom the wet tissues.”“You owe me,” Amanda said as she snatched the pack of wet wipes from her daughter.Katherine smiled painfully before hurrying away.“Let me deal with this diarrhea before it explodes everywhere….arghhh noah you stink of shit…I mean it's shit….but you stink for goodness sake!
CHAPTER 131The smell of sizzling bacon mixed with the earthy aroma of coffee filled the breakfast table as Katherine took a bite of her scrambled eggs.Ethan Landan wasn't helping either. He stirred the coffee pot beside her a little too loudly with the spoon clicking on every corner. It was so loud it drowned out the pounding in her head. She stole a glance at Asher who was sitting across from her. Nothing seemed out of place for him except the rage behind his eyes. He wasn’t meeting her gaze, rather his focus was firmly on the eggs on his plate. He knew. She knew. Amanda and Ethan were silent as well but their eyes flickered between Katherine and Asher from time to time as if they were trying to read minds or pick out anything odd.Katherine’s hand trembled slightly as she reached for her coffee mug. The sound of the cup clinking against the saucer was too loud. She quickly lowered the mug, staring down at her plate and trying to ignore the sick feeling churning in her stomach.“
CHAPTER 130“I'm sorry you had to go through all that,” Katherine whispered softly. “Opening up was really brave.”“Don't sound like you didn't make me do it,” he said jokingly.“Thank you,” she said, pressing his hand to her chest. “For trusting me.”“You know, you would make a huge sum of money if you consider therapy. Stop freaking kidding me.”Katherine pouted, trying to ease the situation. “Right? Don't you think you owe me?”“Maybe I would have,” he said, smiling wryly. “But you pushed me into talking by making me help you. More like reverse psychology.”Katherine's chest tightened. She already had all she needed. But it wasn't enough. She wanted more. “So, what do we do?”“This is the part where you act like you know nothing if you want to live long.”“Have you ever considered revenge?” Katherine asked out of the blues.“Lots of times,” he pointed out. “But God, I'm not like them.”“They have guns, don't they?”Asher scoffed. “Guns? No they don't use that here. They use surgic
CHAPTER 129Katherine took a step back, her voice soft. “I’m not playing games, Asher. I just… couldn’t sleep. That’s why I’m here. But it’s fine. I’ll leave. I’m sorry.”Before she could turn, Asher grabbed her arm, firm but not rough. “Stay. I… want you to stay. And I want you to be comfortable.”She hesitated, searching his face. “Does… comfortable mean you’re okay with being vulnerable too?”He scoffed, dropping back onto the bed. “I’ve got snacks. Could get something for you if you’re hungry.”“I’m fine,” Katherine whispered, then quietly lowered herself beside him. Asher glanced at her. “So… what is it?”Katherine rubbed her palms together, her heart pounding. She could already feel sweat on her neck. This could either save her… or end her right here.What if he was one of them? What if he smiled, stood up, and went straight to Amanda?But she couldn’t hold it in anymore.Her voice dropped to a shaky whisper, barely there. “ Before I start, I need your help and I need you to p
CHAPTER 128R circled Giovanni’s table with a frown. “We've got nothing. There's no thrill. None of what we did could bring him down. What do you want the underworld to say? That he's tougher than you?”Giovanni shrugged and leaned back against his chair, with his tobacco in the corner of his lips. “He's stubborn headed. That's the problem with Lucifer.”R scoffed, with her arms crossed on her chest. “And stubborn headed people always win.”“He settled his debts.”“So what?” R chimed In coldly. “Anyone can do that. Listen. We need something more fascinating. Very thrilling.”“And what do you think?”She grinned as she leaned in closely. “I've got something. I wasn't going to say because it didn't matter to us but oufff…a girl can't stay so long without being busy.”Giovanni turned to look at her with amusement and confusion swirling in his eyes. “What do you mean?”R leaned forward and dropped her voice to a whisper. Her lips moved silently against his ears and by the time she had pul