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The Deal With The Devil 28
StefanAfter the evening in Civitella in Val di Chiana, I doubted Veronica would appreciate that we'd be married in the Basilica of Santa Croce in Florence, alongside the resting places of Michelangelo, Galileo and Machiavelli, before the eyes of God and a handful of witnesses and fucking throngs of tourists. Tourists were unavoidable this time of year. I could almost tolerate them.It had taken an exorbitant contribution to book the basilica, but it only concretized my thinking. Money was what everything came down to and that included the church. But I had to admit, this was a magnificent display of devotion and art, even if it was wasted.I stood at the altar, waiting for my bride. The rope did little to keep curious visitors at bay. Beside me stood Eric as witness and another man arranged by my attorney. I didn't know who he was. In the front pew sat Veronica's grandfather, the great Marcus Kingston, his expression unreadable. At his side sat Robyn. Smaller than Veronica but not by
The Deal With The Devil 29
Veronica"What did you do with the ring?" I asked when we got into the car. "Your finger—""It'll heal.""Why did you do that? Why would you?""I thought it would be a constant reminder of you," he said with a smile not meant to be one at all."I don't understand you.""What do you have with my brother?""Nothing. Are you jealous?""Not jealous. Remember, truth. I want truth, always.""Well, he's not crazy. That's one thing we have, I guess.""He's a different kind of crazy. I'm warning you now to be careful with him. You don't know my brother.""And I already like him better than you.""Isn't that a shame for you, then."Silence.I pulled the pins holding the veil on my head off and folded it on my lap. I glanced out the tinted windows, watching as Robyn and my grandfather got into another sedan. Robyn looked over at our car and waved. I waved back, watching as we drove away that they followed.Robyn had called me in a panic just days ago. She'd told me Grandfather wouldn't bring her
The Deal With The Devil 30
StefanWas it possible to hear a heart beating?Veronica's pounded at a frantic pace. She stood just inside my bedroom. Her gaze slid from mine, and I watched her take it in, seeing it anew from her eyes. It was the biggest bedroom of those not damaged by fire. The one I'd grown up in was all but destroyed. The furnishings here were few and brand-new: dark carpet, dark curtains to match, a king-size bed against the far wall, and a table holding a lamp on the side I slept, a chair and table in one corner on which I tossed my jacket. That was all.She turned her gaze back to mine.I loosened the tie at my neck and pulled it over my head, hanging it over the back of the chair, then undid the cuffs of my sleeves one by one. I set them on the table before rolling each sleeve up. All the while, Veronica and I watched each other."Who were those men?" she asked.Her question took me back. I turned away from her and took the lid off the bottle of whiskey on the small table, pouring us each a
The Deal With The Devil 31
Stefan"You are so beautiful," I said, tracing the curve of her spine, liking how her body reacted, how she tightened, aware of my every fleeting touch. I leaned my head closer and kissed her shoulder, at the soft bend at her neck. She made a sound, and I turned her around and took her face in my hands."Veronica. Innocent and wise and so fucking beautiful." I kissed her mouth, wanting to taste her, taste her sweetness before the fire, before the intensity, before the pure need would overtake me. I kissed her softly. She opened, and I slipped one hand to the base of her skull, cradling her head. Her hands rose to my chest. I took one wrist and dragged it down to my cock. When she gasped and tried to pull away, I tightened my hold on it and broke our kiss so I could watch her face.She opened her mouth as if to speak, but nothing came."I want you so fucking badly, you have no idea.""Stefan—" She tried again to pull away. "Not this way. Not because of some contract.""Fuck the contrac
The Deal With The Devil 32
StefanI woke at my usual time, three o'clock in the morning, and lay listening to Veronica sleep, her naked body pressed against mine. I opened my hand wide on her belly, holding as much of her as I could.Last night had been good. Better than I expected. The physical attraction between us was mutual, but there was more than that. I wanted to hold on to it, to that thing, whatever it was. I knew it was important.And impermanent.Because I couldn't have that, and the reason I'd done this in the first place. It was one or the other.The old man's test only strengthened my resolve.I couldn't forget why I was doing this. Why she was here.I wouldn't.Rolling over onto my back, I stared up at the sliver of moonlight that slipped between the split in the curtains and streaked the ceiling. Veronica made a sound, and for a moment I thought I'd woken her, but then she curled up against me, the top of her head burrowing into me, her body hugging into itself, little fists and knees close. Unm
The Deal With The Devil 33
VeronicaThe next morning when I woke, Stefan was gone. I wondered if he slept, how many hours he slept. Last night, after making love to me—and he had made love to me—he'd washed me so tenderly, so carefully, it surprised me. Although maybe it shouldn't have. Maybe duality was the norm with him. Maybe knowing he had a capacity to be tender would make a difference, would make tolerating him when he was terrible bearable. Because I also knew he would be terrible.Or maybe that knowledge would only make those moments that much harder.After the night in Civitella in Val di Chiana, I didn't know how I'd be able to go through with the wedding. The wedding night. But then he'd told me why. My grandfather had used Robyn like a pawn. He'd seen a window, my weakness, and had used it against Stefan.I needed to talk to my grandfather. I needed to confront him and hear from him his side of the story, about the stealing, about his agreement with Stefan. But I wasn't fool enough to think he'd tel
The Deal With The Devil 34
VeronicaI decided I'd be irritated about Eric instead. I could drive a car. But he didn't want Eric there as a driver. He wanted security. I thought back to the night before, to those men who'd come late, the ones he'd met with in his study. I shivered at the memory of how the one had looked at me."What is it?" Robyn asked."Nothing. Just that we have a driver," I said with resigned smile.Robyn studied me for a minute. She knew I was hiding something but thankfully, she didn't comment."You're not going to wear those sandals, are you?" I said, looking at her feet. "It's a lot of walking." She had on a pair of beautiful, brand-new sandals with a two-inch heel. I'd slipped on a pair of well-worn Toms."They're cute. I have to break them in somewhere.""Siena's probably not the place to break them in.""Beauty doesn't come free," she said, shrugging a shoulder."Nerd."She stuck her tongue out at me.After breakfast, we left Charlie behind. Eric drove us to Siena, where my grandfather
The Deal With The Devil 35
StefanBy the time I got home, it was well past midnight. I went directly to my room, not sure if she'd have done as she'd been told or not, but there she was, asleep in my bed. She was still dressed and on top of the sheets. Her arm hung over the side, and a book lay facedown on the floor.She must have been waiting up for me. Or trying to.I watched her for a few minutes. She wore white shorts and a yellow tank top, and long wisps of chestnut hair had fallen all over her back and arm. Her legs had tanned a little, and looking at her bare feet turned in a little at the toes, it made her look like a child. Like she needed protection.And she did.More than she knew.I touched her face. She made a sound and turned away, still asleep. I picked up her book. When Nietsche Wept. I raised my eyebrows."Interesting choice."After setting her bookmark in the page that was open, I placed it on the nightstand, then sat on the bed and pushed the hair off her face to look at her.She wore no make
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