Her mind had repelled Amo’s touch, only to accept Lucca’s. It shouldn’t have accepted either’s, since her mind had belonged to the devil for years.
However, when he placed another kiss on her wrist, she could feel that the old chains that had ahold of her mind were actually weak and broken. It was only a matter of time before her mind would finally be freed from the devil.
With the hand that was inches from his lips, she reached out, lightly touching his hauntingly beautiful face, caressing. “W-Will you let him go for me?”
Letting go of her wrist, he returned it to her hip. “He saw you, darlin’. He knows you’re here now. If I let him go, it’ll put your life at risk, more than he already has by coming here.”
Continuing to touch him in hopes it would help Amo escape death, she trailed her fingers down to his beard, the rough texture tingling her fingertips. “Maria came here; you let her know I was here.”
“That was strategic. Maria also knows I’d kill her if anyone found out you are here because of her.” He moved his head to press deeper into her touch.
“Amo won’t tell anyone if it could get me hurt. You know he won’t. Please, just let him go.”
“Why should I?” Lucca’s eyes and voice became dark, letting her know she wasn’t going to like what was going to be said next. “What do I get out of it?”
Chloe’s hand fell from his face, her heavy chest becoming heavier, making it even harder to breathe. “W-What do you want?”
Lucca leaned down, bringing his lips to her ear and sending shivers down her spine. Then he whispered, “The things I want from you, darlin’, will give you nightmares, ones like you’ve never had before. A nightmare that will have you begging me not to wake you up.”
Even though his breath was cold and she shivered with each word he spoke, her body betrayed her as it began to burn, making it feel as if she had frostbite. If I say it, there’s no turning back.
“I … I’ll do anything you want.”
His cold breath whipped at her skin again. “Prove it.”
“H-How?”
Raising up to his full height, he stared down at her, moving one hand up the back of her body to her hair where he grabbed a fistful, forcing her to look up at him. “Let me kiss you.”
The little part in her mind that was still chained by the devil screamed at her not to do it, knowing that if she agreed, her mind would be free of him. She also knew that new chains would take their place, claiming her once again. Her mind would belong to the boogieman.
Chloe nervously licked her lips before she nodded, succumbing to him.
Both the hand on her hip and in her hair tightened as he positioned her just the way he wanted her before he leaned down, claiming her luscious bottom lip between his.
Her eyes slammed shut the second his lips touched hers. She kept perfectly still. The only thing moving was her heart as it attempted to beat out of her chest.
“Kiss me back,” he growled hungrily.
Chloe gasped. He seemed like he had been starved of any affection for years.
When he took her bottom lip between his teeth and bit down, a noise escaped her throat. It wasn’t a sound of pain, but pleasure, scaring her to her core.
She moved her hand to his chest to try to put some distance between them, but when her palm landed over his heart, she could feel it beating fast and strong. The rhythm matched hers, as if their hearts beat as one.
Instead of pushing him away, she found herself moving her mouth with his, lightly kissing him back, wanting to satiate the part in him that clearly needed her; the darkest parts in him that had been starved. It ignited a small fire deep down inside of her that had been hidden.
The devil’s chains keeping her mind captive began to melt away by the small fire Lucca had ignited, and Chloe’s mind found freedom for the smallest fraction of time, before brand-new chains claimed her mind as his.
The boogieman had successfully claimed her body and mind. Now her soul was the only thing left to steal from the devil. Her soul, however, wasn’t going to be taken as easily.
Swiping his tongue over her lip, he suddenly pulled away. His heavy breathing was just as harsh as hers, revealing it had been hard for him to pull away, and his voice was strained when he told her, “If I don’t stop now, I’ll take you right here.”
She froze, knowing exactly what he meant, as his hardness that was pushed against her belly was now evident. “I-I c-can’t.”
He calmed himself, taking deep breaths. “I know, baby. That’s why I stopped.”
Trusting that he wouldn’t, she relaxed into him again.
She could feel the darkness seeping deeper and deeper, going back to its home inside Lucca. The darkness had been calmed for now.
Looking up into his intense blue-green eyes, she hoped what she had given up had been worth it. “Promise me you won’t hurt Amo, and that you will let him go.”
Lucca moved the hand that was in her hair to her throat, lightly gripping her fragile neck. “Say that you’re mine, darlin’. I want to hear you say the words and mean it.”
It wasn’t the dark voice that commanded her. He wanted her to say the words herself.
“I am yours,” Chloe whispered, giving herself fully over to him … forever.
He leaned down one final time, again taking her bottom lip between his teeth and biting down before pulling back and releasing it. “I hope you know what you just did,” he whispered sinfully before he released her, removing his hand from her throat.
The chains that now captured her mind tightened. I know.
Walking away from her, he had another request. “Pack up all your things.”
“W-Why?” she asked in confusion.
“You’ll see.” The way he said it made her think she didn’t want to find out, but she was more worried about someone else.
“S-So you won’t hurt him?”
He smiled. “Pack up your things, darlin’.”
When the door closed and he was gone, all she could do was hope he wouldn’t hurt Amo.
Alone, she touched her swollen lips. Lucca was right; what did I just do?
She couldn’t believe she had been the one to reach out and touch him, when she was only just learning to accept Lucca’s touch. There hadn’t even been a sting, no wrongness in it. Scariest of all … Chloe had just gotten her first kiss, with the promise it wouldn’t be her last.
She wasn’t the type of girl to dream about her first kiss. How could she when she only ever wanted to never be touched again in her life? Therefore, never had she thought she would get a first kiss, let alone have her first be with Lucca, the boogieman.
Everything that had just happened scared her shitless. She kept repeating the same words in her head, trying to keep her sanity. You had to. You had no choice. You did it to save Amo.
After a while of repeating the words, the lines began to blur. She didn’t know if that was what she truly believed, or if it was what she had led herself to believe.
You had to … You had no choice … You did it to save Amo …
Did she?
Thirty-Two
How Beautiful It Is. How Painful It Can Be.