The Devil's Soul

Chapter 8

"Shalom, get up."

I ignored the annoying voice telling me to wake up for the hundredth time.

"Shalom, get up now." The voice growled. Ah, Lucy.

I took my time to wake up properly, making sure to take extra time than needed. "Morning, Lucy." I yawned and stretched my arms over my head.

"There's a ball being held to celebrate the return of my parents. Go change and eat breakfast then meet me downstairs so we can get your dress." He all but spat out before turning to walk away.

"Well, someone's in a cheerful mood this morning." I rolled my eyes.

He glared at me over his shoulder.

"What happened to the other Lucy? The sweet, caring Lucy who helped me with my cramps yesterday?"

"We don't have much time, Shalom. I have work to get to and you're taking from my time." Oh.

I didn't reply as I got out of bed and slammed the bathroom door behind me when I entered. Taking a quick shower, I threw on a skirt and tank top after doing my necessary business.

Expecting to see a bowl of cereal waiting for me, I pushed open the kitchen door and was disappointed when I was met with a clear table. Okay, then. Quickly filling a bowl with cereal, I strolled down the hallway and reached the main door where Lucifer was waiting with crossed arms.

I didn't acknowledge him as I opened the door and walked out. Surprisingly, everything was normal. There were a couple of cars parked to the right, a few trees to the left and a road straight ahead. So, everything's not on fire.

Lucifer walked past me as I stood to take in my surroundings and hopped into the driver's seat of a yellow Camaro that had two black strikes going up its front. Let me just say, holy shit.

I admired the beauty before cautiously going into the passenger seat. The drive was awkward, the atmosphere tense. None of us spoke a word all the way to the boutique he parked beside. I followed him as he got out of the car and walked through the open glass doors.

A woman greeted us and pulled me in a fitting room where she immediately started taking my measures. Once she finished, she disappeared for a few minutes before returning with a beige gown. It was plain and boring as it stood straight without a single puff. I made a face as she held it out for me to see. There was nothing to see.

Following her instructions, I pulled the dress on and went to where Lucifer was sitting on a couch on his phone. I cleared my throat and he looked up for a brief second for his eyes to roam the length of my body before returning to his phone.

"Well?" I asked agitated.

"It's good. Now go change." He didn't look up from his phone.

"Is this what I'll be wearing?" I looked down at my dress.

"Yes."

"I don't want to wear this! I hate this dress. I'm going to choose one of my own." I turned to leave but was turned back around by a hand grabbing my wrist. Hard.

"You will not choose a dress. I already chose this one and you will wear it." He growled out with mixed eyes.

"Why not? Why can't I choose my own dress?!" I raised my voice a little but lowered it when his hand squeezed my wrist harder.

"Because I said so."

"Just because you said so, doesn't mean I'm going to do it." I tugged at my wrist which was starting to ache.

"You are to follow my every command. And I'm the one who makes decisions here. Your opinion doesn't matter." His grip on my wrist tightened even more. "Now go change and meet me in the car. You have not more than thirty minutes." He threw my wrist from his grip and walked out of the glass doors without a glance back.

I rubbed my aching wrist and fought back tears. Taking a deep breath, I searched for the lady who we met when we first entered.

"Excuse me." I found her looking through some dresses. "He didn't like it and told me to choose one myself." I said with fake disappointment.

She gasped. "He didn't? But, he saw it before you put it on and agreed on it." She said confused.

"He didn't like how it fit me." I shrugged. "Now, let's see some dresses, but we better hurry up because we don't have much time."

"Of course, right this way."

—————

I lay down on the bed hugging the duvet to my chest and stomach with a few tears straining my face. It hurts, a lot.

I wanted to paint my nails, but the pain wouldn't let me even sit up straight. Ben was awkwardly standing beside the door, leaning on the wall as usual.

I sat up very slowly and moved even slower to the sofa at the end of the bed after grabbing my manicure kit. I had the perfect blue to go with the dress I chose and a precise gold to design the ring finger nail with.

I took deep breaths in and out. Damn, I sound like a pregnant woman.

Before I could open the lid, Ben took it out of my hand, knelt in front of my sitting form and patted my thigh as a sign to put my hand there. A huge smile broke out on my face as I placed my hand on my thigh and he started painting.

I smiled at him when he reached for the gold nail polish and striped each of my ring finger nails obliquely. He popped open the lid of the quick dry spray and sprayed my nails twice. "Wait a bit for them to dry then wash your hands from the spray." He avoided my eyes and stood up from his kneeling position.

"Ben?" I called out to him. He stopped in his tracks. "Thank you." He smiled over his shoulder before going back to his spot on the wall.

Thank you so much.

——————————