Evermore (Devil's ʻĀnela) [ON HOLD]

III

Lucifer stood next to a girl on a building. "Go on. Go ahead, jump. You know you want to." He leaned closer to the girl's ear. "Hmm? Trust me, it's a warm welcome."

"Won't it hurt?" The girl asked.

"Oh, there's only one way to find out."

The girl jumped and cannonballed into the pool.

Inside the house, Lucifer made his way through the crowd and walked up to a young man who'd just rejected a pretty red-haired girl.

"How can you decline this ravishing siren's invitation to imbibe?" Lucifer asked, seeing the redhead. "Well, if L.A.'s taught me anything, constant rejections do build character."

The girl frowned. "Sincerely doubt "constant rejections" do build character."

He gestured to the redhead. "You could learn a thing or two from this guy.

"Oh. Witty, charming and wise."

"Have you lost your mind? Do I know you?"

"Lucifer. Morningstar."

"Right, you're the club owner who grants people favors. Yeah, I don't need anything from you."

"Oh, I beg to differ, Ty. I have been looking for you all night. And you are in desperate need of my help. Star quarterback, number-one draft pick, and yet, for some explicable reason, a virgin."

"Look, man, I got all the haters I need online, all right?"

"No, no, no, no, no, I'm not criticizing. I'm fascinated. I mean, do you know how rare you are? A celebrity virgin in Los Angeles, and surrounded by temptation. I mean, you, Ty, are like a four-leaf clover and a unicorn made a baby. Without, uh, having sex, of course."

"Aw, thanks, I appreciate it. My agent wanted me to throw this party."

"Oh."

"Yeah, he wants me to loosen up."

"He's right. I've met your type before, so desperate to control their lives, they forget to enjoy it. So answer me this. If you were to ever, you know, let go, what is it you'd really want to do?" Lucifer stared into his eyes.

"I uh--Yeah. I-I want to skip my morning workout sometimes."

"Boring."

"Just chill on the couch and watch Master Chef."

"This is the fantasy life of a postmenopausal housewife. Come on, Ty, there must be something deeper." Lucifer's gaze intensified.

"I, uh--Yeah. I want to get laid so damn bad."

"And there it is."

"You got no idea how hard it is holding out for marriage, man."

"Uncomfortably hard, I'm sure. Look, I was going to go with my girl, but, uh, we broke up."

"Oh."

"I thought she was gonna be the mother of my children."

Lucifer pointed to the redhead staring at Ty. "Well, she wants to be the mother of your children. Come on, Ty, it's the fourth quarter, but you can still win this game. I mean, look at her, death and taxes are less of a sure thing."

"No, I can't."

"But you desire her. Why fight it?"

"Because my mother taught me that--"

"Oh, no, don't-don't bring her into this. That's disgusting. Uh it's about you. What do you want?"

"Her."