by Clara Capp
“Sometimes it’s not that easy.” Taime rubs his temples. “Speaking of Gary, how’s babysitting his daughter?”
“Um, fine.” I don’t offer any more information about Stephanie.
“You’re fucking her, aren’t you? Are you insane? Do you know what will happen if Gary finds out you’re sleeping with her? You’re ‘The Devil’ for gods sake.”
“It’s not like that,” I mutter.
“Yes, it is. I know she’s hot, Shudevil, I saw her when I picked you up.”
“Don’t you dare talk about her that way.” I hiss at him.
“I—what? Ok, whatever. Either way, you need to make that relationship professional.”
If it was any other girl, I’d be able to. It wouldn’t be worth risking the wrath of Gary and this business.
I can’t with Stephanie. I need her. The way she gently puts her arm on me when I’m angry, her smile, the softness of her skin. How she cares about my feelings first, and it drives me insane, but I love it at the same time.
I don’t respond to Taime. It’s selfish, but I won’t let her go. Deep down I know The Devil in me will be our demise, but I’m determined to hold on as long as I can.
Stephanie
I can’t believe Shu just kissed me in front of Tony. Every time I think Shu’s reached my peak levels of embarrassment, he manages to find new heights.
Does that mean we’re official? He also said I’m his. Ugh. I don’t know, and there’s no way I’m asking.
“Yes, well, um,” I say to Tony.
Tony raises his eyebrow but doesn’t say anything as I sit on the sofa. I’m still bright red and have lost the ability to talk. I wish Shu wouldn’t have done that. I can’t even talk to Tony now.
He eventually breaks the silence. “So, you and Shudevil?”
“Um, that is…” I try to explain what’s happening but am at a loss for words.
“I don’t want to overstep, Stephanie,” he says. “But do you think it’s a good idea?”
If I’m being logical, we’re a horrible idea. Shu works for the Mafia and has done bad things to people, and I’m a ‘good girl’ to my core. But, even though we’re so different, what matters is that we care about each other…right?
“I like Shu.” I play with my hands in my lap. “He’s actually very sweet.”
Tony doesn’t say anything, but his silence tells me he disagrees with my choice.
“Why do people call Shu ‘The Devil?’” I ask.
I see Tony get angry for the first time. His eyes narrow and the corner of his mouth turns down, and I finally see the Mafia Member in him. “Who told you that?”
“A man who works at your office. He was drunk.”
“Ignore his words. It was drunken rambling.”
Tony is lying to me. The man may have been drunk, but what he said was based on a truth. What could be so bad that he wants to hide it from me? I watched Shu kill a man, so I know what he’s capable of.
I don’t push the subject, but I know now ‘The Devil’ in Shu is worse than I thought. Whatever he’s done in the past doesn’t matter to me. There’s kindness in even the darkest of hearts.
Tony and I spend the day watching movies and playing board games. We’re in the middle of building a puzzle when Shu opens the door.
“Shu!” I can’t stop the smile that spreads across my face. I like spending the day with Tony, but I miss him more.
“Hey, Steph,” he says.
My heart gets the warm and fuzzies. He normally calls me Sweetheart, but I like Steph, too.
Shu helps us finish the puzzle, and then Tony leaves. We change into our pajamas, because we like to cuddle on the sofa together. I pick my sports bra and spandex shorts. Clothes are restricting, and I prefer to wear the comfiest type possible
I snuggle up against Shu. “I missed you.”
“Missed you, too.”
I enjoy the heat of his body as we snuggle under the blanket. He may be a devil to other people, but he’s my angel.
I straddle him and run my hands over his shirtless chest. No matter how many times I see them, I can’t get over how perfect the dips of his abs are. I’m just glad I don’t get nosebleeds anymore.
I let out a sigh of pleasure as he kisses along my collar bone. He makes his way to the crook of my neck and marks me in his favorite spot, and I get the achey feeling in my lower half again. I like when he marks me, because it lets the world know I belong to him.
The ache has me grinding into his tented pajama pants. It feels good, but it’s like something more should happen.
My hands are all over him. They’ve moved from the dips of his abs to the outside of his pajama pants, and I’m stroking his bulge. He lets out a guttural moan as I run my hand over it, and I want to scream at my ache to do something.
He’s so big. As I stroke him through his pajama pants, I have no idea how that will fit inside of me.
“You are mine, Stephanie,” he growls in my ear.
I let out a whimper as he takes his thumb and runs it along the sensitive space between my thighs. Even with the spandex barrier, pleasure shoots through my body.
This is what my ache wants. I keep whining as he dances his fingers across the bundle of nerves, and I start to buck into his hands.
“Say it,” he says.
“I’m yours,” I whimper.
“Good.”
He grabs the waistband of my shorts and starts to pull them off.
“W-wait!” I fling myself to the other side of the sofa.
I’m so frustrated at myself. I want to keep going, to see what Shu can do about the ache he keeps giving me. But I’m too scared.
“What is it?” his breathing is ragged.
“There’s something I need to tell you. I’ve…” Embarrassed tears pool in my eyes. “Never had sex before.”
“What?”
“I’m a virgin.” A tear trickles down my face.
“Don’t cry.” He wipes the tear from my face. “You are mine, Stephanie. We will definitely be taking care of that.”
I stiffen in fear. I’m his, but I’m not ready for that at this moment.
“But not tonight,” he adds.
“You must be disappointed.” I hold back a choked sob.
He gets the smoldering look in his eyes. “Not at all. I’m excited to be the first to have you. I hate the idea of sharing you with anyone else.” He places my hand over the massive bulge in his pants. “I’m quite ready whenever you are.”
I blush. A tampon barely fits. I have no idea how that huge thing will fit inside. It’s going to hurt. Badly.
“That is, um,” I say.
He laughs and nips at my earlobe. “Don’t worry, I’ll take baby steps with you.”
I exhale in relief. If the first thing I had to do was accommodate his massive penis, it would probably scare me away from sex forever.
“I’m happy it’s you that’s touching me,” I whisper.
“And I’m very, very, happy to be touching you.”
Shu
Antonio wants to see me. It never leads to anything good when he summons me. He’s the boss here, and when he calls me, it means I’ve done something wrong, or he wants something done immediately.
Antonio adopted me when I was a preteen. He saw my dark, twisted background, and knew he could shape me from there. He did well. I’m a monster now.
“I’m babysitting Gary’s daughter,” I say over the phone.
“Bring her along with you.”
“Excuse me?”
“It’s just dinner. She knows what her father does for a living now, she might as well embrace it.”
No, I don’t want to bring Stephanie to the mansion. It’s far too dangerous for someone like her to even look at, much less step foot inside of.
Well, it’s not dangerous per se. I’d say it’s one of the most secure places in LA—Antonio always has multiple security guards on staff. But the plans that are made in there…those are what’re dangerous.
Some of our most sinister plans have been planned in that mansion. And I don’t want her hearing them.
But when Antonio asks, I know I don’t have a choice.
“Fine,” I say.
I hang up the phone and walk out of my room. Stephanie is lying on the sofa, her legs draped over the side. She seems very preoccupied with her cell phone game—of which she has many—and it takes her a moment to notice my presence.
“Hi, Shu.” She smiles at me.
“Hey.” I sit down next to her she rests her head on my lap. “We…have to go out tonight. I don’t want to, but we don’t have much of a choice.”
“What do you mean?” she asks.
“Antonio called, and he wants to see me. I told him I was busy with you and he said to bring you along.”
“Who’s Antonio?”
Right. Sometimes, I forget how little Stephanie knows about my world. What bits and pieces she knows she has high understanding of, and can follow what I need or mean.
“The boss.”
“You’re not the boss?”
“I’m an underboss. He’s The Boss.”
“Oh. Oh!” Stephanie’s eyes open a bit, and I can tell she’s nervous. “Can Tony come over again? I can stay behind.”
“He’s busy today. And I think he wants you there.”
“Oh.”
She looks like she might throw up, and I don’t blame her. An associate’s daughter has never gone to dinner at the mansion before, even if it is Gary Hawthorne’s daughter. The only women that step foot in are maids, wives, and girls used strictly as sexual objects.
“Do you have any cocktail dresses? Nice ones, not skimpy ones.”
“I left those types of clothes my apartment,” she says meekly.
That’s probably for the best. Antonio likes women to dress a certain way when in the mansion, and it’s better if I pick an outfit for her.
I place an in store pick up for the high-end retail place down the street. Steph and I walk down there to confirm the dress fits, which it does, and holy shit. Even without her hair and makeup done, she looks flawless.
The knee length dress hugs her curves and shows off her perfectly toned ass, and I restrain myself from grabbing it in front of the retail workers. When she’s in all black her auburn hair and green eyes become even more apparent and have extra vibrance to them.
It’s going to be a hard night for me. Literally and figuratively.
A few hours later we pull up in front of the mansion. The estate is on two acres of land, and each inch is perfectly manicured. Hedges and fountains line the front of the mansion, and lawn lights further emphasize their magnificence.
“Oh…wow,” Stephanie says. “It’s beautiful.”
“It’s nice. Steph,” I say. “I need you to listen to me. You will be shocked by the things this man says, but you can’t react to it. If I tell you to do something, don’t ask questions, just do it. Do you understand?”
“Why will I be shocked by the things he says?” she whispers.
“Because, he’s a very bad man, just like me. But unlike me, he doesn’t care if you see how dark he is.”
“You’re not a bad man. Never say that.”
This isn’t the place for that argument. I’m The Devil. I just don’t let Stephanie see, or she’d run the opposite direction.
“Right. Either way, it’s imperative you do what I say.”
She nods and we step out of the car. Her hand fumbles for mine as we walk together, and I grab it. I don’t care if Antonio sees. He won’t rat on me to Gary. He may yell at me for sleeping with his daughter—which I haven’t, yet—but he cares about the business relationship just as much as I do.
A maid opens the door for us, and we make our way to the dining room. Antonio Sorrento sits at the table with his wife and Taime. He’s ignoring his wife, as per usual, and is in a deep conversation with Taime. They speak in hushed Italian, and I can barely make out what they’re saying.
He looks up. “Ah, Shudevil.”
“Antonio.”
“And you must be Stephanie.” He walks over to her and gives her two kisses on the cheek. Even if it’s an Italian greeting, I don’t like his lips on her cheeks. “So nice to meet you.”
“Nice to meet you, too.” She’s gone red from having a stranger kiss her cheeks.
“You look just like Gary. More so than your brother.”
“Um, thank you,” she responds.
“Sit, sit.”
Antonio leads us to our seats. I’m seated right next to him, and Stephanie is sandwiched between Taime and I. Her hand clutches my pant leg under the table, and I know she really doesn’t want to be here. Neither do I.
“I apologize for my rudeness, but I need to finish my conversation with Taime.” Antonio starts talking in Italian to him again.
They’re talking about offing some guy. It sounds pretty brutal, the way Antonio wants it done. I see Stephanie getting whiter and whiter as they talk. Surely, there’s no way she understands what they’re saying. She must just be nervous from being here.
“Devo usare il bagno!” she blurts, and speeds towards the hallway.
She just asked to use the bathroom in Italian. Oh no. I bolt after her and find her just before she rushes into the bathroom.
“Hey, hey,” I say. “You have to keep it together.”
“But he,” she heaves. “Was talking about pushing a guy off a building. They’re going to make it look like he committed suicide.”
“I know. That may be mild compared to what he says later.”
“What?” The remaining color she had in her face drains.
“That’s a sample. This dinner will be awful for you. You’re not an accountant tonight; you’re an actress. Whatever he says, go with it.”
“O-ok.”
I give her a soft kiss and run my thumb along her cheekbone. She doesn’t deserve this. But it must be done. I grab her hand and lead her back to the dining room.
“I apologize, Stephanie,” Antonio says, “I wasn’t aware you spoke Italian.”
“It’s alright,” she says as she sits down. “I just wasn’t expecting it before dinner.”
“I see. Weak stomach.” Antonio smiles at her. “Is that why you chose to stop attending med school?”
That is most definitely not the reason. Stephanie was covered in my blood the day we met and didn’t bat an eye. The epileptic man also got vomit on her, and it didn’t phase her one bit.
She smiles at Antonio. “You caught me.”
“Well then,” he says. “I won’t bring those things up during dinner.”
“I appreciate it.”
Stephanie took my actress comment seriously. She’s playing the charming young daughter of a corrupt businessman perfectly. The girl smiles and talks during dinner, being careful only to insert herself where wanted in conversation.
“Ah, you’ve got something on your face, Shu.” She takes her thumb and gently wipes beneath my lower lip. I see her eyes flit to my lips for a moment, then quickly back to me, and she smiles and turns back to her food.
I grab her hand under the table, and I see her smile again. Her fingers play with mine, and we take turn rubbing the other’s palms.
“Shudevil, are you and Stephanie together? I’d normally ask in Italian, but Stephanie understands anyway.” Antonio asks.
Stephanie coughs on her sip of water, and I gently rub her back. I know how embarrassed she is. Stephanie can barely kiss me in public, let alone talk about the status of our relationship. I’m not even sure what that is—I wish he would’ve asked me this in private.
“That’s a bit of a forward question Antonio,” I say, trying to dodge it.
“I’ve never beaten around the bush. I’d also like you to get married and have kids one day, and Stephanie seems like a wonderful girl.”
“It seems a bit early to be thinking about those things.”
I’ve never pictured myself getting married. Girls don’t last with me. But Ste
phanie in a wedding dress, her virgin legs spread for me on our wedding night… I need to stop. What self-respecting underboss, let alone The Devil, fantasizes about marriage?
“Let me know. I’ll arrange it with her father.”
I think Stephanie’s eyes may bulge out of her skull. She heard the earlier conversation about the man’s murder, but the idea of her father setting up an arranged marriage with a mafia underboss is the nail in the coffin.
“We’re good for now, thanks,” she squeaks.
We finish up dinner, and the maids take our plates away. Overall, Stephanie did wonderful. She amped up the charm and even made Antonio laugh a few times. I’m glad she survived a dinner with him, because with his sadistic nature, he’ll call her back again.
“So, let’s talk about business,” he says.
“Certainly,” I say. “Stephanie, you can go to my old room here. I’ll have one of the maids escort you.”
“Nonsense.” Antonio waves his hand. “She’ll stay with us. She is Gary Hawthorne’s daughter.”
This sick fuck. Yes, she’s his daughter, but he knows full well that Stephanie knew nothing about Gary’s business until a few weeks ago. Whatever he’s about to say she won’t like, and I hope she can keep her façade during the nitty gritty.
If I had it my way, I’d march both of us up to the bedroom, then fuck her brains out. But things aren’t my way here. What Antonio says, goes. If he wants to talk with Stephanie here, she stays.
Antonio launches into a speech about business dealings. It’s bad, but from what Stephanie encountered earlier she’s able to handle it. Thank god.
“By the way, Shudevil, I have a man in the cells. He’s not cooperating, so I’d appreciate it if you’ll go down there and make him talk.”
My throat constricts and all the saliva in my mouth dries. No. She can’t know about The Devil.
“Taime is here,” I say.
“Taime doesn’t have your skillset. I know you can do it with your bare hands, but I put a hacksaw by the cells, because I enjoy how creative you are with it.”
I’ve never been more disappointed with myself when I see the look Stephanie gives me. Her hand goes slack in mine, and I know what her eyes are saying. Please don’t do it. I’m begging you.