It is in the case of one Jessica Sims that in exchange for one miracle for Lawrence Sims’s health and in addition a full salary with a satisfactory dollar amount to be named by Ms. Sims, she shall surrender to Lucifer Morningstar, her heart.
Chapter Seven
Jess
Idropped the paper, unable to read a letter more. I collapsed into one of my dining chairs, cradling my swirling head in my hands. This wasn’t happening,wasn’thappening.
He wanted my heart.
What did that even mean? Did he want to eat it? Was it for some kind of sacrifice? Oh God, was I going to die? Oh my God. He was going to send me to Hell.
Calm down. You’re hysterical,Reckless Jessica murmured. Why was she being the voice of reasons here? Oh yeah, because the fucked up part of mestillwanted to sign the stupid contract.
But why was I so surprised that he was asking for something no normal person would agree to? Maybe because my horny ass had hoped all he’d want was a night spent between my thighs. Fuck, with the way my body reacted, the moment I saw him, I’d been ready to climb on for that unholy ride just to say I did.
And I still wanted him.
Maybe asking for my heart was just a cheesy way of saying he wanted a one-night stand. And for my trouble, my dad’s health in exchange was a fantastic exchange. I mean, I had to be risking eternal damnation here.
I picked up the contract and reread the line “…in addition a full salary with a satisfactory dollar amount to be named by Ms. Sims.”
Lucifer was loaded. That was no secret.
I could pay off all of Dad’s medical bills. I could buy our duplex outright. Fuck, I could buy the entire block. I could quit my job. The possibilities were endless.
No, no,no. I couldn’t actually be considering this.
But I was considering it.
Hear him out,that voice sounded in the back of my mind.
“If I listen to you, I’m gonna get my own special episode ofUnsolved Mysteries,” I told her out loud.
Does it really matter what happens to you, as long as Dad is safe?
Christ. Reckless Jess wasn’t supposed to be making sense. But she was right. I’d give anything if it meant keeping Dad alive. Not only that, with my new satanic sugar daddy, I could pay all our bills off and give Dad as good a life in his later years as he’d given me in my early years.
My mind was made. Hell, I’d thrown caution to the wind the moment I’d stepped up to Siren’s.
Even that bouncer had sensed it.
Like a moth to a flame.
I picked up the dress to put it on. If I truly was flocking to my own destruction, at least I’d go down looking hot. And one thing was for sure. Lucifer Morningstar would make my own damnation hurt. He’d make it hurt realgood.
* * *
Seven O’clock came around at a snail’s pace. The wall clock mounted in my kitchen was louder than usual, each obnoxious tick a countdown. The Alexander McQueen dress fit my slender frame like a glove, and it just looked too damn good on me for my mind to be able to focus on exactly how he’d known my size.
I couldn’t stop looking at myself in the mirror. I had pinned my shoulder-length blonde hair back with several bobby pins and gelled into a sleek updo, leaving a couple stray strands to frame my face. I went with a light face of makeup, only a sweep of eyeliner on my top lids, a coat of mascara, and a cherry red lip to match the dress.
I didn’t wear any jewelry, but I did opt for silk stockings and a garter belt that looked damn delicious wrapped around my thighs, peeking out from the scandalous slit in the dress.
A knock at the door made me jump. I glanced at the clock, and my heart lurched into my mouth, seeing that it was seven on the dot. Forcing my fraying nerves together, I went to the door and opened it a crack to peek beneath the security chain still latched.
“You!”
My mouth fell open in shock as I found myself face to face with Siren’s bouncer. Tonight he was wearing charcoal gray slacks, and a white button-up with the sleeves rolled to his elbows, exposing his massive arms, bulging veins and tattooed flesh illuminated beneath the yellow glow of my porchlight.
