Page 30 of The Devil

“What is he talking about?” she asks me.

I let her wrists go and step out into the aisle.

“Do you remember the promise I made you, Little Virgin?”

“Stop calling me that.”

“Do you?”

She glances at the exit, at the two soldiers standing sentry, then up to the altar where two more flank Father Abernathy.

“What do you want with me, Jet?”

“What did I promise you the night you begged me to make love to you?”

Her face flushes red and she closes her eyes, mutters something under her breath.

“Now now. Nothing to be embarrassed about, Little Virgin.”

“Stop it!” she demands angrily, shoving at my chest. “Stop calling me that!”

Her fury is like an aphrodisiac. My angry Little Virgin. “Answer my question, Amal. What. Did. I. Promise. You?”

She turns, intending to stalk out of the pew from the other side, but I capture her arm and whirl her around to face me. Her rosary goes flying from her hand, clattering onto the wooden seat, then down to the floor.

“I’ll refresh your memory,” I say through gritted teeth because I’m only human and I’m pissed because I trusted her. I protected her and I trusted her and she shat on my kindness. So, no more kindness for her.

Now, I’ll take what I want.

“I promised I wouldn’t let anything happen to you. I asked you if you trusted me and you said you did.” I tug her closer. She flinches at my anger. “You said you trusted me, but that was a lie,” I say through clenched teeth. “Then, you stole from me. You fucking stole from me before you fucking disappeared.”

“Because you can’t protect me, not against Cassian Trevino. You won’t. You chose his side long ago.” She struggles against my grip. Poor thing, she’ll wear herself out. “What is this, Jet? You like being his little errand boy?”

I grit my teeth. “You have no idea what you’re up against, do you? I’m not the only one who tracked you down here, sweetheart. Just be glad I did.”

“What are you talking about?”

“What the hell are you doing here anyway? I didn’t think you were a coward, Amal. Hiding. Leaving your brother behind.”

“I spoke with Daniel every week.”

“Did you? Two little liars in the family then. Guess I shouldn’t be surprised.”

“Fuck you. And I’m not hiding. I just need⁠—"

“Well, we’ll get to all of that.” I check my watch for the time. “But we have places to be. Time’s a wasting. What did I promise you I’d do before I let anyone lay a finger on you?”

She swallows hard looking up at me with eyes that once looked like a summer sky. Their brilliance has shadowed, though. It’s what life has done to her and I don’t like it. If she’d trusted me, I’d have made sure those shadows never touched her.

“What did I promise, Amal. Say it.”

Her forehead furrows as she glances at Father Abernathy who is resisting Malcom’s persuasion. “I will do no such thing. Not without her consent,” I hear him say.

“Don’t hurt him,” she says to me.

“I’m running out of patience.”

“This is you being patient?”