The Devil (BOOK I + II)

11 | "God, I Need to Get That Away From Him"

Chapter Eleven
"God, I Need to Get That Away From Him"

"above all, be the heroine
of your life, not the victim,"
~ nora ephron

┏━━━━━━━┓

My eyes glossed over as I tried to pinpoint where the shot could have come from.

There were muffled screams coming from the door to the sunroom, which was still open a crack. A second was all it took for me to realize: the shot came from inside the banquet hall.

Someone was hurt.

I widened my eyes before snapping my head to Daemon, who was standing stiffly while looking over my head, inside the house. His hand slid to my upper arms to keep be pinned against the glass, but I quickly pushed his hands off me.

That was all it took for him to glare at me. "Don't even think about it."

"You can't tell me what to do."

His grip tightened on me before his voice lowered dangerously. "You are going to stay here. Don't make me repeat myself."

I shivered at his rough tone, and he noticed. But when his focus dropped to the dress I borrowed from Molly, then to my bare arms, his face darkened with anger.

Daemon took a step back, not taking his eyes off me as he unbuttoned his suit jacket and shrugged it off. I bit my lower lip, seeing him now standing in front of me with his slacks and black button up shirt, perfectly fitted against his chest.

But now, I could see his gun in his shoulder holster.

He threw his jacket around me, but his calloused fingers grazed my cheek, his intense eyes drawn on me before he slid away from me.

I held his jacket close to my chest, inhaling its scent while Daemon watched me. "You can't tell me what to do," I reminded him. Since my mask was now on the floor, he could see me raising my brows. "Plus, now you want to me to stay? Outside, where I can easily escape?"

He seemed to be thinking over my words, so I started to stride to the door next to me.

Everything went by in a flash after that. Daemon managed to eliminate the space between us in a second before grabbing my waist. He twisted us around, and my back banged against the glass walls once more.

His eyes were burning into mine, angry and fuming. "Stay. I won't say it again, Rose."

My hands were lifting to his wrists, ready to fight him off me, when I paused. There was a distraction. I could easily escape, and I doubt anyone I loved was in danger.

But a gun... Lev, Vladik... Papa and Micah were there.

Indecision overwhelmed me, between me getting my freedom, and my family.

Another gunshot echoed throughout the house, and that was enough for me to make my decision.

Before I could realize what I was doing, I was twisting myself out of Daemon's grip, who must have been surprised by my demeanour because he released me easier than I thought. Either way, I didn't think. My eyes were hazy as I ran back into the house, reaching under the dress to find the strap around my upper thigh, which was holding the gun Rolie gave me.

I was already turning the safety off as I entered the great hall, the screaming becoming louder the closer I got. Behind me, I heard Daemon sprinting, but instead of stopping me this time, he made sure he was a few steps ahead of me. His gun was already out, his back tense as we neared the banquet hall.