Devil Woman

Chapter 12

Nyra

I truly am such a beautiful human being. My confidence in myself and in my worth stemmed from years of self-affirmations and self-love, and praise. I am beautiful. I am deserving. I am strong. I am brave.

Looking into the mirror, I truly knew why both men and women desired me. I wasn't lacking in anything. My hair was silky and shiny, and this time, I left it unstraightened. I wanted it to be in its natural state of waves and uncontrolled frizz.

I left my face bare of any makeup after my shower and decided this was how I would greet him. A woman didn't have to dress up and go all out for a man if she didn't want to. I didn't invite Ivan here to seduce him.

No, not this time. I brought him here because I enjoyed talking to him. It was rare that I found a man interesting, but Ivan intrigued me. He's different from other men, and I don't know if it's the determination he carried in his eyes or how he looked at me as if he saw me the same way I saw him.

Special. Persistent. Stubborn. Ivan wasn't like the other men I'd slept with. I've never had a man be possessive over me from the very beginning, and it's all I'd been constantly thinking about. He was also the jealous type.

Most men would want to share you with their friends or have you dance for everyone to show you off, but with Ivan, it was the opposite. It was like he wanted to hide me so no one ever saw me like that.

It almost felt like he wanted to fuck the memory of every guy I'd ever been with and replace it all with memories of him. The sex was mindblowing and insane, making me feel oddly calm right after.

At our first meeting, I had wanted to distract him by sitting naked, but this time I wanted to see how he'd act if I were to show up wearing clothes. Would he try to get me into bed right away? Or would he choose to sit down and indulge me with conversation?

These were crucial to know what kind of man Ivan truly was. His background check proved empty and dull, but I didn't trust it. This man was no boring electrician. No, this man was much, much more, and I'd prove it.

I slipped into my silk pajama pants with a matching buttoned-up shirt. I stepped downstairs and walked down to the kitchen. Beth was cooking and singing along to the stereo while my dogs ate their meals. I went to them and rubbed their backs and petted their heads.

"How is dinner going?" I asked, leaning against the counter while Beth cooked.

She turned down the volume and spun around with a wooden spoon in her hand. "Taste the sauce." She offered it to me. I licked the creamy pasta sauce and gave her two thumbs up.

"Fantastic. I'm actually starving."

"I made pasta, a nice and fresh garden salad, and will cook up the garlic bread when your date comes."

I winced visibly. "He's not my date, Beth. He's a guy I'm having sex with."

"So, friends with benefits?"

I chuckled. "How do you know what friends with benefits are?"

"My granddaughters tell me everything." She said, obviously.

I sat down on the ground by Orion, and the dog quickly left his meal and rested his head on my lap. "It's just benefits. He's not my friend, Beth."

She didn't respond to my words, and she didn't have to. Beth is sweet and nice to me, and she didn't know the life I led enough to hate me or think I'll of me. She respected me, and I respected her. Trust was rare nowadays, but I did trust Beth with my dogs, house, and cooking.

My dogs started barking loudly, and I stood up when I heard the front door click. I stepped out of the kitchen, and my dogs were quick to follow me to the foyer. It was a surprise to see Ivan walk in wearing a suit.