Friends with the King of the Underworld | Book 1

Chapter Four

I pushed the numbers in the door code for the back door at work. Once the lock beeped in compliance, I pushed the door open and let myself in. The back room was where the store kept most of the merchandise. It was empty save for a couple of stacks of books that were already sitting out ready for stocking in the carts. I grabbed one of the carts ready to go and pulled it with me out of the room.

Damien appeared in the room, sitting on top of one of the carts. I envied how casual he looked, care-free. A foot dangled over the edge, while he propped the other on top of the cart, an elbow placed on his knee. In his hand, he had a paperback novel open as he read it. "Is this what passes for a bestseller these days?"

He always looked like he didn't belong. Too good looking for the room he was in with his disheveled black hair and alabaster skin.

I smiled to myself and looked at the title of the novel he was reading. I placed a hand on my hip. "They made it into a movie, actually. Then they made a story from that one and made a movie from that. Both were pretty successful."

He let the book go as if it were burning his hand. "Rinse and repeat?"

I shrugged my shoulders and turned back to the cart. "I guess so."

He appeared in front of me, blocking me from continuing.

"I have to work, Damien."

He sighed. "No, you don't. I've told you a million times –"

It was my turn to sigh, "I don't want your magic money, Damien."

He reached into his coat pocket, producing an antique gold coin. I smiled watching him, it was a trick that he showed me long ago as children. He was like the magician that would magically make quarters appear from behind your ear.

"Why not? Isn't that why you work, to have money? Take it, I have no use for it."

I smiled. "Thanks, but honestly, I like working."

He rolled his eyes and with a flick of his wrist the coin disappeared in his hand.

"Does it work on others?" I asked. "Offering them money, do they just fall at your feet and do what you ask?"

He shrugged his shoulders. "Sometimes." He grabbed the door handle and held the door open for me. I obliged going out the door then making my way to the children's section.

He followed me with yet another book in his hand. There seemed to be a familiar theme with the book he picked up and the one he just dropped.

"Why are you reading romances? I thought History was more your thing."

He leaned against the wall of the children's section when I stopped and started unloading the books from the cart. "It's research."

I laughed, "This is for Leah, your future queen, I presume."

He nodded, not looking up.

As I put the books away, I noticed the snickers of the girls around me.

Though not one of the busiest nights in the bookstore I worked at, there were still a considerate amount of people in the store. It was a large store with racks of books aligned along the walls. In the middle of it all was a coffee shop. Most patrons would go to the bookstore, pick up a magazine and spent their evening sipping coffee while reading it. Since it was so close to campus, students would come in, grab a coffee and sit in the coffee shop and study for hours.

The crowd today was more of the latter since it was a Wednesday night. The college girls at the coffee shop looked up at Damien from their books with interested eyes. They whispered amongst themselves then looked up at him again.