Forsaken Angels: Lucifer

Ch 1: Blind Date

Cassandra

Whoever came up with the idea of blind dates should be drawn and quartered. While I walk into the posh Italian restaurant where I'm about to meet my doom—no, date—I ponder exactly how I'll make my sisters suffer my wrath. They were the ones who insisted on this terrible idea.

A blind date. I scoff. As if I'm not busy enough. I only started my new job a month ago and I barely have time to think. Even between us three PAs, the workload is draining, and the boss demanding. Not helped by working overtime preparing for a big company fundraiser. Dating is the last thing on my mind.

I smooth back my dark hair after the wind caught hold of it outside in the chilly February air of London. I look ridiculous, despite Meg and Aura adamantly assuring me I look amazing. My sisters dressed me up and put on the kind of makeup I wouldn't dream of wearing. The red lipstick reminds me of the pinups of old with its bold colour, making me feel like a different person. Someone who has time for dating, which is definitely not me.

It probably doesn't help that I'm still mentally ticking off all the things I need to do for my boss tomorrow, and the countless things I have to do at home. Paying the rent is the top priority. Dating is so far down my to-do list, it shouldn't even be on there.

Not to mention the part of my life I'm too busy to think about right now. The hidden part only my sisters know about.

With a sigh, I resolve to make this a quick date. Then I can be out of here without a guilty conscience and tell my sisters I did my best.

"How may I help?" A red-headed hostess with bright eyes smiles at me, possibly wondering why I'm just standing here like a lost sheep.

"Oh, hi. Hello." Sweeping my gaze over the guests in the restaurant, I wonder where the man is. "I'm meeting someone. I...don't have a name. It's a blind date."

Even saying it out loud sounds stupid, but the hostess's smile widens. "Oh! Your date has arrived. Follow me, please."

I stare. How does she know who my date is? As I follow the perky young woman, I glance around. It's a Thursday night, so it's fairly quiet, even for a popular restaurant. The hostess leads me towards some tables in the back, where there are even fewer guests. When we approach a table with a man sitting with his back to us, a sense of foreboding makes my nape prickle and my steps slow.

The world dims, and it almost seems as if all the light in the room is focused on this one man. Even sitting down, he appears tall. Larger than life. Broad shoulders in a black suit jacket. Jet black hair smoothed into a neat style. The back of that head looks awfully familiar.

He unfolds himself from his chair and turns around. My stomach drops.

"Mr Morningstar!" I curse the breathless quality of my voice. It must be the shock of seeing him. Not that my new boss isn't sinfully sexy. I just shouldn't care that he is, but it's hard to ignore.

He watches me, his dark eyes narrowing slightly as if he's trying to place me. Does he not even recognise his own PA? I know to him we are only working ants scurrying to do his bidding, but after a month working for him, that's just rude.

"Miss Cole," he finally says slowly, his smooth, dark baritone voice clipped. At least he finally remembered my name. "Is there a problem at the office?"

"No." I pat my thigh with my handbag, feeling like the worst idiot. Did Aura and Meg know who they set me up with? They must have. What were they thinking? "I'm... Apparently, I'm your date."

His forehead creases, and he pulls his phone out to look at it. "You're CC?"

My cheeks heat when he turns the phone around to reveal an old photo of me from Halloween, dressed as a scantily clad witch and barely recognisable. He gives me an appraising look. The little black dress my sisters squeezed me into has never felt as indecent as when his dark eyes roam over my body. I swallow with some difficulty. Why is my mouth suddenly dry?