The Devils Bargain
The early hours of the morning were marked by the gentle chime of the clock, which reverberated throughout the spacious penthouse. Selene sat up straight in the enormous bed, her fingers clutching the smooth linens as though they were the only thing holding her to the present.
She remained here. breathing still. However, she wasn't meant to be. The river, the icy embrace of the wind, and the instant she had released her grip were all reenacted in her mind. Then him, Lucian Blackhood,
The man who had saved her life and brought her into his world. The opulent bedroom was oppressive.
This place his place was rich and sophisticated in every way, and it was very different from the life she had just left behind.
A knock at the door pulled her from her thoughts. She barely had time to answer before it swung open.
Lucian stood there, his presence commanding as ever. His silver eyes swept over her, unreadable as always. He held a tray in his hands-a steaming cup of coffee, a small plate of fruit, and a croissant that smelled almost too perfect.
Selene's stomach twisted with hunger, but she forced herself to remain still.
"I wasn't sure what you liked," he said, setting the tray on the nightstand. "So I guessed."
Selene eyed him warily. "Why are you doing this?"
Lucian leaned against the wall, crossing his arms. "You need to eat."
"That's not what I meant." She swallowed. "Why did you stop me? You don't even know me."
Lucian's jaw tightened slightly, but his voice was calm. "I don't need to know you to stop you from making a mistake."
Selene let out a hollow laugh. "A mistake? My entire life is a mistake."
Lucian studied her for a long moment, then exhaled, running a hand through his dark hair. "Get dressed," he said suddenly.
She frowned. "What?"
"I'm taking you out."
Selene stiffened. "No."
Lucian arched a brow. "No?"
She glared at him. "I don't even know you, and you expect me to just go somewhere with you?"
His lips curled slightly, but there was no humor in his expression. "You came here with me last night."
"That was different."
"How?"
She faltered. Because she hadn't been thinking. Because she had been too broken, too numb to resist. But now-now she had a choice.
Lucian sighed, pushing off the wall. "I could have left you there, you know."
Selene flinched.
His voice softened. "But I didn't."
Silence stretched between them.
Lucian sighed again and stepped back. "Fine. Stay here. But eat." He turned toward the door, pausing before adding, "I won't force you to do anything. But you need to understand something, Selene."
She clenched her fists. "And what's that?"
He met her gaze, and for the first time, she saw something flicker behind his silver eyes. A promise. A warning. A truth.
"You don't have to trust me. But you should know that I never do anything without a reason."
With that, he left, the door clicking softly behind him.
☽ ☽ ☽
Selene didn't leave the room that morning.
She didn't eat, either.
By noon, exhaustion pulled her back into a restless sleep, haunted by memories of her mother's voice, the sharp echo of her father's betrayal, and the icy touch of the river that never got the chance to claim her.
When she woke again, it was already evening. A soft glow from the bedside lamp bathed the room in golden light.
And she wasn't alone.
Lucian sat in the armchair across from her bed, one leg crossed over the other, a glass of whiskey in his hand. He looked impossibly relaxed, but his gaze was sharp, watching her as if waiting for her next move.
Selene's heart pounded. "What are you doing?"
He took a slow sip, setting the glass down on the table beside him. "Making sure you don't disappear in the middle of the night."
She tensed. "I told you, I'm not your responsibility."
Lucian tilted his head slightly. "Maybe not." He leaned forward, resting his forearms on his knees. "But you're here now. And I don't let go of things that belong to me."
Selene's breath hitched.
"I don't belong to anyone."
Lucian's smirk was slow, deliberate. "No?"
Her pulse raced. He was toying with her. Testing her.
Selene forced herself to sit up, gripping the blanket tightly. "You said you don't do things without a reason. So tell me, what do you want from me?"
Lucian's silver eyes darkened.
For a moment, she thought he wouldn't answer. But then, he did.
"I want you to survive."
Her breath caught.
Lucian's voice was quieter now, but there was something unshakable in it. "Whatever happened to you, whoever hurt you-they don't get to win."
Selene's throat tightened.
He didn't know. He didn't know about her father, about the woman who had stolen her mother's life, about the years of lies and betrayal that had left her standing at the edge of that river.
And yet, his words hit her like a dagger straight to the heart.
Lucian leaned back in his chair, his expression unreadable once more. "You don't have to decide anything tonight. But I'll tell you this-if you ever want to stop running, if you ever want to take your life back, I can give you the means to do it."
Selene's fingers curled into the sheets. "Why?"
Lucian's smirk returned, but this time, it was different. Darker.
"Because, Selene," he murmured, taking another slow sip of whiskey, "I know a thing or two about revenge."
Her blood ran cold.
He knew.
He didn't know the details. But somehow, he saw through her.
Selene swallowed hard.
Lucian wasn't just offering her safety.
He was offering her something far more dangerous.
A chance to fight back.
And God help her-she wanted it.