The Devil's Disguise

Chapter 3

Rafael did not bother to wait for an answer. Instead, he grabbed his coat, took my wrist and lead me outside, right past Elene, who stared at me like I had stolen her kidney. I was slightly confused myself, my heart raging from the fear of losing the only family I had left, as well as his gentle yet firm grip on my hand. Why was he being so nice to me?

We were out of the club before I knew it, and I only regained some sense when the cold winter air covered my skin in goosebumps. I sucked in a breath, despite the heat his hand was giving mine. Rafael's skin seemed to stay warm. 

"You okay?" he asked, glancing down at me just as a luxurious, black BMW stopped in front of us. 

My eyebrows raised at their own accord. 

"I'm fine," I whispered, still trying to wrap my head around the situation.

"Come on." His hand left mine, and found its way on the small of my back, sending a shiver through me. We stepped near the car and his guard opened the door for us. I was first to get in, and he followed after.

The door closed shut, cutting out the cool breeze. 

"Your address?"

"Uh, 34th street, Brownway. It's opposite to Fedro's."

"That coffeehouse?" he asked, as the chauffeur began to drive.

"Yes." 

Rafael nodded. He then fished out his phone from his pocket, and started dialing. I looked away, not wanting to invade his privacy or seem nosy. 

"Hello, Dr. Berke. Yeah, I'm good. What about you?"

My eyebrows furrowed at the mention of a doctor, but I kept my gaze fixed outside.

"Great, great. Doctor, I was wondering if you could send someone to 34th Street, Brownway. Someone I know is injured, and it would be--great. Thank you. I'll be there in ten minutes. Thanks a lot, Doctor."

Now, I did glance at him. He met my eye, and gave me a reassuring nod. "Don't worry. He's a friend, and he works at one of the best hospitals in Sky City."

"I..." I was a loss at words. What was I supposed to say? Right. "Thank you."

"Don't mention it." He smiled, pushing his phone back into his pocket, before he pushed his hair back with both hands and relaxed into the seat.

I gulped, looking away once again.

I had thought I was intimidated by him in that suite, but this, this was something else. Now I was seeing Rafael Knight in his true element. Successful doctors were just a phone call away to him, and he was sitting so calmly in the back of one of the sexiest cars ever. 

Me, I was more uncomfortable than one would think. Those perfect leather seats did little to calm my nerves. And apparently, it was very noticeable.

"Rosie, you can calm down. I'm sure your mother is fine."

I took a deep breath, and forced myself to meet his gaze once more. "Yeah."

"Just relax. You look like I'm kidnapping you. It makes me feel like a bad guy." The corners of his eyes crinkled with the smallest of smiles.

I let out a breath, that could be considered a short laugh, and leaned my back against the back rest.

"I've just never been in a car like this before," I admitted. "I feel like I'll ruin it somehow."

He chuckled, shaking his head. "For the kind of beauty you possess, I'd sacrifice a thousand cars like these."

Now I was smiling, despite how cheesy that sentence was. "How are you still single? It's unbelievable."

He shrugged, narrowing his eyes. "Who says I am? Maybe, I have a secret wife."

"Stashed in your castle?"

"Maybe in the dungeons."

"Now, what good would a wife be if she were locked up?"

"Maybe that's why I go around booking suites, just to get a good look at women like you."

"Strippers, or the kind you initially thought I was? Hookers?"

"I don't know, maybe a bit of both?"

I chuckled. "Your wife, is she pretty?"

"Oh, she's gorgeous. Red hair, green eyes. She likes to wear an eye catching corset and leather pants that stick to her ass."

Now I was laughing, shaking my head at him. "You're a devil, Mr. Knight."

"As handsome as one, I hope."

"Hmm, red thorns and pointy tail? Not very attractive."

He fell silent for a moment, before he leaned in closer to me, and gently tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. "No. The one that looks like everything you've ever wanted. Your wildest, darkest fantasies, put together in one." His soft, husky voice made my heart race, and I didn't even realize that my grin reduced to a tiny--almost serious--smile. His gaze dropped to my lips for the faction of a second, and just then the car halted.

I quickly turned my face to the side, clearing my throat and shifting away from him. "We're here," I said breathlessly, opening the door for myself. The cool air that rushed in now felt like a blessing. I could see the ambulance parked right outside my apartment building, and I turned to glance at him again. "Thank you so much, I'll manage from here."

"Are you sure? I could accompany you if you'd want."

"No, thanks a lot. Have a good night, Mr. Knight."

"Call me Rafael," he replied, shifting closer and taking my hand again. He stared at me as he placed a kiss on it. "Can I have your real name, Rosie?"

Heat crept up my cheeks.

"Lara. Lara Dames."

- - - - 

I fell back on the bed, after a long, tiresome night. My mother had lost quite a bit of blood, so I had to stay in the hospital all night long, waiting for her condition to stabilize. They had to give her a blood transfusion, and things were slightly messy. But she made it, and she was out of danger. I had walked to the reception to ask about the bills with my heart in my mouth. Under all that stress, I had not even thought about how expensive the hospital I had brought her into was. Rafael had called a doctor, and I had just rolled with it. 

But to my utter gratefulness, as well as shock if I were being honest, Rafael turned out to be quite generous. He had covered my mother's stay in the hospital for the entire next week. She didn't even need to stay that long, but when she had gained consciousness for some time and I had told her about it, she had refused to step foot outside of that room even a day earlier.

I closed my eyes, taking in a deep breath. What an eventful few hours it had been. And yet, I did not have the time to sleep for even an hour. Because in less than thirty minutes, I had to be at Fedro's, and put on an extra piece of clothing instead of stripping like I did at nights. I worked as a waitress there, from nine in the morning, to five in the evening. After that I'd normally be allowed to go home, get in a couple of hours of sleep, and then get dressed up and head to the club. I would enter the club at ten, and I wouldn't leave until sunrise. The lack of a fixed exit timing was a huge problem in winters, because Elene tried her best to squeeze out another extra hour from me because 'it's still dark outside'. 

Even at the coffeehouse, winters were the worst. Colder weather meant more customers, thirsting for a cup of hot coffee, and a waitress they thought it was okay to flirt with. A few of them knew about my night job, and even though they weren't allowed to say anything (or they'd lose their entry into the club), their stares and hungry gazes were enough to annoy the s**t out of me. I was glad for the rules Elene had set down. If any member of the club were to see me or the other strippers outside, they were forbidden to approach us, or disclose our identities. If they did, they weren't allowed entry in the club again. It didn't work for a number of women I knew, but I guess I was lucky that it had never happened to me. 

Finally, I mustered the last bits of energy my body had left, and stood up. Rubbing my eyes with the ball of my palm, I walked into the washroom and took a shower, also proceeding to shave like I did every day. I wouldn't have time to do it after I returned from the coffeehouse. I was hoping to take a slightly earlier leave, and get a little more sleep. I also wasn't looking forward to going to the club that night. Elene would be mad at me for leaving with Rafael and not checking in with her. 

After putting on a simple pair of dark jeans, a white t-shirt, and putting my hair into a ponytail, I grabbed a hoodie, my keys, and stepped out of the apartment. But just as I turned, my eyes caught a package by the door. I frowned, looking around before I picked it up and opened it. A smile stretched across my lips as I found my pencil inside, the one I had in my hair when I met Rafael in the suite. I didn't even know when he had picked it up. There was also another box, and a note that reeked of his cologne.

I opened the box first. A hairband with devil horns. I then glanced at the note.

"You really were my devil last night, Ms. Dames. Thank you for a wonderful night. I hope your mother is doing well. Hope to see you soon. 

Very soon.

-R.K."

In a second, the previous drowsiness I'd been feeling faded into the wild pounding of my heart, as well as the nervous glee that built up in my chest. His letter made me more excited than I would have liked to admit, and the thought of seeing him again that night giving me just what I needed to drag myself to that place. Maybe, if Rafael Knight showed up asking for me once more, Elene would go easy on me. Hell, I was sure I would become her personal favorite after this. Not that I wasn't already, but she'd love me more.

I tried to tell myself that that was the only thing I was relieved about. But a part of me knew that the smile that lingered on my face for the rest of the day, was because of something entirely different.

I was relieved to know that I'd meet him again. Even if just once. Even if, it would only be for a couple of hours. I wanted to complete what I had started in that suite, especially because of the way my body had felt when those blue eyes of his had raked over it. I wanted him to hold my hand just one more time, and place a gentle kiss on it. And most of all, I wanted to thank him for all he had done for me. In whatever way he wanted. 

I guess, he had been right the previous night.

The devil did have his charms.

- - - - - -

What do you think will happen next? What are your thoughts on both of them?