Forever with Him [Dark Temptation Book Three]

Chapter 3

Venus

I’m going to be late picking you up, sister.

My bastard of a client changed his mind and decided to buy the car.

That’s what Nathan texted.

Wow. I wonder what he did that make the guy change his mind.

Okay.

How did Nathan do that?

Well, first, he was Nathan. Second, his persuasion skill sometimes scared the s**t out of me. Third, his mouth was his ultimate weapon. I knew he was working as a salesman and he had targets he had to achieve every month. I was not that naïve to not knowing how the world worked. Sometimes they had to work dirty to get anything they wanted, particularly about money. I’d witnessed how Nathan tried to persuade a certain client; an old man probably around his fifties. Insisting to lower the price despite he was dealing with a car that practically had a certain price tag that couldn’t get lower than the stated one. Nathan, of course, unable to filter his mouth and the language he pushed out, blurted out the brutal truth.

If you’re not rich enough, you should get a secondhand car.

Ouch, right?

I wanted to say to him that day he was so rude but that did get him able to persuade the man to buy the car. To buy a Ferrari. Despite Nathan was working with luxurious cars presented in front of his eyes every Monday to Friday, he still couldn’t ditch his precious truck. He had enough money to buy the premium one but he never did. And whenever he showed up to meet his client with his truck, sometimes he made their desire to buy dropped to zero. Until he opened his mouth, explaining things that I didn’t quite understand and maybe not even his clients. Most of them only buy cars because they wanted to show how prestigious they were. To fit in into a certain group.

People.

Greed.

Those two were a match made up in Hell.

What did Lucifer cook up at his home to build that negative force we called greed?

“You’re not going home, honey?” Clara asked from behind me.

“I’m waiting for Nathan. Said a client suddenly shows up.”

“Ah, he must be buying the car now.”

“Totally.”

“Oh, here you go.” She handed me a box as I could smell the sweet and crisp cinnamon inside. Ah, her signature apple pie. “There were four pieces left and I can make it anytime I want. Bring it home, Venus. Share them with Judith.”

“Yeah, sure. She will love it very much. Thank you so much, Clara.” I grabbed the box. “I’m going to wait outside so you can close the store.”

“You are welcome to wait inside until Nathan came, dear.”

I shook my head. “I can’t ask you to do that. You are still my boss and I’m your staff. And it’s not too quiet for now. I’ll be fine,” I insisted.

“If I knew first you would be alone for a while, I would stop Ryan to go home first.”

I smiled. “Don’t worry about me. And I’ll be waiting right outside. I won’t move an inch.”

“Promise me that, Venus,” she asked.

I showed up my pinky finger. “I promise.”

“Okay then.” She touched my shoulder. “See you tomorrow, dear.”

“See you,” I parted and went out of the store. Waiting. Watching cars after cars racing in front of me. Not exactly racing but they felt like one to me. Seeing the bright light from them. The sound of the tires hitting the road. Listening to the pedestrians talking either with their friends – if they were even their friends – or even talking with their phones.

Busy day.

Busy road.

Busy New York.

The city that never slept…I guessed.

My phone buzzed and I saw a text from Nathan.

I’m on my way.

Okay then. Just another five minutes. I’d be fine.

And then everything went into silence when I sensed a presence on my left. This aura. Dangerous and dark. Chilling my spine. Squeezing my chest. Slowly looking to where the black aura came from, I found a man. His face was pale. Whiter than the wall. His lips were a shade of blue almost purple. Under his eyes were black. People could easily consider him hadn’t slept for days. Weeks. Heck, even months. He looked like a walking zombie. Or even worse, corpse.

And then he smiled. Twisted and wicked. There was no emotion. Even from afar, I could see the top of his teeth were yellow like he didn’t even bother to brush them for only him and God knew how long.

“I found it,” he babbled. It? What does he mean? “I found it,” he mumbled the same thing again while walking toward me. Panic kicked in. My instinct was telling me to run, but my feet remained cemented to the pavement.

He walked even closer as I was finally able to convince my feet to move. “Stay away,” I said. He even chuckled. Giggled. What was wrong with him?

“He will reward me.”

“What?” He?

“Give it to me.”

“W-What…” I couldn’t push the words out of my mouth. I was too scared. When he was almost within my space, I chose to run and I could feel him chasing me. It didn’t take long for him to capture me by grabbing my hair and pulling me to the dark alley. The only place that I knew where the horror eventually happened. Either he would kill me or worse, rape me.

Throwing me to the cold ground, I crawled my escape while my eyes remained with his empty orbs. Dark and sinking me in but in a terrible way. “W-What are you talking about? What do you want from me?” He was still wearing that crooked smile. Not even bothered to answer me. I hated it. “Please…”

“He will reward me.” What’s he talking about? And who is this he?

“Who is he? Who are you working for?” I asked.

He ignored it by saying, “I will finally have everything I want!”

Everything happened so fast when he charged down to me and was about to rip my clothes. “No! Let go of me! Help! Somebody, help me!” I screamed while erratically punching him. Kicking him. Anything.

Futile.

Instantly regretted my decision to wait outside of the store. I should have just stayed inside where I would be saved. Would it be? Either way, this man was going to rape me and no one would save me. In this city, this cold city, people would see but pretend not to. I was alone. No one would save me. Alone. Lonely. Dead.

Help me!

And he was gone. The second I knew; he didn’t even scream until I felt something on my face. Wet. Opening my eyes, I touched my chin. Seeing the red on my hand – the blood. His blood popped to me. Hitting my clothes too. He didn’t even groan. Dead instantly and he was being thrown and his body fell to the ground next to me. Immediately pushed myself away from him. From my tormentor. Almost. My eyes remained on his dead body. His eyes still flashed open, seeing nothing. Because he could no longer see anything.

Because he was dead.

And I should be thankful to my savior because at least someone did care and save me.

The blood kept coming out of his chest. A lot and fast. Endlessly. Like no desire to stop until he ran out of them. Who on earth could do that?

And I found my answer when a certain and familiar scent entered my nostrils. That musky and slightly minty scent. The aroma I was used to and I loved.

Slowly turning my head so I could look at my savior, I found his legs first wrapped with black trousers and those expensive-looking shoes. My eyes crawled up, seeing his black linen shirts. His right hand was covered with blood – still dripping hard and fast. My eyes moved up again, looking at his stubbles, and then finally…his face. Meeting his pretty hazel-green eyes. The color of life. Like the sun and greens being combined. His penetrating gaze. Sharp. Yet empty. Even his presence felt the same as his orbs. Empty. Broken. Not even showing he cared. Or angry. Nothing. I sensed nothing because that was who he was now. Emotionless. He only showed the exterior I was used to before. Now not anymore.

“Venus…” he whispered my name. His voice was barely a whisper. Not even I liked his tone now. He used to be cold yet when he breathed out my name, I felt like I was given a dash of life. Now he sounded like he was forcing himself to look like he cared where he never did. Because he was a selfish bastard who only thought of his own selfish reason. I was never his priority and would never be. Despite I should be hurting with the brutal fact; I felt weirdly content. I needed that. A reality check so I could move on.

I gave the strength to my foot so I could stand up. “Thank you,” I said while adjusting my clothes. Too much blood. I couldn’t go to the hospital like this. Rather than the doctor would only check me but she would rip me open if I just killed someone.

“What are you doing out here alone, Venus?” he asked.

“I was waiting for Nathan.”

“You should have inside somewhere,” he countered. What was his problem? And where the hell did he come from?

This would be the first time Micah ever showed up after our unwanted separation six months ago. My unwanted. His need. “That was a bad call and you didn’t need to kill him just because he was trying to attack me.”

He scoffed. “I knew you can’t sense my kind, Venus,” he snarled.

“What are you talking about?”

He pointed his long finger to the longer-breathing man. “He was a human.”

I nodded slowly. “Okay, a human and you just killed a human. You should have knocked him cold, not killing him. He was probably on the drug or something.” He scoffed again. God, would he stop scowling? He sounded more like mocking me rather than pissed with himself.

Until he added, “A demon controlled him to do that.” Grabbing my attention to him immediately.

A demon? “Why do they still want me? I have nothing anymore. So, why now?”

“I don’t know too. And you should be careful from now on. Maybe I won’t show up like a superman like this the next time.”

Now I scoffed. A superman? He was more like batman. So cold and unfriendly.

And he turned, walking away. Was that it? Saved me and leave? Just like what he did six months ago? Saved me and leave? Only this time, he didn’t f**k me and left me spread wide on the bed. Feeling the windy and cold ocean breeze hitting my skin while I was mourning the man I loved terribly much.

Not this time.

With anger, I strode my legs and pushed his arm so he would be looking at me again. “Do you really think you can bust into my life again and leave me in the cold?”

“I’m not trying to. I was just passing by and saw you were attacked.”

I scoffed again. “Or maybe you are the one who can’t leave me. Do you think I didn’t know? I could pretend but I know you were out there somewhere in the dark, in the place you love so much rather than to be with me. But I can feel you, Micah. My skins are alive when you were around and you know that. But you never bothered to come to say something.”

“What do you want me to say, Venus?” I even asked the same question to myself. An apology? What should he apologize for? Micah didn’t feel any guilt at all when he dumped me for Lucifer. Why? I knew why. I just didn’t want to tell him.

Pushing myself away from the minty musk scent, “Goodbye, Micah,” I stated. Only there was no my love in the end.

I hadn’t got the chance to take a step when he captured my elbow. “You’re in danger, Venus.” Wow, again?

“Well, maybe I won’t be in a danger anymore once you’re gone.” Wow, I sounded cold and so bitter. Because that’s what I was feeling about him. Facing his angelic eyes again, “Are you going to protect me and then leave me again?” I asked.

No answer.

Hinting that was the truth.

Harshly pulling my elbow from his grasp, I stated, “I don’t need your help. And you are an asshole!” I shouted before I finally walked away.

“You knew I was doing everything for you,” he stopped me. This was emotional blackmail! He couldn’t do this to me every time he was losing. I was winning here and I had to stay as the winner.

“No, Micah. You’re doing this for yourself,” I stated.

I walked out of the alley until I bumped into Nathan. “Whoa! Venus, why are you here? I was looking for you,” he said. I looked up and then his golden gems set on my back. Widening in the process. “Micah…” and murmured his name.

I grabbed his arm, pulling him back to the store. I saw his truck. “Ven—”

“I’m going to be late, Nathan,” I cut him first. He didn’t say anything and we jumped in his truck. I didn’t even look back. Not even to the mirror as Nathan drove away from there.

From Micah.