The Devil Behind Me (15 page)

I
started to make my way back. I slowly took my time walking the streets of New York. I wanted to be taken in by all that was around me. The anger I felt before had now subsided. The only thing, which lingered was the kiss on my lips. Daimon’s kiss had seared itself onto me. His lips were controlling and commanding. The heat of his face still warmed my body from the inside out. I walked aimlessly while lost in the moment I shared with him. I was pissed he found out all my weaknesses. I was even angrier at myself that maybe, just maybe, Daimon had burrowed in a little too deep.  He slipped through my defenses and I was angry I let it happen. 

“Ms. Addie?” I heard from behind me. I looked to see the young driver
employed by Daimon. He stood by the black sedan and waited. “Mr. Evans wanted me to drive you home,” he smiled. “How the hell did you find me?” I asked.

“Mr. Evans has his ways.
”

“
Okay,” I relented as I headed to the car.

It had been over a week since I had heard from or seen Daimon. As much as I hated to admit it, I sought him out a few times. Somehow, the way we fought relieved my stress and right now, I was on stress overload. I had saved boxes from the store to get Sofia ready to move. The little shit didn’t even go to her graduation ceremony; she worked instead.

If
Daimon wouldn’t give me the rest of the money at least I had enough for one semester. I’d figure it out by the next. Sofia didn’t want to admit it, but she seemed really excited about leaving. A new life and a new start. I must have looked just like her when I graduated. It burned like hell that I couldn’t leave, but seeing her now made the years of resentment melt away. Yes, I was happy for her, but I still hated the fact I couldn’t live my life the way I wanted. There wasn’t much I could do about it, that was then, this is now, and by looking at the clock I needed to get my ass to work.

I headed to the bar that night, a small p
art of me hoping he was there. It bothered me like hell that I wanted him around. Why did I want him around me? The fucker tortured me throughout high school. Hell, he was still doing the same now. But a deal was a deal, I owed him. 

“
Hey sexy lady!” Elissa yelled out over the crowd.

“
Hey you,” I waved back. She was leaning on the bar talking to Jace.

“
Yeah, yeah, check you out,” Jace moved forward and stared. “Seeing you is like seeing water in an oasis.”

“Oh my G
od, please tell me you haven’t used that stupid line?” I laughed.

“It’s worked before,
” he admitted.

“On
‘last call’ girls,” I said knowing that’s how he got most of the women he’d slept with. He only shrugged while Elissa and I laughed.

“What
’s the deal, sexy? You have full make-up on, you look like you ready to battle it out. Has your sexy money bags caused you any problems?” Elissa asked, eyeing me from top to bottom.

“
Whatever,” I said under my breath.

I didn’t see
what the big deal was, so I wanted to get dolled up. I always put make-up on for work, so I made more of an effort this time. So what? I headed to my section as a British band both Darren and I loved called Lamb began to play. Lou Rhodes, the lead singer, began to croon out their song “Gabriel.”  The night was still young so the music was darker trip hop than usual. As the night progressed Darren usually changed the music to louder and funkier beats. I checked my section and the guests who sat there. Everyone was pleasant and fun to be around. 

“Hey
, Addie, this one’s for you,” I heard Darren call out as Hooverphonic’s “Mad About You,” began to play. My body began to sway as the song played. The crowd had started to dance to the music so I needed to push myself around them. I finally made my way through to the private section. There in the circular couches sat Daimon and another girl, who seemed quite taken in by him. I stood frozen as the song kept repeating ‘
mad about you’
in the background.

“
Fucking jerk,” I said under my breath. In the contract it stipulated under no fucking circumstances would either of us see other people. I shook my head and held it high as I walked over to their table. Daimon glanced over to me and smiled.

“Oh
, Addie. I didn’t see you there,” he said, smiling with his arm around her. 

“That’s funny
, neither did I, until now that is,” I said smiling. “Would you like me to refill your glass for you?” I asked so sweetly I gave myself a cavity.

“Of cou
rse. That is your job, isn’t it?” he said, turning his gaze back to the girl at hand. 

I picked up the bottle of
Glenfiddich, walked around the table, and poured it all over his lap. It was a shame. It was a fucking good year too. They both began yelling, flailing their arms around to stop the alcohol from making them wetter. Thing was, I really wasn’t aiming for the girl as much as I wanted to get him. 

“I see you’ve been served. Please don’t hesitate to call me
over if you need anything else,” I said and left.

Prick! Asshole!
Idiot! God, I was so stupid. He broke the rules so he gets to pay the penalty. Fuck him! Now Sofia will get the money no matter what. I stood by the bar and waited for Jace to finish up some drinks I had punched in before my little incident with Lucifer. I could feel the tidal wave of anger coming toward me. I turned and Daimon was already next to me as he grabbed my arm and pulled me to the back of the bar. 

“
What the fuck, Addie?” he seethed as he held me against the wall.

“
Don’t bother,” I coldly. “The only thing I feel guilty about was pouring perfectly good whiskey on your sorry ass.” He grabbed my arms tighter pushing me harder against the wall. “You broke the rules, Daimon, now you suffer the consequences. I no longer need to act like your fucking plaything. So why don’t you go out there and have your little girl lick the whiskey you expensively paid for off your dick and leave me the hell alone,” I said hatefully. 

I was seeing red
, I was so angry. I had never in my life felt like that before. I had always been resigned to the fact I wasn’t good enough, but for some fucking reason right now Daimon had pushed the wrong button. He stared angrily at me, his electric blue eyes chilling me to the bone.

“Either say s
omething or get the fuck off me,” I fired back. When he didn’t say a word I pushed him off me. “Before I go, you better make sure the money is in my account.” I turned and left him there.

I rode the wave of emotions I was feeling and the night went
by quickly. Jace never said a word to me about Daimon. Thankfully, Elissa never saw it and Darren acted like he didn’t know. To be perfectly honest, I preferred it this way. I didn’t want to explain what had occurred between us. We no longer existed and I was glad it was all over now.

“
Bye, Addie,” Pete called out as I left the bar.

“
Night, Pete. See you.” I waved over my head and headed down the street.

I
at least had the presence of mind to bring my shitty car. I had parked it a few blocks down from the bar. The street was eerily quiet, making me nervous. I hated walking alone late at night. As I made my way to my car, I couldn’t help but feel like shit. Daimon had really fucked me up. I hated that I was so bothered by seeing someone around him. He was the one who sought me out and made this stupid deal with me. So why the fuck did he break the rules? Didn’t he need my help anymore?

“
Looking good, Addie,” Frank said as he walked over to me from the opposite end of the street. The fucker came out from the shadows. My heart jumped and started to beat rapidly. “You never looked like that when you were with me. Maybe if you had, I would still be with you,” he grinned.

“
What do you want, Frank?” I asked as I clutched at my purse and stepped away from him. 

“I came to see about my money.
Honestly, Addie, and here I thought you were a smart girl.” He shook his head at me like I was an idiot. “So where’s my money, bitch?” He took a few menacing steps closer.

“
Get away from me,” I yelled and began to run down the quiet sidewalk. The streetlights barely worked, and no one was around.

I finally
made it to my car. I reached for the door, but the fucking thing wouldn’t open. I tried pulling at it, but nothing. I yanked and still nothing. Fuck! It was stuck. Before I knew it Frank latched onto me and threw me onto the car. 

“I like the little
number you’re wearing,” he breathed as he lay on top of me, his chest pinning me down and his hand slowly riding up my thigh.

“
Get off me,” I yelled, but he didn’t move.

“
If you won’t pay me, I’ll just make you pay in other ways,” he said callously as he began to move up my dress. I felt his cold fingertips on my skin making me shiver in fear.

“
Please stop,” I begged as I tried to fight back.

“
You smell so good, Addie,” Frank said low and slow.

“
GET THE FUCK OFF HER!”

I stumbled
free from Frank. He was no longer on me, but on the ground as Daimon straddled him and began pummeling him.

“
Stop!” I cried out. “Daimon, stop. Please!” I begged.

When he would
n’t stop, I ran to him and pulled him off. Frank lay limp on the ground not moving, blood slowly seeping from Frank’s nose and face. Daimon’s chest was moving rapidly as he breathed erratically. His mouth opened to help him breathe as he glared at Frank on the ground. He fished out his phone and called the police. 

“
Yeah. I just beat the shit out of a guy who was trying to rape my girlfriend,” Daimon said to whoever was on the phone. “Yeah, we’ll be here.” He hung up as his eyes turned to me. “Why did you stop me?” he shouted.

I stood shaking.
He sighed, his eyes softened, and he took of his jacket and placed it on my shoulders. “It’s your fault that it smells like whiskey,” he said ruefully. I stared at Frank as he lay motionless on the ground.

“I did
n’t want you associated with my pile of shit,” I said quietly, sobbing as I looked away.

“What?”
Daimon asked as he made me face him. I kept my head down staring at the pavement. He crouched down to see my face; his beautiful sky colored eyes, a stunning liquid blue were now peering through me.

“I don
’t want you to be tainted by me,” I said again as I looked into his eyes, wishing I could dive into the ocean of his irises.

“Fuck
, Addie. You’re not shit and I can never be tainted by you.” He reached his hand up and touched my face, but I winced in pain. “Did he hit you?” he asked angrily.

“I don’t know.”
I whispered.

***

The police came and took our statements. Daimon called his lawyer and we were finally free to go home.

“
Your car is shit,” he said, as I tried to get into my car again, but the stupid doors were still jammed. What did it matter anyways? Daimon insisted he was driving me home. “Leave it there and I’ll have it towed tomorrow.”

“I know
its shit,” I murmured as I gave in and walked to his car. “It’s your fault,” I said quietly as I got into his Bentley.

“
What is?” he snapped.

“
That your suit smells like whiskey,” I stated.

“Addie
you poured the whiskey on me. My favorite one I may add,” he challenged as he sped off. 

“
You made me,” I said curtly.

“
How?”

“
You broke the rules. I wasn’t going to sit there and have some girl hang all over you.” Once I said it, I seriously wish I had a way to take it back. 

“
You were jealous?” he said smugly.

“
No. I was playing the part of an angry girlfriend,” I said saving myself.

“
What did you want me to do, Addie? I was pissed. I did it to hurt you. I know I was wrong, but fuck, you pissed me off,” he said gruffly. 

“How?
How did I piss you off?” I asked in a serious tone. “And don’t you dare say it’s because I didn’t tell you anything,” I challenged.

“You said nothing to me
, Addie, not one word. Everyone else knew, but not me,” Daimon said bitterly. 

“What did you want
, Daimon? That the moment I signed that contract, I’d lay all my chips down. Did you really think I would tell you,
you
of all people?”

Daimon
stopped his car in front of my home and turned to face me. “Why
me
of all people?” he said annoyed.

“You’d
lord it over me, Daimon. I lost my mother. It was my fault she died. If I didn’t ask her to do something special for me, she wouldn’t have died. Once she died, everything turned to shit. Everything I touch turns to shit and that’s what going to happen to you, too. So that’s why I never told you anything. That’s why I never wanted you to go anywhere near Frank and my shit-filled life,” I cried gently.

Daimon
sat quietly in the car taking in all I had said. I began crying and laughing at the same time. “I'm such a fucking loser. My dad got so sick and I thought I could take over for my mother and work the diner, but even that I turned to shit,” I laughed and wiped my tears. “Maybe this is my penance for killing my mother, who knows. Look what I did to Frank,” I said still laughing.

“Addie
, you didn’t kill your mother and you didn’t make Frank beat you!” Daimon shouted.

“Stop!
Don’t even try. Nothing anyone can tell me is going to change how I feel. I fucked it all up, Daimon. I did. Not Sofia, not my father, me. It was all me,” I cried. Daimon reached over to try to comfort me, but I stopped him. “Enough!” I no longer wanted to talk about it. Daimon saw a side of me no one had ever seen.