The Devil's Masquerade: The Poison (2 page)

Now, I have to negotiate with the daughter of our enemy. Knowing my usual success, I plan for an early end to my day. I walk into the shop with all the confidence in the world, and why shouldn’t I? No one has ever denied me. I am a Savage, the devil in disguise. The moment I feel her presence though, something inside me begins to crack.

“Hi, can I help you?” she says without much acknowledgment to my existence. I wait until she finds it necessary to meet my eyes. The moment she looks up, a lump forms within my throat that I can’t swallow fast enough to speak. She breaks the awkward silence with a smile, “Cat got your tongue handsome?”

“No. I … I. I need to talk to the owner of this establishment,” I say resuming a tall stance.

“Well you got her. What do you need?”

Breathing in deeply, I look into her eyes, “I need to buy your business today.” She laughs, forcing me to stand back, unsure how to react. “I don’t think you understand. I am not telling you a joke, I am making you an offer …”

“
I am not telling you a joke
… wow, you are so serious. I heard you sweetie. I am just not interested in selling. My grandfather started this business, and I am not about to give it up. Too much history, you know. This place means something to my family, especially to my brother and me.” She smiles before turning her back to me and rushing around as if we have finished our conversation. She is talking to her employees and discussing changes to the disgusting place while I can do nothing more than follow her around like a puppy. She suddenly turns back to me, “Do you need something else because I have a lot to get done today?” I shake my head, and she… smiles. I don’t remember much after that.

I somehow managed to make it back home. I couldn’t give my father much of an explanation as to why my mission at the garage was unsuccessful. All I could do was say that I thought the situation was in need of some serious investigation before we can go much further. He believes our enemies are behind the trouble, and even though I know better, I am not about to tell him any different.

The next day, I try several more times to speak to the frustrating woman, but every time, she dismisses me or, even worse, ignores me. I have never in my life experienced such a frustration. Galena suggested I come up with a backup plan.
A backup plan?
I know what she means, but it is not something I have ever had to consider. I don’t know what other kind of backup plan I could come up with that would help me with the horrible woman, so instead, I create a plan to go around her. I spend the next few weeks making side deals and organizing a solution that will work around the small body shop rather than attempting to face-off with
her
. The solution works well for me. I can oversee the construction of our great building and watch her at the same time. There has to be a reason why she can deny me. I have heard of people being able to do this, but I have never seen it in person.

This woman, “Sophia,” I say, whispering her name whenever I see her just to enjoy that divine feeling that rushes through me. The syllables of her name graze my tongue with delicate softness and a warming breath. She is distracting, and I find myself having difficulty doing even the simplest of tasks. She looked up at me today and waved, and I waved back just before running into a wall. The only thing that hurt worse than my pounding head was the bruising of my ego, pummeled by the sound of her laughter. I think the only way to cure this insanity of mine is to concentrate on work and forget about her, something I manage to do until she surprises me. Covered in grease, hair tied in a mess, and eyes focused hard on mine, she marches straight toward me. My heart skips a beat, and for the first time, I have trouble breathing. Her dreadful wears are powerless against her beauty.

“Why are you doing this?” she snaps with no fear. I cock my head in confusion. “You are not going to force us to move by building your monstrosity around us. So you can just stop this bullshit right now! And stop watching us! If you think you can intimidate me, you better just forget it, asshole!”

“I don’t want you to move. In fact, I would prefer you to stay. If you would look at the plans, you would see that I am not building completely around you, only in front of you to hide the eyesore.”

“Eyesore? What is an eyesore?” the mess shouts at me. She continues yelling and swearing like a drunken sailor for quite some time before stopping abruptly. “Why are you looking at me that way?”

“You don’t care about what I want at all do you?” I curiously ask.

“Why would I care what you want?” Sophia says, coming with her arms crossed.

“Everyone else does,” I say simply.

“Well, lucky you, Rich Boy. I don’t know why I should care about what you want when no one has ever cared about what I want.”

“I do. I care very much about what you want,” I say, and for the first time, she is silent. I could get used to this, the ringing in my ears finally has a chance to clear. “I think you should have dinner with me, and then, we can discuss what it is you want, Sophia. I will have some people come clean you up and make you more presentable for me.”

“What the hell is that supposed to mean? Clean me up … for you? What am I …”

“You’re disgusting, as you can clearly see. Just look at the grease on your face and clothes and even in your hair,” I say with a scrunched up nose. “I would kiss you now, but I don’t want to get any of that on me,” I continue pointing out her issues. She rubs her face, smearing the grease across her skin and onto her hand. “See, you must not be very good at your job, to be such a mess. I assume you make a lot of mistakes. I could have someone teach you how to do it properly?” Suddenly, her face turns red, and her eyes burn, I look closely at her, wondering if she isn’t a child of one of the Lords from my father’s court, but she fails to inflict any pain on me. “You are not much of a demon. I don’t feel any pain at all,” I say before she perks up and punches me in the gut.
Okay, I felt that.

She growls, fisting her hands, “You are the most aggravating man I have ever met! Listen, you spoiled brat, I wouldn’t have dinner with you if you paid me.”

“You work as a whore, too? I don’t usually pay for such things, but surely I can afford you. How much?”

I’m lucky I have quick reflexes and am able to stop the flying fists coming at my face. “I am not a whore, you fucking bastard. Let go of me.” I hold tight to her and enjoy it so much that I smile at her until she kicks me in the shin and stomps away.

“So, I will see you tonight?” I yell after her, receiving a wave of her finger which I take to mean yes.
Yes, she waved again to assure her
answer. I must make sure tonight is perfect.

I arrange for a nice dinner to be delivered to her place of work, and I show up in my finest attire. “What are you doing here?” she huffs as I come through the door.

“We have dinner plans, and since it looks as if you will be working late, I made arrangements to have dinner brought to us. You don’t even have to look nice if you don’t want to. There is no one here for you to embarrass me in front of.”

“You are so charming! It’s amazing you are still single,” Sophia says, crossing her arms.

“Thank you,” I say with a smile. After my assistant sets up a table for us, I motion for her to sit, but she continues to stand with her arms folded. “The sooner you sit and eat with me, the sooner I will leave,” I bargain.

“Promise?”

“I don’t say things I don’t mean,” I reply, cautiously helping her into her chair so as not to transfer her greasy filth to my imported suit. I look up at her and take my napkin to wipe the smudge of grease from her cheek. “Even though the grease is an interesting accessory choice, I prefer to see all of you, including your beautiful face.” A smile slowly emerges from one corner of her lips to the other, and something inside me fights its way from my chest. I encourage her to eat, and she slowly begins to do just that. She doesn’t say much, allowing me to admire her beauty up close and without the interference of her mouth and opinions. As I promised, I have our dinner cleared and prepare to leave, but before I go, I leave Sophia with a simple kiss on her grease-stained, pink cheek. I even allow myself to linger against her skin for a moment while I inhale her essence.

The moment I walk through the door, my father’s ire is clear. “Dante! How dare you defy me!” he yells, slamming his cane into the floor and vibrating the walls around us.

I shake my head, looking at him in confusion, “I don’t know what you are talking about?”

“Where have you been?” he seethes.

“I was having dinner.”

“With our enemy?! That is not something I approve of.”

“But she is not the enemy, she is simply …”

“She is not the enemy? Does that not go against what you told me in the first place?” I sink into my body, avoiding his glare. “That woman has made you confused, distracted you from your own family.”

“She has done nothing of the sort. I am doing everything that you have asked of me.”

“Are you? Was there not a man that came down to the site today to protest the use of non-union workers? He threatened you, threatened our family, I hear. Tell me. How did you handle the situation?”

“I found him a job through one of our government contacts. He’s a good man, a good worker. He showed determination and strength, something I thought worthy of a job. So, I helped him find one, and guess what? No more protesting.”

“He was worthy? He who threatened our family was worthy?”

“Yes! Why is it that you want to put down anyone who shows strength against us? Maybe we should start using these people rather than destroying them,” I say, watching my father steam as he crushes the glass within his hand.

“Everything I have taught you has been to protect your family, our family, at all costs. Never …
ever
consider any possibility other than death for anyone who threatens your family. Where was this woman when you offered the man a job?”

I look away from him, and answer, “Behind him. She had come to retrieve some of her mail that had gotten mixed up with ours.” He instantly slams his fists into the wall near me.

“Dante, you tell me right now what your plans are for this woman!” I look up at him, and as soon as I open my mouth, he growls. “Damn you!” he yells, angering me.

I step to him, my eyes swirling with rage, “No! You don’t tell me how to live my life anymore. She is my choice, and there is nothing you can do about it.” Before he can say another word, I stand tall and look over him. “I am your son, and I will forever be your son, but you must allow me to make my own decisions or kill me right now and risk the family’s business and future on Saldean.”

My father’s steaming figure calms, and he slowly sits in his chair, looking me over. “Very well. I will give you six months’ time to enjoy this woman, but at the end of that time, you must decide, will it be her or will it be the woman of my choosing? I have found the perfect one for you, the perfect mother for the children
you
will have for me. If you will see them both, I will give you a choice Dante, but once you choose, there is no going back. That woman will be your destruction if you are not careful. Enjoy her Dante, but then I advise that you be done with her or else, I will be done with you.” He leaves me speechless, with my stepmother smiling jubilantly.

“I am sorry. Mother has been following you for weeks, and she told him what you have been doing,” Galena says, sliding up to my side. “But you should have known better. That woman isn’t worth angering father over and losing your position, I assure you.”

“And you sister? Have you been following me, too? Or have you been too busy with Marius?” I say, glancing down at her shocked expression. “Don’t pretend that you are concerned for my well-being when all you want is to ride my coattails in hopes of gaining your boyfriend a higher position within the realm. I am your best chance Galena, knowing Saldean would soon rather have you killed than deal with you and your extracurricular activities outside of the family business.”

“Dante! Now you listen to me, despite my mother, I have done everything I can to help you. I idolize you. I would do anything for you. Yes, I am loyal to my mother, but I am more loyal to you. Don’t be angry with me because of what she did.” I turn to look her in the eyes and realize my sister is all I have. I apologize to her with open arms, but still, how can I trust her when I know she is weak to father’s will. Everyone is weak to my father, including me at times, but I do test his patience more than any of them, something that should have done me in a long time ago. I am not sure why my father continues to believe in me, but I have a feeling it has something to do with my mother.