Lucifer's Cage (After Dark Book 6) by Sarah Bailey (romantic story to read TXT) 📕

fucking knight in shining armour, which, I might add, you are most decidedly not.”

He smirked.

“Hmm, perhaps not, but you don’t have a choice in the matter. Don’t forget, this is my domain. What I say goes.”

She hadn’t forgotten. Crossing her arms over her chest, she let out a breath.

“Fine, just keep your hands to yourself.”

That made his eyes widen a fraction, but his smirk remained, and he was still standing far too close to her.

“Are you sure about that?”

“Perfectly.”

She stood up. Their bodies were inches apart. She craned her neck up to look at the tall angel. Heat radiated from him. It was hard to think straight, but she was determined not to allow him to gain the upper hand.

“Don’t test me, Lucifer,” she said. “I’m not a plaything for your amusement.”

He reached up. His hand hovered over her hair for a moment before he twirled the strands around his fingers. Her breath caught in her throat. Her bright pink hair was just the latest in a long line of outlandish colours she chose deliberately to irritate her father.

“Half fae and yet I do not believe this is what it looks like naturally,” he said, his voice low.

“No,” she replied.

“Will you tell me?”

His voice took on a seductive note to it.

Fuck my life. Why? Why is he so goddamn alluring?

“No.”

Ever since she was a child, her father had insisted she kept it secret. The fae could change their hair colour at will. It was a gift she’d inherited.

“Why ever not?”

“What makes you think it’s any of your business?”

His hand curled around the back of her head, his thumb brushing along her cheek.

“It isn’t, but you’re going to tell me. Maybe not now, but one day.”

He released her abruptly, turning away and striding towards the double doors a few feet away from them. He waved a hand at her, indicating she should follow him. The only problem was she felt rooted to the spot, completely undone by that simple touch. She put a hand to her cheek, knowing her face was burning.

“Come along. If you’re going to stay here, then I suppose I shall give you the grand tour.”

She unstuck her feet from the floor and trudged along after him, feeling as though she was in for one heck of a bumpy ride.

§

Sat on his throne, Lucifer drummed his fingers on the armrest. There were several issues requiring his attention, but he couldn’t concentrate properly. His mind rested firmly on the girl he’d left in his private chambers. The half witch, half fae girl who barrelled her way into his life like a fucking thunderstorm.

Time did not pass in the same way in Hell as it did up on Earth, but at an estimate, it had been at least a week since she’d landed on top of him. A week of pure torture. There was a part of him that wanted to pin her down on his bed and fuck her senseless. The memory of her supple, curvaceous body beneath his assaulted all his senses. His hand curled into a fist. The other half knew better than to get tangled up with a girl who shouldn’t even be in Hell in the first place.

“My Lord?”

He looked up. His assistant, Mallmomoz, was staring at him with wide eyes.

“What?” he snapped.

“I said Dantalion is waiting.”

Mall was just another in a long line of assistants, but she was one of the more competent demons. She didn’t mince words, unlike the others. It was refreshing, but he had little patience for anyone these days.

“For fuck’s sake. Does he ever not have something to complain about?”

She shrugged, handing him a report.

“It seems he is having a disagreement with Beleth again.”

He looked down at the document, eyes scanning over the contents. He rolled his eyes, waving a hand at Mall.

“Fucking idiots. Fine, send him in. The sooner I get this over with, the better.”

Mall disappeared for a moment. Lucifer stared down at his clenched fist.

How has she gotten under my skin in such a short space of time?

Maddening. The temptation to have her was absolutely maddening.

He knew she wasn’t immune to him by any stretch of the imagination despite what she might say. If only he didn’t have to deal with this ridiculous situation, he could go back and see her. Maybe she’d give into him. He hadn’t yet broached the subject with her since that first day. She was sullen and uncommunicative for the first few days. He supposed he could hardly blame her. He was just as irritated being stuck down here unable to leave when he pleased. His father had taken away his freedom yet again.

There was a commotion outside his throne room. Two demons burst through the doorway, Mall hot on their heels.

“I told you this is my meeting,” Dantalion shouted.

“I don’t give a shit. This has gone on long enough,” Beleth retorted.

Lucifer wanted to put his head in his hands.

Great. Just fucking great. Both of them at the same time.

The two of them didn’t pay him any mind, both arguing at the top of their voices.

“Enough. Would you two pipe the fuck down for one minute?” he said, his voice carrying across the room.

Dantalion, Beleth and Mall froze, all turning his way. He hadn’t moved from his throne, but Lucifer’s expression was thunderous. As if his day wasn’t already shaping up to be a nightmare, he had to deal with his two most argumentative and disruptive dukes.

Beleth had gotten worse since he’d been confronted by Michael during the fight against the Darkness. Lucifer rolled his eyes. He hadn’t been bothered when he’d discovered his demons were colluding with angels and creating hybrids. Michael orchestrating the entire plan changed things.

The self-righteous