“Dean,” I offered with a hug before pulling back. His eyes were dark and concerned. “She’s here?”
“Sorry we weren’t there when you arrived.” He ran a hand through his hair. “I didn’t realize she’d be back.”
“I only found out earlier today,” I admitted and shook my head. “Let me go talk to Hayden real quick and then I am going to try to find her.”
“She’s different now,” Dean muttered, his face filled with a tiny amount of emotion that I knew was a fucking big deal for him. I inhaled and nodded in understanding because I’d been keeping a very, very close eye on Lorcan despite never actually contacting her.
Was I upset she’d left us? Absolutely. Did I understand it? Not completely. I would trust she had her reasons, and I would focus on making her believe she could trust us with those.
Then Hayden was there, and he was smiling. “King Desmonddddd.”
I handed him the bottle of drugs as he flashed a smile. I spoke quietly, “Where is she?”
“I didn’t know you were interested in Lorcan,” he mused. “I could have introduced you to her long ago. Careful though, the woman breaks hearts daily.”
I didn’t answer, because it was an accurate statement.
“Where is she—”
My eyes narrowed as Hayden zipped across the room. Clearly our conversation was over. However, it left me to watch Lorcan make her way down the stairs. Holy fuck. I shared a look with Dean, because holy fuck, seeing her in person again was nothing like seeing her from afar.
Lorcan had always been stunning when we were teenagers, but this version was something else entirely. Putting aside the fact that she was literally mouthwatering to look at, I couldn’t help but be attracted to the haunted shadows across her face. It was fucked up. Then again, I’d always been somewhat attracted to darker things, something I’d hidden my entire life.
Her movements were easy and controlled as she moved throughout the room, interacting with her party guests. My demon was unusually quiet, and I absolutely knew it wasn’t because he didn’t care. No, this was worse than that.
“Fuck,” a muttered curse came from my mouth as Hayden handed her the bottle of drugs I’d brought from the demonic realm.
I hadn’t even fucking considered that.
Lorcan walked towards the kitchen and I followed her, not giving a fuck anymore. I had no idea what I was going to do. I didn’t overthink it. As I pushed into the once semi-familiar kitchen, I let out a curse under my breath. One of the housekeepers was whispering something to her.
Her long legs and perfect ass were only enhanced by the red tiny fucking skirt she wore and the curve of her fucking spine. The way she was leaning over the counter had me wanting to push up that skirt and give her something else to focus on besides drugs.
“Lorcan Louvre.” Her name spilled from my lips as I considered ways to stop her from taking the drugs besides violently ripping it from her hand or kissing the shit out of her. Lorcan’s seafoam green eyes met mine, but I didn’t see any flicker of recognition.
I continued, “I never thought you would be one for Demonic realm products.”
Her voice had me getting an instant fucking hard-on. “You know what they say about assuming things. Plus, I am pretty sure I have you to thank for these.”
Yeah, because I was a goddamn idiot and had wanted to see you bad enough I didn’t think about why Hayden had wanted them. Fucking hell—talk about a fuck up.
I watched as she laid out a small green metallic capsule and split it apart, laying out the shiny substance in a line. I had one saving grace, and that was the fact that what I’d given Hayden wasn’t nearly as bad as he had assumed. It wasn’t what he’d even wanted. Why as a fucking king would I give him, someone in my realm, something that could kill him? No, this was just a more enhanced version of coke.
“You’re not even curious what a djinn is doing in your house?” Because I was going to spank her perfect perky ass for having no goddamn sense of self-preservation. This was ridiculous.
“Let alone one you don’t know?” I hated those last words that came from my lips, because in some ways I couldn’t believe that she didn’t remember me. She’d made such a huge impact on my life, and I seemed to have made none on hers.
I watched Lorcan snort one line. My hand twitched, wanting to knock the obsidian platter to the floor. A second line. I moved slightly closer. She snorted a third line before she looked up at me, blinking her stunning eyes as her pupils expanded, the instant high hitting her system. My demon was still very quiet, but we could both smell the drugs running through her system, and fuck there were a lot of them. Not even just the ones I was responsible for, either.
A confused expression filled her face as she looked over me before shaking her head and doing a last line. Her voice was relaxed and lazy as she replied, “I’m not so much interested in why you’re in my kitchen, but more interested in why you are at my party past the drop off? Do I know you?”
I couldn’t help but let a sad chuckle escape as my demon finally came out to play, a wave of frustration running over me at the fact that she didn’t recognize us. My hand cupped her jaw as she moved against me, her eyes filled and shaded with something hidden but very intense.
“Do you really know anyone, Lorcan?” I didn’t think she did anymore. I wasn’t positive she remembered anything from her previous life.
“Do I really want to know anyone?” she asked with a cocky smile.
My demon snapped as I felt words come from my mouth I hadn’t planned. “Oh, you want to know me.”
“Why is that?”
I spoke honestly. “Because I’m going to shatter your heart.”
Like you did mine. Like you continue to do to me.
Then I would pick up every single broken piece and keep it. Because it was fucking mine. The whiplash of my emotions mixed with my demon’s was making me goddamn sick.
Lorcan let out a real laugh, her head falling back slightly as her eyes filled with tears. “Listen, what’s your name?”
I watched her, entrapped by her clear breakdown. “Desmond.”
She leaned forward so our noses brushed, making my hands tighten on her. “Well, Desmond. I’ll make you a deal.”
Instantly my demon was focused solely on her next words, wanting her to offer us anything just so we could have some claim over her. We wanted her soul, but I could deal with other things if it meant getting as close to her as possible.
Was I beyond trapping her into a demonic contract? I’m not positive. I felt guilt hit me at that thought. No, I wanted her soul, but I wanted her to give that to me.
“What’s that?”
“If you can shatter my heart,” she purred, her eyes sparkling with joy, “you can also have the pleasure of killing me.” Fuck. Lorcan was really deep in this hole.
“You would want me to kill you?”
“You misunderstand,” she said, running her fingers along my chest. “If you shatter my heart, then you have to kill me.”
“Why?” I would rather kill myself than ever kill Lorcan. The concept made me see red.
“Because I would be in love with you more than death.” Her tongue darted out to her plump lip. “I would have fallen for someone despite their inability to love.”