At first, the light is too harsh on my eyes and I have to blink several times before the strange man standing in our bedroom comes into focus.
This must be a dream, I convince myself and squeeze my eyes shut. I open them again but I still just can’t believe it.
There’s no way that man is real.
Standing in the center of my bedroom, the man is illuminated by a halo of light coming from the lamp. The light seems to love him, clinging to him. He’s glowing and so alluring, he looks almost angelic.
“What the fuck are you doing in my house? You can’t just come walking in here…” Marshall sputters. His fat fists grab the blanket, yanking it away from me as he pulls it up his hairy chest.
I gasp as the cool air hits my breasts and the sound draws the attention of the angelic stranger. He turns his icy blue gaze on me and I’m utterly stunned as our eyes meet.
With just a look I feel held by him.
Trapped.
Frozen.
Helpless.
He’s so beautiful it hurts to look upon him. The kind of beauty that’s so strong, so deeply felt, it’s like experiencing a piece of music that moves you and staring into the sun at the same time.
Tears prick my eyes and my skin tingles as I break out in gooseflesh.
His face is a composition of features so perfect that now that I’ve glimpsed them I fear all other men will be forever compared to him.
Chiseled cheeks, full, pink lips. A strong jaw and straight nose. Blonde hair so pale it’s nearly snow white and brushed back from his forehead.
It feels like an eternity passes as we stare at each other across my bedroom and then his eyes break away only to slide down, warming as they lock on the pale swells of my breasts.
A flush creeps up my chest. I’m not naked but in this little lacy nightie, I feel like I am.
I grab the blanket and Marshall cries out as I yank it back. He shoots me a dirty look but I give him my coldest glare and practically dare him to try and take it back.
Screw him, no one cares about his hairy man-chest.
The stranger watches our little tug of war, his lips curving with a hint of amusement.
Marshall finally gives up on trying to wrestle the blanket away from me and decides to steal my pillow instead. Covering his chest with my pillow, he hugs it tightly and puffs up as he says, “If you leave now, Lucifer, I’ll forget this incident ever happened.”
Lucifer? Is that the stranger’s name? How strange and morbid. Yet, I swear I’ve heard that name before, on the news or in the paper…
The stranger’s eyes flash and the amusement disappears from his lips. Two dark shadows shimmer behind him and I swallow back a gasp as I realize those two shadows are two other men.
What the hell is going on? Who are these men and why are they in my bedroom? I turn to Marshall and watch him squirm uneasily.
What did Marshall do?
“You’ll forget this ever happened?” Lucifer says coolly and his eyes narrow with menace. “Just like you forgot to pay me back the five million dollars you owe me?”
All the color drains instantly from Marshall’s face and his eyes dart from side to side as if he’s trying to figure out an escape plan. “I already paid that back. You’ll have to talk to Sean if you want your money.”
“Sean’s dead.”
I watch Marshall’s mouth open then close, then open again. He sputters and gasps like a fish out of water, his face starting to turn blue from the lack of oxygen.
I can’t believe Marshall borrowed five million dollars. What would he need with so much money? I know I haven’t seen a penny of it.
“I paid Sean the money,” Marshall finally gets out, and then rushes on to say, “I don’t have five million to pay you…”
Lucifer takes a step towards our bed. “That’s too bad.”
“Wait!” Marshall cries out in panic, the grip of his fingers tearing at the pillow he holds to his chest. “Maybe we can work something out? I could—”
“I’ve had a look at your assets. You have no means to pay me back,” Lucifer says dismissively and takes another step toward the bed.
I look between Lucifer and Marshall and now I’m starting to feel panicked. Lucifer has only taken two steps towards our bed but there’s clear menace in the way he’s moving.
What is he going to do? Are they going to hurt Marshall?
Are they going to hurt me?
Lucifer takes another step and Marshall whimpers. He whimpers.
The sound has my hackles rising and I wonder if there’s something I could do. I glance towards my phone on my nightstand. The moment I don’t think they’re looking at me I’m going to make a grab for it.