Unholy Intent (Unholy Union 2)

On the counter is a basket stuffed with muffins and rolls. I take the biggest muffin I see, break off a piece, and put it in my mouth. It’s good. Pumpkin.

I open the refrigerator to see what they have. Finding bottled water, I take two, tucking both under my arm, and then see a plate with the makings for a sandwich. I just need to find some bread.

I swallow the bite of muffin and close the refrigerator with my hands full. But when the door closes and I see who is standing just on the other side of it, I gasp, jumping in surprise. The bottles slip from under my arm and some of the things on the plate tip onto the floor.

Lucas catches the edge of the dish before it, too, goes crashing down.

The bite of muffin sticks in my throat as I stare back at Lucas Di Santo standing in the kitchen holding the plate of lunch meat and looking strangely amused.

“I…” I start but trail off. What am I supposed to say? I what?

He sets the plate down and bends to pick up the food that fell off, tossing it into a trash can in the corner. He then picks up the bottles of water and holds them out to me.

“Take them,” he says when I don’t move.

I reach out, then remember the muffin in my hand. I’ve crushed it.

“Those are good,” he says.

I just stare at him like an idiot.

“Let me guess,” he starts, leaning against the wall and folding his arms across his chest. “My brother demands you eat with him, or you don’t eat, is that right?”

“How do you know that?”

He shrugs a shoulder. “It seems like something Damian would do.” He turns, opens a drawer and takes out a loaf of bread. “Here. It’s fresh, baked this morning. Dishes are up there and utensils in this drawer.”

When I still don’t move, he raises an eyebrow.

“I don’t bite, you know.”

“But you do kiss.”

He cocks an eyebrow. “I couldn’t help myself. You’re beautiful, of course, and honestly, I knew it would piss my brother off.”

“You have a strange family.”

“I agree. Make your sandwich.” He gets a plate down for me and steps back, gesturing for me to go ahead.

I keep an eye on him as I set the remnants of my muffin on the plate and make a sandwich.

“Take your time. He’s not here.”

“I’m not worried about Damian.”

“No?”

“No.” It’s a lie but I hold on to it. “Where is he then?”

“Meeting. My guess is he’ll be back late in the afternoon.”

“Is there some aspirin?”

He opens another cabinet, pushes a few things aside as he looks through it. He selects a bottle and holds it out to me. When I don’t reach for it, his expression changes and at first, it’s hard to read because it’s not what I expect. Lucas looks almost resigned.

He puts the bottle on the counter, gives a small, sad smile then steps backward.

“Monsters most often don’t look like monsters on the outside, you know.”

I feel like a jerk.

I force myself to stand there and look at him. Really look at him. It’s so strange, the beautiful side of his face, then the other side. He smiles at me and it’s not monstrous. Not at all.

“I’m sorry,” I say. “I’m not being very nice and you’re trying to help me.”

He shrugs a shoulder. “I’m used to it.”

“That doesn’t excuse it.”

“Do you mind if I join you?” he asks, taking out another plate.

“That’s fine.”

He smiles again and gestures to the table. I take a seat and set one of the bottles of water in the spot across from mine. When he comes over with his sandwich, he twists the lid off, and hands it to me before doing the same with the second bottle and taking a sip.

“Eat,” he says.

I pick up my sandwich and bite into it. He takes a bite of his.

“I’d just had a strange dream the other night, so when I walked into your room, I didn’t know it was your room,” I start, feeling like I need to explain. “With the music and the rain, and honestly everything that was happening, I was spooked. I guess I thought you were a ghost.”

“I did come back like one. I’m sorry I scared you.”

We eat in silence for a few minutes. It’s awkward, but I don’t know what to say. Every time I look up, I find him watching me. I can’t tell if the feeling of unease is because of how he looks or just the way he’s watching me. It’s not right though. I have to remember that he can’t help how he looks.

“Have you been gone a long time?” I finally ask.

He nods. “Since my little sister died.”

“Annabel.”

“That’s right.”

“That must have been awful.”

“No more awful than what you experienced, I’m sure.”