‘Jade,’ he says more sharply, ‘there’s something you should know.’
I clench my teeth. Jeez, can’t he just let me have my moment of dignity? ‘What?’
He sighs and drags a hand over his face. ‘It’s about us sleeping together. It’s my fault. I was caught up in the moment, and I thought my boss wouldn’t care, that he’d turn a blind eye to it. But he hasn’t. Turns out Lucifer’s been keeping a close eye on me. On us.’
‘What do you mean?’ I say slowly, dread pooling in my stomach. The smell of sulphur intensifies, and my skin creeps, like there are hidden ears and eyes in the wall. Watching us.
‘There’s no way to say this nicely. Lucifer’s claimed your soul, and even though I pleaded for it, he’s not budging. He was in a foul mood for some reason. More than usual,’ says Sebastian dolefully. ‘I think I’ve really pissed him off.’
Blood drains from my face, and my hands start shaking. I slump against the desk. ‘What the fuck?’
Sebastian rises hastily and grips my shoulders. The heat from his hands burns through my net top and scorches my skin. I stare up at him.
‘I’m sorry,’ he says, looking down at me. ‘But you did make a deal with me. You knew what you were doing.’
I wrench away from him, anger boiling through me. ‘But I didn’t sleep with you when I made the deal, remember? That was the arrangement. And last night wasn’t part of that. It was ... different! If I knew I’d be spending an eternity in hell, I wouldn’t have done it!’
OK, sex with Sebastian was definitely worth spending an eternity in hell for, but I’m not telling him that.
I don’t think he’ll care, but Sebastian looks like I’ve slapped him. His expression hardens, and he seems to grow taller, bulkier; his forehead is sprouting horns, eyes flashing red. I gasp in horror and stumble backwards, towards the door.
He groans as if my reaction pains him, and when I blink, the vision has gone, and he’s himself again.
‘What the actual fuck?’ I yelp.
Sebastian looks at me coldly. ‘I’m sorry that I repel you. I won’t bother you again.’
He snaps his fingers and disappears. Taking the Care Bear with him.
25
JADE
Iwallowinafunk of despair after Sebastian leaves but eventually get bored and go looking for my flatmates. I need the combo of Kiki’s fun energy and Rach’s caring, sweet nature to distract me. But they’re not at home.
According to the flowered notepad on the hallway table, which sits next to an ancient green dial telephone, Rach is at the hospital visiting her mum and Kiki is having after-work drinks with friends. Rach left a PS saying she’d rustle something up when she gets back, but fuck that. She cooks every night, and this is a good chance to pull my weight. Not that I’m much of a chef, but I do make a mean poke bowl when I’m in the mood to eat healthily. Plus it only involves marinating fish, cooking rice, chopping veggies, and a bit of artful assemblage.
I pop out to grab the ingredients. The edamame beans and sriracha sauce cause me a few issues at the local Tesco as no one knows what the heck I’m talking about. So I scrap those and get some pickled red cabbage and sweet chilli sauce, both in jars, instead. It’s surprising how conservative people in the ’80s wereabout what they ate. If Rach is anything to go by, home cooking is still the norm. But judging by the small freezer of microwave meals available, that’s all going to change big time in the coming years. Working women will throw down their oven mitts, and men will have to learn to cook—or at least operate a microwave.
As I push my trolley around, noticing familiar items that are still around in the present day, I start feeling that nostalgic urge for the future again. Idly, I pick up a can of Heinz Baked Beans and drift off for a moment, a silly grin on my face, as I picture Sebastian in my little kitchen dressed in nothing but an apron. His smooth butt cheeks flex, and his sexy fallen angel wings ripple as he chops and stirs. Turning around, he catches me perving and gives me shit about it. I chuckle to myself, imagining the conversation.
To shut him up, I go over and fondle him under his apron. My cheeks heat, and I swallow, imagining him saying huskily that we should work up an appetite before dinner ...
Hastily, I shove the baked beans back on the shelf.Stop thinking about him!
Yet as I’m chopping salmon, avocado (which was bloody expensive!), and carrots into cubes in the kitchen, my mind keeps drifting to him. Things he’s said. Things he’s done. The Care Bear. It’s starting to scare me how quickly he’s inserted himself into my psyche and how much I crave him now that he’s not here. What if I am actually addicted to him? Like he’s my drug of choice, and I’ll do anything to get a fix? I am my father’s daughter after all, and Tommy Rains is a bad influence. Shit, being a drug user is probably in my DNA. Now I’m going to have to wean myself off Sebastian!
Thankfully, Kiki and Rach arrive home and interrupt my line of thinking because I’m not entirely sure how to get rehab for being hooked on a devil.
Quickly, I assemble three poke bowls and place them on the table, along with three pairs of chopsticks and a small jug of sweet chilli sauce. The fresh veggies, along with marinated salmon and pickled cabbage on a bed of sticky white rice, look colourful and appetising. I’ve even added some chopped peanuts and sliced spring onions for texture and garnish.
My flatmates are taking a while in the hallway, and I can hear low voices murmuring, then silence. But eventually, they stroll into the kitchen. Immediately, I notice Rach’s eyes are red, and Kiki isn’t her usual bouncy self. Something’s going down, but I don’t know what.
‘Ta-da!’ I say with a big smile, hoping to inject some enthusiasm into the gloomy atmosphere that’s snuck in the door with them. ‘I made dinner. Hope you guys are hungry.’
Rach rubs at her nose, which is a delicate shade of pink, and gives me a wobbly smile. ‘Oh, that’s so nice of you, Jadey. You didn’t have to. I was going to—’
‘No,’ I say firmly, steering her to the table and gently pushing her into her seat. ‘I wanted to. You deserve a night off.’