Dealing with the Devil Read Free Page B

his emotions. “Go home, Luce. I’ll deal with you later.”
    Lucy’s eyes narrowed into angry slits. What the hell did he mean
deal with her later
? Gabe had the look of a man on the edge. She thought about arguing but given precarious nature of the situation, she grabbed her purse from behind the bar and did what she was told. On her way out, Danny grabbed her arm; she could feel concern radiating off him in waves. Lucy flashed Danny half a smile. “I’m fine. Don’t worry about me.” Danny didn’t look convinced but Lucy
was
fine. Their father hadn’t allowed her to be a weakling. If Beaver tried to force her into anything, she’d have made a eunuch out of him in ten seconds flat.
    Hitting the open road was just what Lucy needed right now. Her Harley seemed petite next to the hulking bikes parked outside the club. The streetlights reflected against the shimmering cherry red paint, polished to perfection. Lucy loved this bike more than she could ever imagine loving anything else in the world. The wheel wells were perfectly pristine and spotless, the handlebars free of any dust or debris, and the engine purred like a kitten as she turned the key. Once her helmet was fastened securely, Lucy took off like a shot.
    She considered taking the long way home when thunder rumbled in the distance. Lucy pushed harder, weaving her way along the back roads to shave off time. She made it home just as a storm kicked up around her. Rain like this meant Danny would sleep at the club tonight; it wasn’t safe to be riding in this kind of weather. Plus, the Devil Eaters would be out around midnight and he never turned down an opportunity to sleep with a pretty woman.
    Lightning zipped in the distance as Lucy changed out of her jeans and slipped into a pair of black yoga pants and a tank top. She desperately needed to work out some of her frustrations. The home gym wasn’t much to speak of: there was a punching bag suspended on a thick metal chain, a set of free weights, and a rusty rowing machine that her mother had picked up at a garage sale before Danny was born. Lucy quickly taped her hands before taking the first hit on the punching bag. It barely swung as she warmed up but her blows became more aggressive as she hit her stride.
    Perspiration beaded on Lucy’s brow as she poured her frustrations into her workout. She landed a particularly hard blow and sweat burned into her eyes. Lucy cursed and grabbed a towel, dragging it over her face. When she pulled it away, she startled at the realization that she was not alone.
    “Pretending this is my face?” Archie drawled lazily, grabbing the bag so it wouldn’t knock her as it swung. His lips curved up into half a smile despite how unsettled things were between them right now.
    Lucy padded over to the ancient fridge that stood in the corner. “Something like that…” She tugged the door open and dug around. “You want a beer?” She tossed him a can before cracking open her water and taking a long sip. “What are you doing here?”
    “I need to talk to you.” A rumble of thunder shook the house and the lights flickered menacingly. “But not down here. If the power goes out, I do not want to be trapped in this stuffy basement.” This time when he reached for her, his touch was gentle. “I’m not here to argue, okay? Hear me out, Luce.” Archie shepherded her up the stairs while trying not to stare at her delightfully rounded backside in those damned stretchy pants.
    Lucy didn’t protest. The power frequently went out during storms. As kids, they’d spent many nights huddled in a blanket fort in the living room with a single flashlight between them. Lucy brushed away the memories and immediately headed into the kitchen to dig that old flashlight out of a drawer. Without being asked, Gabriel lit several candles. They moved around each other with relative ease, performing monotonous tasks until finally everything was complete and they were forced to interact with one