The Devils Book 2: Blue Eyed Devil
Автор
Shala Mungroo
Прочтений
462K
Глав
29
Catarina De Angelis is a woman who always gets her way, commanding the De Angelis empire with confidence and poise. But the one thing she can’t have? Aidan Callaghan, her brother’s best friend. Once off-limits, the girl Aidan ignored has grown into a stunning woman who now invades his every waking thought and torments his dreams. Despite the irresistible pull between them, Aidan's dark past warns him to keep his distance. But as forbidden sparks fly, temptation may prove stronger than his demons. Can Catarina and Aidan defy the odds, or will their love story burn before it begins?
1: Chapter 1
Book 2: Blue-Eyed Devil
TWELVE YEARS EARLIER
I yanked off my headphones, the sound of splashing water and boisterous laughter from the pool area of my house replacing the music.
I rolled off my bed, where I’d been engrossed in my favorite Backstreet Boys album and flipping through a Teen Beat magazine—my standard summer vacation routine—and peered out the large bay window of my bedroom that overlooked our backyard.
I wasn’t shocked to see my older brother Lucian, home from college, tossing a bubblegum pink bikini-clad blonde into the pool.
What did surprise me was the guy standing next to him. My eyes squinted in curiosity as I scrutinized the stranger from a distance. He was tall—taller even than my brother who was already over six feet.
His golden blonde hair fell over his eyes, reminiscent of Leo, who I’d just been daydreaming about in my magazine, and his body was lean but athletic, suggesting he regularly participated in some kind of sport.
My perfectly arched eyebrows lifted in appreciation as I admired his body in his navy board shorts that hung low on his hips. I wished he would turn my way so I could see if his face was as handsome as the rest of him.
Lucian seldom brought friends home with him—male friends, that is. He was four years older than me but always there when I needed him.
He was my rock, and he made sure we spent quality time together, especially during school breaks. Our father, Sebastian De Angelis, ran a billion-dollar empire and was always buried in work.
Our mother, Mariella, passed away nearly five years ago, and her loss caused my father to retreat from us even more. During those times, it felt like it was just Lucian and me against the world.
I padded down the long, winding staircase in my flip flops, frayed denim shorts, and tank top, heading out back to the pool. I paused abruptly in front of the hallway mirror to smooth back my long, dark ponytail and grimaced at my reflection.
Sure, I was pretty enough, I guess, having inherited good genes. I had long black hair and sapphire blue eyes, just like my brother, but my frame was more slender than curvy.
More than once, I’d been told I had the body of a high-fashion model—but I was too self-conscious to put myself out there like that. Besides, my father would have a heart attack if I did.
Lucian and I were to be his successors. Well, Lucian was, but I was expected to be there to support him, according to my father’s family tradition. I was determined to prove him wrong and show him that I was more than capable of running the De Angelis empire.
All he had to do was give me a chance. I brushed past the bodyguards patrolling the house, as I usually did, and stepped out onto the patio, immediately catching the attention of my brother and his guests.
“Cat! Come over here, love.”
Lucian hoisted himself out of the pool, water cascading down his chest and washboard abs, and with a mischievous grin—made a move to hug me.
I squealed and leaped out of reach, but Lucian scooped me up in his arms, hugging me tight. I laughed, oblivious to the way the blonde guy was watching me with curiosity.
Lucian pulled away to slip an arm around my shoulders, turning me to face his guests.
“Cat, that’s Linda over there.”
He pointed to the flavor-of-the-week in the pool who waved back. “And this”—he swiveled me toward the blonde guy so we were barely a few feet apart—“is Aidan Callaghan from my Tort class. Remember I told you about him?”
So this was Aidan. I remembered Luc mentioning the guy who was never shy about answering questions in class…or flirting with the female teachers.
His clear gray eyes met mine evenly, and a shiver of awareness crept up my spine. He was stunning.
He had a typically straight Anglo nose, square jawline, and striking eyebrows that accentuated his intense, smoky gaze. I could already feel myself being drawn to him, and we hadn’t even been properly introduced.
I extended my hand, and he took it in his. The contact was so electrifying that I almost gasped. I was too naive to see the mirrored response in his eyes that he was trying to carefully conceal.
“Little Cat,” he murmured, his thumb absentmindedly tracing my inner wrist, igniting a fire deep in my belly, “finally we meet…except you’re not as little as your brother described.”
I shot Lucian my best fake scowl and playfully punched his arm. He released me to join Linda in the pool, leaving me alone with Aidan.
“I’m sixteen,” I stated firmly, facing Aidan again and crossing my arms over my chest.
I couldn’t help but notice the way he tilted his head as he studied me from head to toe, making me acutely aware that my clothes were now soaked thanks to Lucian, but hopefully not see-through. His lips twitched as if my response amused him.
“I can see that.”
“Are you staying with us for the summer?” I asked innocently as I dipped a toe in the pool to test the temperature, so I missed his frown.
“Just for a few days,” he told me, his expression closing off. “Then I have to spend some time with my family back in England.”
I spun back to him in surprise.
“I love England! Is that where you’re from? You don’t seem to have much of an accent.”
I knew I was babbling but couldn’t help it. He didn’t seem to mind at all. He just slipped on his sunglasses and smiled at me, his dimples distracting me.
“That’s because I’ve been attending school in America since I was six.”
I opened my mouth, ready to ask a hundred questions because he was just so intriguing, but Luc splashed water on us, making me shriek.
“You guys can chat later. Come on in!”
Aidan gave me a shrug and cannonballed into the pool to join his friends.
For the next few days, Luc, Aidan, and I did practically everything together. I was surprised that they didn’t mind having me tag along with them, whether it was to the movies or hitting the gym.
Now and then, Luc would have a girl join our new group, but not Aidan. It was during these times that we got closer. We learned so much more about each other.
I discovered that his father was also a big shot across the pond and ran his own multi-million dollar business. Aidan, as an only child, was expected to take over when he finished law school, just like Luc. He spoke fondly of his mother but hinted at a very strict upbringing.
I got the impression that his father was very hard on him. When he fell into the somber mood I was quickly becoming familiar with—when he thought about his family, I would tease him out of it.
As the week drew to a close and Aidan was set to depart for England, it felt as though my heart was being violently torn from my chest.
Little did I realize that what had begun as a simple teenage infatuation would evolve into something so much more profound.
***
“Are you sure you have to go?” I asked, my voice trembling.
Aidan nodded. “I have to. My family needs me there.”
I bit my lip, trying to hold back tears. “But what about us?”
He took my hand gently. “We’ll make it work. I promise.”
I looked into his eyes, searching for reassurance. “You really think we can?”
“Yes,” he said firmly. “I believe in us.”
I sighed, feeling a mix of hope and despair. “I’ll miss you every day.”
“I’ll miss you too,” he whispered, pulling me into a tight embrace.
