𝐈𝐭 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐬 𝐈𝐧 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐞 ✔️

8

When you imagine the home of the Devil, you imagine black stones that are blazing with fire. You know that if you stepped foot into the house, the flames would swallow you whole and kill you instantly.

But as I look at the home of the Devil, it's nothing like that.

His house is large and grey. The door is black and the large stone driveway is dark. The grass around the house is very clearly taken care of regularly since it's dark green and lush. 

"Is he home?" I ask Shaw while we sit in his car in Valerio's driveway. 

"No idea," he shrugs. I take a deep breath.

I force myself to step out of the car because I knew if I didn't do it right then, then I wouldn't do it at all. My hair blows from the wind and I bite my lip nervously as I approach the double doors. 

"Relax, Sab," Shaw's voice is calming. "I'm here, nothing bad is going to happen to you."

I nod. But I also wondered if he would intervene if Valerio ever tried to kill me. Although something deep in my gut tells me he won't ever try that, I can't help but prepare for the worst. 

The door opens easily, and I step inside. My foot hits the expensive flooring and the house looks big enough to get lost in. It smells so clean, you can almost see your reflection in the flooring, and I can't spot a spec of dirt. 

"Wow," I say as I walk further in. I look around in amazement. Compared to my house, it made mine look like a shoebox. I began to wonder if Valerio had thought negatively about my house yesterday, however, he hadn't said anything. "It's so big."

"I know," Shaw agrees. "Just like me."

I shoot him a glance and he quickly follows up with, "Kidding. Well, not really kidding, but kind of."

I follow him down the hallway, walking along the granite flooring. The walls are white and your voice echoes off them. 

We reach an office. Something in me felt a little guilty when I stepped inside it. I knew it was Valerio's office, his black desk and black leather chair carried the same sinister energy as him. I knew this was the room he signed people's fates in. He sat in that chair, the one I run my fingers along, and made calls to end the lives of many.

He was so dark, so cruel. Nothing positive has ever been said about him. I wish that I feared him more than I did. I wish I was as afraid of him as everybody else is so that I would avoid his brown eyes and black hair and freckles. But I wasn't. I continued to look into those brown eyes every chance I got, and I knew that wasn't good, I knew I was getting sucked into something I should avoid. But I can't prevent it. 

When Valerio Salamanca comes calling, I answer. 

"Here are the papers," Shaw grabs them from a drawer and tosses them onto the table. "Just sign there."

I grab a pen and click it. I go to sign it, the tip of the pen connecting with the paper when I realized what this sheet was.

"A prenup?" I almost scoff. "Seriously?"

Shaw just shrugs. He says, "Personally, I don't believe in those. But I also believe in marrying for love, so."

"And how's that going for you, sweetheart?" I ask as I sign the stupid sheet of paper. "Do you have many women throwing themselves at you?"

Shaw smirks, lines forming on his cheeks. He smiles, "I just love our banter, Sabrina."

I drop the pen back on the desk. 

I follow Shaw out of the room and we begin walking back toward the door. I look around the entire time we walk. I look at every piece of artwork hung on the wall.