SWNOVELS The Devil’s Fire by Mariam El-Hafi Chapter 14
Trigger Warning; Violence!
Althaia
I took my time getting back to the dining room as I kept thinking about what had just happened. I had no idea what came over me and I must have lost my mind to it happen. I could have stopped it. I should have stopped him. But I didn’t want to and that left me confused, and frankly, scared. He was a deadly man, and that should be enough for me to be running for my life. Yet, I was attracted to him, and my body betrayed me by reacting so quickly to his touch.
It must be the wine! Yes, it was definitely the wine that prevented me from thinking rationally.
I walked back into the dining room and my eyes immediately went to Damiano, who was already looking at me with his intense gaze. His arm was resting at the back of my chair as he sipped his glass of whiskey. His expression was completely blank, with no sign of anything as if we hadn’t just done something we shouldn’t have in the bathroom.
“Darling, are you okay? You didn’t finish your dinner.” Morella said, now standing in front of me, putting her hand on my cheek.
“Oh my, you’re burning!” She erupted and my father stood up as well and looked at me with a concerned look. He pressed
the back of his hand on my forehead and frowned..
“Figlia, are you okay? Do you need to rest?”
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“No, no I’m fine.” I said quickly and gave them a reassuring smile, but they didn’t look convinced.
“I just need a little fresh air and I’ll be okay. I promise.”
“Yes, go get some fresh air. Dessert will be out in a little while.” Luckily, they returned to their seats. I looked at Cara as I avoided eye contact with a certain set of golden-brown eyes. Cara raised from her seat and walked with me out to the backyard.
The slightly cool night breeze kissed my heated skin immediately the minute we stepped out. I closed my eyes for a second as I felt my hot body cool down. My moment got interrupted when Cara grabbed my arm and started to drag me away from the entrance. She stopped when we reached behind a tree and out of view if someone was to step out.
“Okay, spill it! What is going on between the two of you.” She asked and I just raised my eyebrows in surprise.
“Between whom?” I asked confused.
“Don’t play dumb with me, Thaia.” She eyed me suspiciously. “I saw the way he was looking at you.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” I looked away and crossed my arms against my chest. Cara raised her perfectly arched eyebrow at me.
“I heard you.” She said with a smug tone, and I whipped my head back to her. She was grinning widely at me.
“You heard…?” I looked at her in shock.
“Yup. So, did you fuck?”
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“What? No!” + exclaimed.
“Then what? Because whatever it was, you were enjoying it. Big time.” She wiggled her eyebrows at me.
“Ew, were you listening?!” I scrunched my face at her.
“I’m not a creep, you freak.” She rolled her eyes at me.
“When you left, Damiano got up and left as well. I thought I would check on you since you walked away fast. Instead, I heard you enjoying yourself in there.” She laughed as she said the last part and I put my head in my hands, dying from embarrassment.
“You are loud, honey.” She continued teasing me.
“Oh my God, just stop!” I said and made my way back. I could feel my body getting hot again in embarrassment.
“So, what did you do?” She walked in step with me, and I sighed, knowing she wouldn’t let it go.
“Nothing… He just … touched me.” I said, struggling to find the words.
“He finger-fucked you, didn’t he.” She stated and I groaned at her choice of words.
“Something like that.” I admitted.
“Does he know you’re a virgin?” I stopped to look at her.
“I’m not …?”
“You might as well be. When was the last time you got some? I heard that if you wait long enough, a new hymen will grow
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back.” Cara cracked up at her own joke. I just shook my nead at her and continued to walk. God, help me with this one.
“You’re not funny.” I mumbled while she continued to laugh.
“Oh, well, looks like your man came out to check on you.” I looked up and saw Damiano standing in front of the entrance, smoking a cigarette. He wasn’t alone as Tank Man was next to him. The sight of both of them together was intimidating, to say the least. Especially when Damiano’s eyes were focused on me and my every move as we walked toward them. He finished his cigarette, and they stepped aside for us to walk in but followed close behind as we made our way back to the dining room.
We made it back just as the dessert was being served. Damiano rested his arm at the back of my chair once again, his fingers lightly caressing the back of my shoulder. I reached for my refilled glass of wine and took a little too big of a sip.
“Slow down.” Damiano said in a low voice, only for me to hear. I faced him and his golden-brown eyes were already set on me. I got lost in his eyes for a minute, forgetting the people around us.
“Althaia, we were just talking about both families should join the Sunday Service together.” The voice of my father had me break eye contact to look at him.
“Oh, I was actually planning on leaving Saturday night.”
“Leaving? Leaving where?” My father furrowed his brows at
“I’m going home, papá. I wasn’t supposed to stay this long
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Oh, Shit!
anyways.” I half-shrugged.
“Nonsense! This is your home. You’re staying.” He said firmly and I just sighed.
“I have to get back to mom. Plus, I have work.” I tried to explain but he wasn’t having any of it.
“Is this what she’s doing to you? Keeping you away from me all these years and making you work? No daughter of mine should work. You’re staying.” He said as a final order. I already dreaded that phone call I had to make to my mother.
“And no more hotels. This is your home.” He said firmly, making me feel like a child. I shook my head and chuckled a little. At least I would be spending more time with Cara.
“Damiano, let’s go back to my proposal. You should make me in charge of your products. There will be more distributions and more money!” Uncle said with a smug smile, and Damiano looked at him with a brow raised.
“If I do that, there would be no products left. Your snorting ass would leave us out of business.” He stated calmly, making my Uncle’s smile fall immediately.
“Do you think I’m a crackhead like the whore you call a mother?” He roared and everyone stopped making a sound, a cold silence surrounding us. It felt like everyone had stopped breathing to not make a sound when Damiano stared at Uncle with a look so dark I could only shudder from it.
Like a flash of lightning, Damiano grabbed Uncle’s head, smashed his head violently down at the table, and dragged him across, making the plates and glasses crash to the floor. I got out of my seat and moved away as fast as I could while I
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watched the scene in front of me in horror.
“I dare you to say that one more time.” His voice was dangerously low and ice-cold which made me shudder in fear. Everyone was standing now, not daring to interfere. He had my Uncle in front of him, staring him down with his cold eyes.
If a look could kill, this was it.
“Cara, take Althaia away from here.” My father ordered but I stood frozen in place when she tried to grab my hand and lead me away. My father tried to step in and talk some sense to Damiano, but Lorenzo stopped him and made sure he couldn’t interfere. There was no way my father would be able to handle Lorenzo no matter what.
“I said your whore of a mothe – “Uncle didn’t finish his sentence as Damiano grabbed his jaw so hard it looked like he was about to break it. He turned to look at my terrified face, and I saw the stone-cold and murderous expression on his face.
“Don’t look.” He simply said and I saw him grab a knife.
A scream of pain pierced my eardrums as I looked at Uncle’s tongue which was now on the floor. I felt myself stop breathing as I followed the trail of blood. A large amount of blood was gushing out of his mouth like a red waterfall. Cara tried to get me away from the scene, but my legs wouldn’t move. I was blocking everything out as I couldn’t move my -eyes away from all the blood.
My vision got blocked by the scene, and I looked up to see Damiano looking at me. I started to hyperventilate, suddenly feeling it was hard to get any air in my lungs
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Black spots appeared in my vision, and everything went black.