The Devil's Kiss

Chapter 6

Sophie Evans

Liam Devereux turned out to be a complete jerk. The moment his gaze raked over my body, I knew exactly what he was going to suggest. The arrogant smirk, the glint in his eyes, I had seen that look before.

I didn’t even let him get the words out.

Without thinking, I kicked him hard right in the shin.

“Go to hell, Liam,” I spat before storming off.

I didn’t look back as I flagged down a taxi, my heart pounding in frustration and shame. The moment I slid into the backseat, I clenched my fists in my lap, trying to hold back tears.

What the hell was I thinking?

Going to him like that, expecting him to help just because of our history, was foolish.

Lucas was lying unconscious in a hospital bed, and I was out here humiliating myself in front of the one man I swore I’d never ask for anything.

***

The ride to Lucas’s apartment felt longer than it should have. Every second, my mind replayed that moment, the look in Liam’s eyes, the way he had smirked as if he was in control, as if I was just another desperate woman willing to do anything for money.

The thought made me sick.

By the time the taxi pulled up outside Lucas’s apartment, my hands were trembling with rage and despair. I paid the driver, barely listening as he muttered something about taking care, and climbed out.

The moment I stepped inside, the familiar scent of old wood and laundry detergent hit me.

The place was small but neat, just as I remembered. Lucas had never been the kind of person to let things fall into disarray. Even when we were kids, he was always the responsible one, the planner, the saver, the one who made sure we had food on the table.

And now, he was the one who needed saving.

I moved quickly, searching through his drawers, cabinets, anywhere he might have stashed some emergency cash. There had to be something. Some savings. Important documents. Anything that could help. But all I found were unpaid bills, final notices, and red-stamped warnings.

My hands shook as I flipped through them. Rent overdue. Electricity is at risk of being shut off. Tears blurred my vision as I sank onto the couch, my last hope slipping away. This couldn’t be happening.

My phone rang, breaking through my downward spiral. It was Benita.

I quickly wiped my eyes and answered. “Hello?”

“Sophie,” Benita’s voice was gentle. “How did it go?”

I swallowed hard. “Liam is a jerk.”

A short silence. Then a soft sigh. “I’m sorry.”

I rubbed my temples, feeling the beginnings of a headache. “Benita, do you know anything about these unpaid bills? Or if Lucas had any savings anywhere?”

There was hesitation on the other end. A pause that lasted just a second too long.

Then, Benita said something that made my stomach drop. “Sophie… Lucas took out a loan. Secretly.”

My grip on the phone tightened. “What?”

“He never told me much, but I know he was struggling financially,” she admitted. “He said it was for a friend, but he never told me who.”

A cold chill ran down my spine.

A loan?

Lucas never took risks like that. He was always so careful, so financially responsible. If he had reached the point of taking out a secret loan, things must have been worse than I ever realized.

How long had he been drowning in this mess? Had he tried to tell me? Had I been too stubborn, too caught up in my own issues to notice?

I squeezed my eyes shut, guilt settling like a heavy weight in my chest.

“I have to go,” I muttered, ending the call before Benita could say anything else.

The apartment suddenly felt suffocating. I couldn’t sit here anymore. I grabbed my coat and rushed out, my mind spinning with everything I had just learned.

Outside, the cold air hit me, but I barely felt it. I turned back to look at the apartment building, the realization hitting me all over again. We had no one else to help us. No family. No friends left in New York. We were completely alone.

A broken sob escaped my lips as I wrapped my arms around myself.

Tears spilled over before I could stop them.

I stood there, in the middle of the sidewalk, crying like a fool.

I had fought so hard to stay strong, to act like I had everything under control. But the truth was, I didn’t.

I had nothing. There were no more plans. No solutions.

I didn’t know how long I stood there, lost in my own despair until I felt a hand tap my shoulder.

I flinched, quickly wiping my face before turning around.

And there he was. Liam Devereux. Standing right in front of me.