The Devil Wears Red Light

Chapter 3: Red

The box was waiting on her doorstep at 7pm,

no delivery guy, no doorbell, just a matte black box with a red ribbon, and her name written in sharp, clean ink: _Elena._

Inside was a dress, a red, silk and backless gown, It hit mid-thigh and had a slit that went too high.

There was no note, there didn’t need to be.

_Rule 3: Wear red._

Elena stared at it for 20 minutes, she could burn it, she could wear jeans and show up and dare him to send her home.

But Maya was in that photo, breathing, and Marco was out there.

At 2:30am she zipped it up.

It felt like armor and a target at the same time.

The Cecil at 3am was worse at night, the clerk still didn’t look up, room 404, she knocked.

Damian opened the door and stopped, his eyes did a slow sweep, top to bottom, back up and landed on her mouth, he didn’t smile and that was worse.

“You wore it,” he said.

“You told me to.”

“I told you to. I didn’t think you would.”

He stepped aside, the room smelled like cedar and the wine from last night, the chair was still in the middle same as the table and the window with all of LA behind it.

“Rule 3,” he said, closing the door. “Wear red. Stand.”

She stood.

He circled her slowly with his hands in his pockets like this was casual, Like her heart wasn’t trying to beat out of her chest.

“Turn.”

She did and then he stopped behind her, she could feel him there, not touching.

“Prison,” he said. “What was it like?”

The question came out of nowhere.

“Cold,” she said. “Loud, full of women who had nothing left to lose.”

“Like you now?”

“Different kind of nothing.”

He moved to the front of her again.

“Why did you testify against my brother?”

Elena’s jaw locked. “Because he killed someone.”

“And you thought that would make me care?”

“I thought it was the right thing.”

Damian picked up the wine glass from last night that was still there, he filled it but didn’t offer it to her. “You walked into a courtroom and put my family away,” he said softly. “Do you know what that costs?”

“I know that it cost Maya.”

That got him, his eyes flicked, he set the glass down too hard, making the red wine to slosh but it didn’t spill.

“You want information?”

“Yes.”

“Then ask the right question.”

Elena lifted her chin. “Where is my sister and who does she owe money to?”

A beat.

Damian exhaled through his nose. Like he was deciding.

“Marco Varga,” he said. “She borrowed 80k to cover your legal fees, with interest, it’s 200. She works for him now, In his club downtown.”

The floor tilted.

“Maya’s dancing?”

“Maya’s surviving,” he corrected. “Same as you.”

He walked to the window, hands behind his back.

“You could’ve let her drown,” Elena said. “Why help?”

“Because I’m curious.”

“About what?”

“If the girl who put my brother away can survive 90 nights with me.”

He turned.

“Come here.”

She didn’t move.

“Elena.”

Still didn’t move.

Damian crossed the room in two steps. Stopped an inch from her. Close enough that she could see the gold flecks in his dark eyes. Close enough that if she breathed in, she’d get his air.

“Rule 3 is done,” he murmured. “You followed it. So here’s your reward.”

He lifted his hand. She flinched.

He just tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. His fingers were warm. They lingered half a second too long on her jaw.

“You have a scar here,” he said, thumb brushing under her eye. “From prison?”

“A fight.”

“Who won?”

“I did.”

Something like approval crossed his face.

“Good,” he said. “You’ll need that.”

He stepped back. The loss of heat made her cold.

“Rule 4 for tomorrow,” he said. “Dance for me.”

“Where?”

“Velvet. Private room. 3am.”

“And if I don’t?”

“Then Marco gets a text with your address.”

It wasn’t a threat. It was a fact.

Elena nodded once.

“Can I see her?”

“Not yet.”

“When?”

“When you stop looking at me like I’m the monster.”

“You are the monster.”

“Am I?” He smiled, finally. Small and sharp. “Monsters don’t give warnings, Elena.”

He opened the door.

“Go home. Sleep. You look tired.”

“I’m fine.”

“You’re not.” His gaze dropped to her hands. They were shaking. “But you will be.”

She walked out,In the elevator she realized she was still wearing the heels that she wore with the red dress

She didn’t take it off until she was home and the door was locked and she’d checked the windows twice.

On her nightstand, her phone buzzed.

Unknown number: _You look better in red. - D_

She threw the phone face-down.

And she hated that her pulse was still fast.