A Deal with the Devil
964 Words
The city sprawled beneath them, neon lights flickering like silent witnesses to the dangerous game Celeste and Adrian were about to play.
Celeste’s pulse pounded as she gripped Adrian’s hands. The rooftop was cold, the night air biting against her skin, but none of it mattered. Not when Damian was closing in.
Adrian’s gaze was locked on hers, intense and unwavering. “We don’t have much time.”
She nodded. “Then tell me what we do.”
Adrian exhaled, dragging a hand through his hair. “We leave. Tonight.”
Celeste froze. She wanted to run—God, she wanted to—but something inside her whispered it wouldn’t be that easy.
“You don’t just leave Damian,” she murmured. “Not without consequences.”
Adrian’s jaw clenched. “Then we make sure he has a reason to let you go.”
Her stomach twisted. “And how do we do that?”
His eyes flickered toward the building across the street.
Celeste followed his gaze, her breath catching in her throat.
It was one of Damian’s private offices—the kind where he handled things too messy for his corporate empire.
Adrian’s voice dropped. “I’ve been watching him. He’s been meeting with someone—someone powerful. If we find out what he’s hiding, we can use it against him.”
Celeste’s heartbeat stuttered.
Blackmailing Damian?
It was suicidal.
And yet, she knew there was no other way.
If they didn’t act now, she would never be free.
She squared her shoulders, pushing away the fear. “What’s the plan?”
A Desperate Gamble
The elevator doors slid open with a soft chime, revealing the dimly lit hallway leading to Damian’s office.
Adrian had done his part—sneaking them inside using his knowledge of Damian’s security system.
Now, it was up to Celeste.
Her fingers trembled as she typed in the override code Adrian had found, her heart pounding in her ears. The screen blinked green.
Access Granted.
She exhaled shakily and slipped inside.
The office was immaculate, furnished in sleek black and deep mahogany. But Celeste wasn’t here for the décor.
She rushed to Damian’s desk, opening drawers, scanning through documents.
Nothing.
Then, her eyes landed on the laptop.
She slid into the chair, hands flying over the keyboard.
Her pulse spiked as she found a hidden folder.
She clicked it open—and froze.
Inside were dozens of video files.
Each one labeled with a date.
Her fingers hovered over the touchpad before she clicked the most recent one.
A grainy video flickered to life.
Celeste’s stomach dropped.
It was Damian—sitting across from a man in a dark suit.
And then, she saw the briefcase.
The man slid it across the table. Damian opened it—revealing stacks of cash and a small black vial.
Celeste inhaled sharply.
This wasn’t just business.
This was something far worse.
Her fingers flew over the keys, copying the files onto a flash drive.
Just as the last file transferred, a sound behind her made her whirl around.
Her blood ran cold.
Damian stood in the doorway.
Checkmate
The air in the office thickened.
Celeste’s grip on the flash drive tightened as Damian stepped forward, his eyes dark with something dangerous.
“What do you think you’re doing, Celeste?”
Her pulse hammered.
She forced her voice to stay steady. “I could ask you the same thing.”
Damian’s lips curled. “You’re in no position to ask questions.”
He glanced at the laptop screen, and for a flicker of a second, his mask slipped.
Celeste saw it—the briefest flicker of tension.
That was all she needed.
“I know what you’re hiding, Damian.” She held up the flash drive. “And I have proof.”
Damian’s expression darkened.
“You think a little blackmail will save you?” His voice was eerily calm, but his eyes were burning.
Celeste swallowed hard. “I think it’s the only thing keeping me alive right now.”
For a long moment, Damian simply stared at her.
Then, to her shock—he laughed.
Low, deep, almost amused.
“You always were reckless,” he mused. “That’s what made you interesting.”
He took a step closer.
Celeste stood her ground.
“I want out, Damian.”
His smirk faded. “You think you can just walk away?”
She lifted her chin. “I don’t think. I know.”
Damian studied her, his expression unreadable.
Then, his lips curved again.
“Fine.”
Celeste’s breath caught.
Just like that?
“But,” Damian continued, his voice like silk wrapped around steel, “if you leave, you leave with nothing.”
Her fingers curled around the flash drive. “I don’t need anything from you.”
Damian’s smile was slow. Predatory.
“Oh, Celeste,” he murmured. “You still don’t understand, do you?”
Before she could react, he pulled out his phone and pressed a button.
A few seconds later, her phone buzzed.
She hesitated before glancing at the screen.
1 New Message from Damian.
Her breath caught in her throat.
The image attached made her blood freeze.
It was a picture of Adrian—bound and unconscious.
Celeste’s world tilted.
“No—”
Damian leaned in, voice a whisper against her ear.
“You can leave, Celeste. But if you do?”
His hand closed around her wrist, tight but not painful.
“You’ll never see Adrian again.”
Her heart stopped.
She stared into his dark eyes, her mind racing.
Damian had always been one step ahead.
And now, she had a choice to make.
Freedom… or Adrian.
Her grip on the flash drive shook.
What was she willing to sacrifice ?
- Writer
