Hope's Heart

Chapter One

Chapter One

Inara sat at her desk digging through the drawers, looking for paper clips to use on the file she was working on, “Hey Sue, did you borrow my paper clips? I could have sworn I had a brand-new box in my desk when I left yesterday.” “Nope, I sure didn’t, Nara.”

“Hmmm, okay, I’ll just grab some more out of the supply closet after lunch. I’ll see you in a bit. I’m meeting my parents and older brother at the café.”

Sue gets a big smile on her face. “Ooooh, tell the yummy older brother of yours I say HI! That man has to be one of the most gorgeous creatures god has ever created. He broke the mold when he made him. That Riley would be yummy too if he would lose the goth look.” Sue feigned a swoon while she fanned herself.

Inara laughs. “OK, will do.”

“I don’t understand it, Victor; how is she resisting me? No woman ever has been able to resist me.” Ari Devlin watched Inara walk to her car from the shadows near the building door as she left the building and started walking to the café around the corner.

“I’m not sure, Mr. Devlin; she seems very strong-willed. Maybe she is just immune to your charms. As hard as it is to believe it must be the case, I’m sure she will give in soon.” The older gentleman with shiny silver hair responded to the question.

“Have someone follow her. Get me some information on her. I have an overwhelming need to have her, and if I can’t have her, no one will.” He commands in a foreboding tone, then more to himself, “I don’t understand why she affects me this way. Why am I so drawn to her? Why is my need to own her, possess her, and make mine and only mine so strong?” Victor could tell by Ari’s tone that he was talking to himself and not to him, so he nodded and turned to leave.

Victor watched from the shadows as Inara had lunch with her family in a little open-air café near her office. He watched them and made mental notes as they smiled and laughed while they ate lunch. He retreated further into the shadows as Inara stood, kissed each of her family members goodbye, then turned to leave as she waved and called back to them. “Bye, guys. See you at home this evening; love you.” Victor stayed and watched her family for a few more minutes, then left and returned to the office to report to Mr. Devlin.

Ari followed Inara into the supply closet, blocking her in as she tried to find some copy paper and paper clips. Turning around, she was startled by his sudden presence behind her. “Oh, Mr. Devlin,” Inara tried to calm her heart from the slight scare he had given her. His large frame towered over her and made her feel small in comparison. “Can I help you with something?” She questioned him, unsure why he had followed her; maybe he was trying to see if she needed help.

“You know, Inara, you are an intelligent woman. You’ve worked for me.” He pauses in thought. “About what, a year now?”

“Yes, Mr. Devlin, a year last month.” She replies with caution, filling her voice as she gazes at him.

“You are due for a promotion and raise here soon, are you not?” He trails off, looking her up and down, his gaze piercing and invasive. “There are certain advantages that can be given as boss.” He lifted her chin, so she looked him in the eyes, then caressed her cheeks with his knuckles.

“Mr. Devlin, this is very inappropriate. You’re my boss.” She says with discomfort and slight shock at how forward he was with her. The smile of almost unnaturally white teeth flashed at her.

“Yes, that is true. However, if you wish to climb the ranks of this company, there must be a certain give and take.” He says with vile conviction. A furrow of his brow caught her gaze. She looked into his eyes; Possession, lust, a command that she should give into him, or he would take what he wanted from her.

Inara was disgusted, angry, repulsed, and terrified. “And what EXACTLY is that Mr. Devlin.” She says, voice dripping with venom and contempt.

“Oh, I think you know what I want from you, Inara.” His peering gaze slid down the length of her body and seemed to be undressing with his eyes. He ran his hand down the side of Inara’s body to rest on her hip, then around her lower back, tugging her possessively against him.

“No, I truly don’t, Mr. Devlin. Why don’t you tell me.” Her disgust and hostility were now glowing in her eyes as she looked up at him.

He put his lips near her ear and whispered to her. “I want to give you pleasure like you have never known. In return, you will satisfy me by leaving your marks for all to see.” He says in a seductive voice, his body pressed against her.

As he touched her, Inara got a sudden feeling of dread. A vision of death and destruction filled her mind; at the center of it, she saw Ari Devlin. He looked different, though, crueler. The feeling was so powerful and overwhelming that it made her shiver and breathless, “If you refuse, I suppose it would show a lack of devotion to your future in this company.” Taking her shiver as a shiver of pleasure, he gets a beautiful smile on his perfectly sculpted face. He starts to try to move his hands lower down her body.

Inara slaps him hard across his face, then shoves him away. Her voice dripped with disgust at the look of shock on his face. She growls. “You’re not used to hearing no, Mr. Devlin? You think you can have whatever you want from any woman in this office just because you're the boss. You think that just because some woman tells you yes and can’t seem to resist you, all women will do the same. Mr. Devlin, answer a question for me.” He looks at her, shock, confusion, and anger blistering onto his face. The bright red mark on his cheek grew brighter as he held it. It sends a jolt of delight and fulfillment through Inara. Continuing, she growls out. “Is this how you have gotten so many of the girls in the office to sleep with you? You tell them either they sleep with you, or they lose their jobs? I have tried to be nice and polite, turning down your advances, but you have just crossed the line.” The worrying irritation on his face and the silence that filled the room gave her the answer she needed. She gets close to him, puts her hands on his shoulders, and gives him a shining smile. He is taken off guard and slightly confused by her sudden closeness to him. “You know what, Mr. Devlin, you are an arrogant, egotistical bastard, and you know what else? Stay the hell away from me, and you can take this job.” She pauses then, her voice fills with contempt. “And shove it up your slimy ass!” Then she knees him, hard, in the balls. Storming past him as he lays on the floor holding his wounded testicles. “And you can go f**k yourself. Oh, and by the way, that’s Miss. Stone to you.” She bites out as she storms out of the supply closet.

Inara walks to her desk, quickly grabs her things so he can’t catch up to her, and then leaves the building. She gets into her car to head home. On the way home, she stops by the market and buys the stuff to make banana splits, soda, and chocolate. After that, she stops by her favorite pizza place, grabbing a large pepperoni pizza and a large combination pizza.

She pulled into the drive at the same time as her mom. Her mother smiles at her, “Hi, Mama.”

“Nari sweetie, you’re home early. Is everything ok?” her voice full of concern. Sara could hear how tired Inara was in her voice and could tell by the look on her face that there was something wrong. Inara hugged her mom to ease her concern slightly. They get everything out of Inara’s car and walk inside.

“Just a little bit of a headache starting, Mama, that’s all. I told Mr. Devlin I didn’t feel well and needed to come home.” She answers. She didn’t like that she had just lied to her mother. But she wasn’t sure how to tell her mother what happened at work.

When her dad got home, they all curled up in the living room with pizza, soda, and a good movie. She sat there and contemplated whether or not to tell her parents what had happened but decided against it. She didn’t want to ruin their ignorance about what kind of a creep Devlin was. About the time the movie ended, her brother Kole came home. “You guys had pizza without me,” Kole feigned hurt at seeing the empty pizza boxes on the kitchen counter. He gives them a breathtakingly handsome smile when Inara holds a plate of pizza up for him and pats a spot on the loveseat next to her. “Aw, how sweet you saved me some.”

“Of course, we did. Do you think we would forget you? We have some for Riley, too, if he comes home. When you finish that, we’ll have banana splits and another movie.” Inara gave him a big smile. Kole sat next to her, and she snuggled up to him and giggled every time he slapped her hand away as she tried to steal toppings off his pizza.

Kole Stone was an imposing figure of a man, at six feet five inches, with a broad chest and wide shoulders that looked like he was wearing football pads. He had shoulder-length black hair, the color of a raven’s wings, that he usually kept pulled back in a ponytail at the nape of his neck, with deep hazel eyes that looked like a bird of prey on the hunt. His jaw was chiseled and muscular and currently covered with a slight stubble. His nose was regal and straight. His hands were those of a man who worked for a living, callused and rough. His skin was a soft golden brown. His lips weren't too full and had a slight pink tint. He had their father's looks but their mother's hair. You could tell just by looking at him and watching how he carried himself that he was ex-military, and his bearing was that of a steadfast, loyal protector.

Once the second movie ended, Inara stood and kissed them all good night. “I’ll see you all in the morning; love you guys.” Then she went to bed.

Inara slept restlessly that night; she kept seeing Ari Devlin in her dreams and would wake feeling aroused and uncomfortable. After waking, she lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, wondering what had gotten into her. She could swear she could hear him trying to get her to come to him and sleep with him. The thought sent another shiver down her spine, dread filling her heart. The man gave her the creeps; she wasn’t even remotely attracted to him. She couldn’t figure out what all the women in the office saw in him. It would make sense if he were threatening their jobs, though, like he did to her today, especially since most women working there couldn’t afford to lose their jobs. They all thought he was charming and sophisticated. He was attractive. She had to admit that, too much so, everything about his looks was just too perfect. He almost looked like he had just stepped out of the cover of a romance novel. However, she just wasn’t attracted to him. There was just something about him that made her want to recoil from him in disgust. She didn’t think of people as evil, just misguided, but he was pure evil and had a cold black heart.

She sat at the dining room table the following day, pushing her food around on her plate, spacing out. “Inara, sweetie, are you ok? Is your head still hurting?” Sara sat next to her daughter. Concern is etched across her face as she rests a hand on her daughter's shoulder.

“Yeah, a little bit, Mama, plus I didn’t sleep well last night. I had a nightmare, that’s all.” Inara looked at her mom and gave her a forced little smile.

“You wanna talk about it, baby girl?” Sara looked at her daughter, gently stroking her hair and pushing a stray lock behind one ear.

Inara started to say something, and then her dad walked in. Seeing the concern on his wife’s lovely face and how tired his daughter looked, anxiety began to fill his heart. “Inara, sweetheart, are you okay?” Art kissed her on the top of the head.

“Just a little bit of a headache and tired, Daddy, that’s all.”

“So, what are you doing today, sweetheart?” Art looked at his daughter as he sat down across from her.

As Inara opened her mouth to tell them what had happened at work. She didn’t want to lie to them anymore. Plus, if that creep happens to… disappear, she wouldn’t say a damned thing about it. However, almost by a cruel twist of fate, Kole entered the room. He could feel the anxiety and stress in the room. “Morning, guys, damn Nara, you look like hell. Are you ok?”

“Just a little headache and tired, Kole, that’s all. What do you guys have going on today?” Inara inquired sweetly.

“Dad and I have the Harrison estimate today. Then, we have the system maintenance on the Devlin building after that. Speaking of that, Nara, how is work going for you?” Her brother asks, wanting to see her response. Her mother smiles at her daughter's little snort of disgust, knowing she hated the job.

Inara started to answer her big brother when Riley walked into the room. “Good morning, Riley, late night again.” Inara looked at her twin brother over her coffee cup. Knowing he was probably out most of the night.

“Yeah, what of it?” He snaps, glaring at his sister.

“I was just asking, Riley. You don’t have to be a jerk about it. Oh wait, you’re always a jerk to all of us anymore.” Inara just looked at him. He grabbed a bagel off the table and headed towards the front door. Then she mumbles into her coffee cup, “We’d probably all die of shock if you acted like a decent human being for once.”

Riley asks, “What the hell did you just say?”

Inara smiles sweetly at him, “Me, nothing at all, Riley. Are you okay, or are all the drugs and alcohol causing you to hear things now? If they are, you know, you should get that checked.”

Kole choked on his coffee, trying not to laugh at her comment. He sobered quickly, though, when he saw the look in Riley’s eyes as he started to walk toward her. Kole just looked into his coffee cup, “Do it, Riley; I dare you. See what happens if you lay a single finger on her.” Riley stops midstep, then turns on his heel and storms out of the house, slamming the door behind him. Kole got up, “I’ll be right back.” He followed Riley out the door.

Standing out in the driveway, Kole grabbed the key out of the ignition of Riley’s motorcycle. Riley growled at him and got in his face, “What the f**k Kole! Give me back my f*****g key.”

“Seriously, Riley, your twenty-first birthday is gettin close, and you know what this one is. We have told you for the last six months that we don’t know what will happen. The closer it gets, the more time you spend away from her. We don’t know what’s going to happen or how this is going to affect either one of you. Hell, we don’t even know how far from your birthday it will all start. Granddad told you last month that you need to stay close to her. She is probably going to need you. Uncle Gale told you whatever happens will be easier for her if you are with her.” Kole clenched his fists at his sides, fighting the urge to hit his younger brother.

“And like I told them, I DON’T f*****g CARE! She is just a spoiled, pampered little b***h. I am sick of her being shoved down my throat. Now give me my f*****g keys!” Kole shoves Riley’s keys against his chest and turns to walk away.

He stops for a moment. “You know Riley, you’re a f*****g prick. She loves you, hell, we all do; hopefully, you’ll realize that someday. I just hope it’s not too late. You’re making yourself a perfect mark for him.” Kole walks back inside and sits at the dining room table.

“Kole, are you ok? What was that all about?” Inara rests her hand on Koles and gives him a gentle smile.

“Nothing to worry about, sweetie, just talkin’ with him.” Kole smiles at his sister and picks up his coffee cup.

“One of us will get through to him someday.” Inara shakes her head slightly, then turns to her father, “Daddy, is the offer still open for me to come to work for you and Uncle Steve doing bookkeeping?”

Shocked, Art looks up from his plate. “Oh, of course, sweetheart, the offer is always there. Why are you thinking about leaving your job?”

“I don’t know; I’m tired of being passed over for promotions. I’ve been passed up four times now in the last six months. All of them were given to girls who had been with the company a shorter time than me. Hell, they probably only got them because they screwed Devlin.”

“Inara Varrissa Stone! What have I said about being so crass!” Sara scolded her.

Inara shrugged, “What, Mama, it’s the truth.”

Kole and Art choked back their laughter, “Really, sis? Are you finally gonna work with us? You realize that means you’ll have to work with and be around him daily.” Kole seems to cringe thinking about the two interacting and knowing her dislike for him and their small feud.

“Kole, I am perfectly capable of being professional. As long as he keeps his dammed arrogant mouth shut, we’ll be just fine.” She seems to snap that last part about his mouth. Her brother almost seems amused.

“INARA! What is with you this morning?” Her mother exclaimed, exacerbated by her daughter’s foul mouth this morning. “What have I told you about that vocabulary? It’s not befitting of you. You are far more intelligent than that. Besides, you must stop picking up your father and big brother's bad habits. I swear you two cuss like sailors.” Inara looks at her mom.

Kole laughs and replies, “I resemble that remark, Mom.”

“Sorry, Mama, I didn’t sleep well last night. I get so tired thinking about his stupid comments. He’s so full of himself. Besides, butthead knows bringing him up will push my buttons every time.” Inara gives her brother a dirty look and then looks back at her father. “To be honest, Daddy, I……”

Just as she was about to try to tell them again what happened the day before, Art’s phone rang. Inara sits back in her chair, sighing in frustration as he answers the phone. “Yup……. yeah, we’ll be there in about thirty minutes……… oh yeah! and it looks like Inara is thinking about coming to work for us finally……. yep, see you at the office…… yeah, he’s due to be there at about ten o’clock……… yup see you there.” Art and Kole stood; Art walked around the table and kissed his wife and daughter. “We’ll talk tonight, sweetheart.” Art gently touches his daughter's cheek, and then he and Kole leave for the office.

Inara and Sara sat at the table, visited, and talked for a while after the guys left, “How about we call Beth and Sal and spend some time at the mall and get some lunch? Does that sound like fun?”

“I’d love that, Mama. I could use a day out, and we can get manicures and pedicures, too. And get our hair done; I’m due for a trim.” She beamed.

About an hour later, the girls were all at the mall getting pampered and having a girl's day. Laughing, gossiping, shopping, and generally having fun.

Inara and Sara got home at about the same time as Art and Kole. They spent the evening in the backyard, visiting and laughing, but his voice returned once she went to bed. Her sleep was restless and with nightmares of Ari Devlin again that night. It was almost like he was in her head, trying to take control of her.

The following day, she awoke feeling like she hadn’t slept. She spent the day getting rid of all the paperwork from the company in her briefcase, then curled up in her favorite chair in the backyard until dinner, reading a good book.

At first, she slept well, probably because she was exhausted. Halfway through the night, the dreams started. They were different this time; they weren’t dreams of Ari Devlin, well, not exactly. But of a place and people she had never seen before. They were dreams of death, destruction, and war for a place she had never seen. At the center of these nightmares was always him. He would always be in the center, leading the attacks on these people and places she didn’t know. He would try to get her to join him and kept telling her they would rule the world together. Then, there would be another figure. This one would be more angelic, giving her the strength to resist Ari. There was something familiar about the second one, however. Something warm, loving, and almost intimate between them. His voice was soft and hypnotizing. Where Ari, on the other hand, was unsettling and almost demonic. Everything about

Ari felt as if he had come from the depth of hell itself. He reminded her of the Sunday school stories of Lucifer, whereas the other man reminded her of an angel.