Claimed by the Devils

Chapter 30

Lucian POV

The guys and I were talking, and we’d come to an agreement. In order to make this go smoothly, we needed to attack Aria from all different angles. Not to hurt her, but to make her more comfortable with us close to her. To date her.

All four of us, one on one.

I got the first date, which was why, two days after our argument, we sat opposite each other at a cute little Italian place not far from campus.

Aria had refused at first, but after we all talked about it, she agreed. For the past twenty minutes, we’d been sitting here in silence.

I was used to girls doing anything and everything to get to me. They would talk a mile a minute, or tell me how hot I was. They’d even go into graphic detail of everything they wanted to do to me.

Aria sat silently. Her arms folded across her middle, looking everywhere else but at me.

This wasn’t a good date.

I wasn’t like this. I could be a fun guy. All the crap going on with my dad and my duty was making it harder for me to be able to relax.

Every topic I tried to think about bringing up brought me round to another argument. With Aria, it was like dating a civilian. She didn’t know what was expected of her. Sebastian still hadn’t found out any information yet as to why she disappeared.

Her life sounded like a dream.

Part of me was jealous. She got to live a normal life, away from expectation. At the same time, I didn’t want to be normal. There was nothing amazing about a normal life. I wanted power, money, and influence. My father had shown me what some of The Society could do, and I wanted in. He knew what to do and said to draw me in, to make me willing to do anything. The Society was a mystery.

They worked behind the scenes in every single part of life. For those who were members, when you followed the rules, you were rewarded handsomely. You were taken care of on every single level. The Society opened doors for you. They were not just there for the wealthy either. Rumor had it that they helped those less fortunate. The shining stars of the future, helping them to reap the benefits of their lives. Where there was good, there was bad, and The Society crossed the boundaries of it all.

“Do you really want to keep doing this?” Aria asked, unfolding her arms.

“Yes.”

“Look, I get what you guys are doing, but this is not the way.”

“Why not?”

“Lucian, we’re not talking. The silence doesn’t help make a person hungry.”

“I’m sorry,” I said.

She sighed.

“Why do we even have to do this? It’s not going to change anything.”

“Would you prefer not to get to know the four men you’ve got to live with?”

The guys had told me to choose my words wisely. She didn’t know how life-altering our connections were going to be.

I was glad Sebastian was looking into her mother and our fathers, because the truth was what my father expected of me was not accurate to the way he’d lived. For one, if her mother still belonged to our fathers, I didn’t know why she was married to another man, with a daughter that didn’t belong to any of my fathers.

According to Sebastian’s records, Aria’s paternity was tested when she was a baby, and did belong to Alexander Vales. How? Why?

If I asked my dad, he’d want to know how I found out my information.

I wasn’t going to do that to Sebastian.

She sighed.

“I guess you’re right but the only way I’m going to be able to get to know you is if you speak to me. So far, I’ve talked more.”

She folded her arms once again. I had to do better.

“Mr. Connors, huh, crazy teacher.”

“Yeah, totally crazy.”

I was so f*****g bad at this. Running my fingers through my hair, I leaned forward.

“Look, I’m sorry. I know this has to be the worst date you’ve ever been on and the truth is I don’t have to … try.”

“Why?”

I smirked.

“Come on, you know why.”

“Wow.”

She took a deep breath.

“You’re not used to being a civilized human being. Got it.”

She unfolded her arms once again and sat up. This was progress, right?

Silence again. Great.

“Do you know anything about Heather getting a B on her physics paper?”

“No, why?”

“She aces all of her tests. Believe me, I’ve seen the way she studies, and there is no way she got a B. I’ve tried to call my parents. They’re not answering. I promised I followed through with their instructions. I’m living in your dorm. I accepted your selection process. What more do they want?”

“Do you want me to look into it?”

“No. It’s fine. I’ll handle it.”

She went back to looking around the room.

“Aria, part of this”—I moved my hand between the two of us—“is not to do any of this alone.”

“I don’t know if I can trust you.”

“Have I given you a reason to not trust me?”

She continued to stare at me.

“Don’t answer that part. I mean, I’m here for you, okay? I know what it means to, you know, be this person. I can help you. Make a couple of calls.”

Aria looked at me.

“Tell me about everything.”

“What?”

“Everything. The selection, why you do it, all of it. Why do we have to adhere to the rules? I’d like to know it all.”

Of all the things for her to ask me, this wasn’t what I expected.

“Aria, I don’t think that’s wise.”

“But keeping me locked in some kind of battle with you is okay? You don’t want me to know the truth.”

“Do you think it will help?” I asked.

“Why not? If you were going to be killed for something you did or didn’t do, wouldn’t you want to know why?”

“You’re not going to get murdered.”

“No? Then why not tell me?”

“It’s easier this way, believe me.”

She leaned forward.

“You’ve never given me a single reason to believe you.”

“Why can’t you have a little faith in me?”

She sat back but her hands stayed on the tabletop.

“Why?”

“What do you mean?”

“Give me a reason why I should have faith in you.”

“I’m going to make sure Heather stays at All Saints. Her career will not be ruined. I gave you my word on that. I’m also going to do everything I can to make you happy. Your dad did that to your neck, but he will never mark you again. Above all else, I’m going to make sure you never feel the pain that you felt when Drew died.”

Aria’s hands fell from the table. I saw the tears glistening in her eyes at my words.

“I didn’t mean to make you cry.”

She swiped them away.

“I’m fine.”

“You’re not. You don’t have to hide your feelings from any of us. This isn’t what we wanted for you. You’ve got to believe me.”

She sniffled.

“I do. I’m sorry. Thinking about Drew, she got me, you know. Understood me. She was more of a mother to me than my own. I guess it makes it harder for me to hear her name without thinking about her.”

She took a deep breath, reached for a tissue, and began to dab at her eyes.

“I’m sorry.”