Hallows: Merciful Death

We Boxed For It

Paramore- Crush Crush Crush

B.B.:

"You're up early," Margarita muses when I walk into the kitchen. She's cooking my breakfast. What does she mean I'm up early? I'm always up early for my morning workouts. Unless today is Sunday. Is today Sunday? I like sleeping in on Sundays.

"Can you make extra? Luc and Carson slept here last night," I go to the fridge to get something to drink.

"Yeah," she nods. "Everything okay?"

"Uh, yeah. I just- it was a crazy night," I laugh. My body is sore. Lucien was a f*****g animal last night. "Maggie, when you're down here. Do you hear noises?"

"It's an old house, mija," she nods. "Couldn't get out of your head last night?"

"No," I admit. It's a lie. Wherever I was last night it sure as f**k wasn't my head but she doesn't need to know that.

"Your mom called me," she says looking down at the pan. "She hired a butler. I wanted to tell you sooner but I didn't know how. I'm moving to California with the girls. They need my help. I didn't know how to tell you, B.B,"

I'm a little stunned, to be honest. I'm so used to having her around. I found comfort in it. For a long time, we didn't say a word to one another. She just stayed quietly by me when I stared up at the ceiling. When I sat in the restroom against my sister's door. She's the only one that's been here, witnessing.

"It's okay, Maggie. I'll be fine," I sit at the kitchen island with a bottle of apple juice. She comes over to me wiping her hands on a kitchen towel. I try to hide the red marks on my neck by hunching forward. She hasn't said anything so I think I'm doing a good job so far.

"I want you to know that if you ever want to talk about anything and I mean anything. You can call me whenever you want. Even in the middle of the night. Yeah?"

"Yeah," I nod, looking up at her.

"Is one of those boys your boyfriend?" she smirks. I grin. If he wasn't, he definitely is now.

"Good morning," Lucien croaks catching our attention. We showered around four a.m. this morning. He's wearing and black fitted t-shirt and dark gray sweatpants riding low around his hips. His straight blond hair is a messy slump over his eyes. He's way too cute for his own good.

"Hey," I smile at him hiding my stupid schoolgirl crush. Margarita chuckles and goes back to the stove.

"Where did you go?" he asks coming over to take my apple juice.

"Hungry. Maggie is making us breakfast. You should go wake up your brother,"

"Not a good idea. Carson is not a morning person," he shakes his head. "I'm Lucien, by the way,"

"Nice to meet you. I am Margarita but you can call me Maggie," she smiles at him.

"Maggie," he repeats. "What's that look on your face, Blackstone?"

"Maggie was just telling me she's moving to Cali," I answer pulling my leg up on the stool so I can rest my chin on my knee.

"Oh, no," he coos. It's the fakest tone I've ever heard him use.

"Yeah, my oldest is having a rough go and she needs me," she explains.

"The pregnant one getting a divorce?" he asks. She looked back at me.

"I tell him just about everything," I shrug. I do. He forces everything out of me and I find myself pouring my soul out to him and he just loves it.

"Good," she smiles. "Yes, that's the one. Debora,"

"We'll miss you. I haven't ever had home-cooked meals until now," he sits down next to me and pulls me between his legs.

"Your mom doesn't cook for you and your brother?" she asks him.

"Our parents died a while ago," he shakes his head. "Car accident,"

"Oh, mijo. I'm so sorry to hear that,"

"I don't really remember them," he looks down at me with the gentlest look on his face. "There's no need to feel bad,"

"She was saying something about a butler?" I change the conversation. I know all about Lucien and Carson's parents and I know it hurts him to talk about them.

"His name is James," she nods. "She said he comes highly recommended. And I think he used to work for your dad before he started touring,"

"James Charleston?" I ask.

"Yes, you remember him?" she smiles. I smack Lucien's hand when he tries to push my hair away from my neck. This lady is super religious and I've never given her a reason to hate me.

"Yeah, he's a few years older than my dad. His dad basically raised mine,"

"I didn't know that," she grins. "I'm a little bit less worried now,"

"You don't have to be. I haven't seen him in a while but he's kind of like family,"

"Should I serve our other sleeping guest?"

"Yeah, you can leave it in the mini oven so when he wakes up,"

"Are you going for a run before you eat?" she asks.

"Not today. I only got a couple of hours of sleep and I'm not up for it. I have homework and stuff to catch up on,"

"Okay," she serves the two of us. Eggs, roasted potatoes, bacon, and toast. That is a whole lot of breakfast.

"Thank you, Maggie. I really am going to miss you," I look up at her when she set our plates down.

"I'm going to miss you too, mija," she pats my head. "I am going to pack up my things. James should be here later today,"

"Okay," I nod, taking a bite of the toast.

"Take care of my girl, Lucien," she points at him.

"You have my word," he promises. She smiles and walked out of the kitchen. "Should I be worried about James?"

"No, I wasn't lying," I bump him.

"You were a little savage last night," he whispers into the back of my ear. I laugh feeling my face heat up. I finally let him pull my hair away from my shoulder. He examines his handy work approvingly.

"You're one to talk," I stab a potato and put it in my mouth just so I have something to do to distract me from his intense gaze. I don't normally eat in the mornings but I'm starving.

"How are you feeling? I didn't hurt you did I?" he asks with genuine worry on his face.

"No, I feel good. A little sore but it's a good kind of sore. Like when you add that extra mile to your run for the first time,"

"Mmm, that is a good kind of sore," he agrees and begins to eat with me. I lean into him needing more of his warmth.

"Can I ask you about the heat?" I ask.

"You can ask me whatever the f**k you want, whenever the f**k you want," he states with conviction. "It's part of the curse. When I get too worked up I get hot. It doesn't bother you does it?"

"No, I love it. I've been cold for so long. I didn't know I was missing anything,"

"I know exactly how you feel," he smiles tucking my hair behind my ear. The entire right side of my neck is covered in tiny love bites from my collarbone up to the back of my ear. The left is completely untouched.

"Coffee," a low groan makes us look up.

"What are you doing up so early?" Luc asks Carson.

He's not wearing a shirt. All he has on are his boxers and a pair of black sweats over them. The Red Devil tattoo on his chest is the coolest thing I've ever seen in my life. It's a red devil girl. It looks like she's laying down on top of him with her hands around his neck while she looks back at me. Her eyes. Those eyes. The bright red shades of her skin. It's sexy and sensual and terrifying as hell. Add the black patterns of his full sleeves and damn.

"Is that me?" I ask looking up at him.

"Yes," he grins widely. "I've wanted to show you for a while now,"

"Wow," I whisper. He goes over to the coffee maker and pours himself a mug. The devil's tail wraps around his waist and rests on his lower back. "That is both flattering and beautiful,"

"I'm glad you think so," he smirks coquettishly.

"You should put a shirt on. Maggie is-"

"Good morning," she greets him. He turned around to lean on the counter. Her eyes land on the tattoo and they go wide. "Ay Dios Mio," she covers her mouth. He smiles. The fucker smiled at her loving her reaction. "Que-"

"Go," I growl. "Put. A. Shirt. On,"

"Yes, ma'am," he pushes off the counter. He places the coffee mug down next to my plate and heads back up the stairs. I rubbed my eyes frustratedly as she stands there without saying anything.

"Are you okay?" I ask her. She turns around to look at me. The look in her eyes speaks for itself. She is now officially glad she's leaving.

"Yes," she nods and walks out.

"f*****g ass hole," I groan. Luce chuckles.

"You don't know the half of it," he shakes his head. "Finish your breakfast. I am going back to the house to pick up some stuff and I have to run some errands for the boss. He is going to stay here with you. Try not to fight with him. He's hurt I got to have you first,"

"Did you guys rock paper scissors for it?" I scoff.

"No," he grins. "We boxed for it and he won but I wasn't expecting your reaper to show up so soon. The devil in him doesn't like the reaper. Two sides of one coin and all that,"

"He hates her?"

"No, he just knows that if they meet, it's not going to be pretty," he caresses my cheek with his thumb. "The last thing we want is to hurt you B.B,"

"I know," I nod. It's a lie. I can always tell when people are lying. He might not know he's lying just yet but there's something unspoken there.

"Good. Do you promise? No fighting?" he asks.

"I'll try my best," I nod.

"Good girl," he kisses my forehead. "Tell Maggie I said thank you for breakfast,"

"Sure," if she ever talks to me again.

"Don't forget to pick up from Gio's," Carson calls after him as he enters the kitchen with a black t-shirt on. Did they have extra clothes in their car?

"Your breakfast is in the oven," I point at it with my fork.

"Okay," he comes over to me without so much as glancing at it. "What do you want to do today, B.B? You have my complete attention,"