Walking out of the church felt like a breath of crisp air that filled her lungs, refreshing her very core. Her Pastor's words echoed in her mind, finally helping her resolve that she had put off the last few weeks. Words that lit a spark of resentment. They weren't words from God; they were her Pastor's words that helped her minutes ago. God had ignored her pleas and prayers for so long; she wasn't sure if she'd ever be heard or answered.
Asmodeus hadn't asked, keeping his word on it being up to her to go through with it, and she had been too scared to do it. She almost-almost regretted waiting so long to do it, yet she had gotten to know him so much over the phone before then that she was slightly more confident in seeing him in person again. Letting a part of herself back out there was the most challenging part; she knew she had to pass eventually. There was still time to figure that out. Time she wasn't sure she had on her side. Not when every day could be her last.
Savannah took the steps with determination. If there were one thing she wouldn't do, it was waste time letting her mind doubt every action and choice she made. Asmodeus and her pastor were right. She didn't want to regret something that she was afraid to do and let her mind choose to be scared to get into another relationship because of David and hindering the chance that God had sent.
Making sure her mother knew she would be over later that night for Sunday dinner, watching them walk to their vehicle. Her gaze wandered the parking lot, briefly waving at Wilfred she had seen during the service. Pulling her phone out of her purse as she walked, a voice called behind her before she could unlock it. "Anna. Wait up!"
Savannah froze mid-step. His voice sounded high-pitched and out of breath. Had he been waiting this whole time?
Her face contorted, lip curing up to her nose at hearing his voice. Ignoring her ex, her strides continued toward her car, not wanting him within twenty feet of her space. Hearing his voice was enough. She would do much better without seeing his face at church, but she seemed to be without luck. There was nothing to be done about them attending together, besides stop attending altogether, which she had contemplated since last year. She didn't know how to break that to her parents without seeing disappointment settle in their eyes.
"Anna. Please," David pleaded. His hand grasped onto hers and turned her to face him.
"Stop," she ordered, ripping her arm out of his grasp and backed away. "I don't care what you have to say 'cause I have nothing to say to you. Leave me alone. We are done and have been since the moment I found you cheating on me."
David's features softened, guilt echoing in chestnut brown eyes that she had once fallen for. "Anna, please. That was a mistake. A moment of weakness that she took advantage of."
"A mistake? A mistake is spilling a drink on the floor. It's spelling a word wrong. It's turning down the wrong street. It's buying the wrong item cause you're not paying attention. A mistake is not slipping on a floor while naked and falling on top of another woman!" Savannah said, air quoting the end when she barely grasped the rage inside her.
"That's... that's not what happened. Can you please let me talk and explain?"
"No, David. I'm not stupid enough to think anyone slips, and their... their... thing just slides into another woman! You also seemed to be enjoying it. So, I have nothing to listen to from you," she snapped at him. God, did it feel good to get that all off her chest.
Her eyes narrowed onto his, hating how he could feel shameless to stand in front of her and think she would take him back because of a...mistake. She could see his eyes trail down her face to her mouth. Recoiling was the lowest feeling she had, watching his eyes darken, tracing back up her gaze. His Adam's apple bobbed, and she didn't bother to hide the way her nose scrunched up or the way her face pulled back at the way he stared at her. He had never looked at her with a gaze that was devouring. A void that hadn't had enough and wanted to swallow everything it desired into itself.
Whatever had made her so smitten with him before was gone. Cold. Dead. Whatever someone wanted to call it. It wasn't there anymore. Though his light brown hair with golden streaks didn't help-if she ignored how his eyes now looked at her. They were-funnily enough, a highlight of what made him more attractive. They used to make his eyes stand out more, softer, every time he would look at her. The subtle little looks he had given her had felt like she was floating on cloud nine when he looked at her that way. Now, the only question that ran through her mind was, how many women did he do that to? He had grown more persistent over time. Even though he knew where she stood when they first met, caring words that whispered sweet nothings when they lay on the couch turned into whispers that egged on the walls she had built to the faith she held close. The promise she silently made between God and herself-to stay pure until she married.
David had other ideas about how it worked. He'd whisper sweet comforts that their love would last until they were grey and old, and God would understand why they consummated earlier. The first part was what she had envisioned for them. Before Savannah caught him in bed with another woman, she wouldn't subject herself to that kind of degradation, and Arielle was there through the heartache and packing her stuff up. The late-night ice cream binges and talks of everything she couldn't see when she was dating him.
"If you'd give me another chance, I can make everything right. I can be the man you need. Just one, Anna. Please?"
"No, David. I won't. There is nothing to fix. It was shattered to pieces, and nothing, I mean nothing, can fix it. You chose your bed and lied it in willingly. Now you can regret your choice for the rest of your life, or don't. I don't care, but I'm done. With you and any excuse you have. I have a class to teach tomorrow, so if you'll excuse me." She turned to leave when his mouth opened, not wanting to stick around for more useless words.
A sense of satisfaction coursed through her veins until it turned ice cold when she felt a grip on her wrist again. The rest of her body froze when she turned to glance back at him. A jolt of fear ran down her spine when his gaze was aimed at the ground, jaw tight so tight that she saw a vein in his neck appear.
"I would suggest you let go of her before you lose that hand."
Savannah had never been more glad to hear that voice than at that moment.
Glancing over her shoulder, her gaze meet Asmodeus's as he came up from behind her. The parking lot of the church was mostly empty, with a few stragglers idling behind by their vehicles.
David's hand tightened around her wrist, making her wince and tare her gaze away from Asmodeus. She tried to tug out of David's grasp, but his grip was unrelenting.
David's head lifted to glare at Asmodeus, who stopped just beside her, almost angling himself in front of her. A cloud had seemed to form in David's hazel eyes; whether the anger had taken over, she wasn't sure and didn't care. She wanted to be miles away from him. "This is none of your business."
"Now, asshole," Asmodeus spoke in a low stern tone that sent a shiver down her spine.
Heart racing, Savannah tried to meet Asmodeus's gaze, but they were trained on David. Gone were the calm waves she usually saw in the depth his blue eyes, and in their place were stormy waters, threatening to topple everything in their path.
David seemed reluctant as his grip didn't loosen for a few heartbeats. She was sure he could hear it pound in her chest with every breath.
When it seemed she was ready to witness the threat Asmodeus promised, David let her hand go, and she backed away from him, feeling arms grasp her shoulders and pulling her back. The back of Asmodeus's dark grey shirt met her view, yet the hands were still there, as if grounding her.
Confused, she tilted her head to the side to the one with an arm on her shoulder, keeping her steady by his side. Her body froze when she noticed Satan over her right shoulder behind her before slowly relaxing her muscles. Satan's gaze never met hers, staring straight ahead where his brother stood, blocking her view of David. His jaw was clenched, the muscles at the base of his neck standing out. She was entranced by the way his eyes danced like a small candle flame that had been lit. Warm and soft, yet an everlasting flame that would burn whoever crossed it.
Satan's hands fell from her shoulders when she made no move to step further away from either of them.
Savannah turned her gaze to Asmodeus's back and tried to peer over his shoulders, barely seeing David's brown hair over the top, yet they both made sure she stayed out of David's view.
"She obviously doesn't want you here," David said, finally speaking again. She wasn't sure how he had the guts to talk for her when he was the one she didn't want to even be in the presence of.
Asmodeus snorted, tipping his head back slightly. "If she didn't want us here, she's free to tell us to leave. However, from what I witnessed, she didn't want you near her. She seems pretty fine being in our presence."
She noticed Satan shake his head by her side, wondering what Asmodeus had said that he would find funny in this situation. Nothing he said wasn't true. Their names were the only thing she had been quick to judge, yet they had never done anything to her. If anything, they saved her more head and heartache by dealing with him for her. Her words never seemed to get through to him, and he grew more persistent as the weeks passed.
"What do you know?" David questioned, his voice hardening. "I've never seen you around her before, so you don't know her that well."
Asmodeus seemed to stand taller in front of her, his shoulders squaring while they rose and fell with the deep breath he had taken. "Who said I had to be by her side to get to know her? I don't need to know why she's scared to meet up. It's standing right before me, and it makes me want to take the trash out even more. It's no wonder she doesn't want to be in your presence. Your stench... it's infuriating."
Savannah's eyes widened at his insult.
Satan coughed beside her, yet she knew he covered up the laugh by the way his eyes lit up further, and the corner of his lips curved upward.
"You know nothing. She'll come around, and whoever you are... you'll mean nothing to her in the end. I'll see you around, Anna," David called out. A promise in his words that made her spine ramrod straight. Even with Asmodeus and Satan presence, acting like a blockade to the jerk, and his harsh words, it did nothing for the dread in her stomach.
Hands grasped the side of her face, gently tugging her to meet those familiar cerulean blue eyes. She'd seen the gentle side, yet she could see the raging storm that brewed within them still. Harsh waves that clashed against the amiable, threatening to take over.
Had he been joking when he told David he'd lose a hand?
A more prominent part of her didn't want to know, though a more minor, tiny part wanted the carnage he would do for her. One hand moved to softly grasp her hand that David had in his tight hold and held it up between them, inspecting her wrist. "Did he hurt you, darlin?"
A lump formed in her throat, and she swallowed while trying to find the words. "I'm-"
"Don't lie to us," Satan spoke lowly, but every word felt clipped.
Her eyes trailed to Satan beside them briefly, silently questioning what he meant. She was fine. How was that a lie?
Satan only shook his head, and she turned back to Asmodeus.
Asmodeus was the one to speak up, taking over what his brother didn't seem to say. His hand held onto hers tighter as if she would also back away from him. "Telling me you're fine would be a lie. What if we weren't in the area to notice what was happening? I don't trust these... people not to just walk by and do nothing."
Her eyebrows creased between her eyes. "Not everyone is as bad as you make them out to be. Some people wouldn't stand by and watch it if you weren't around. Though, I am thankful."
Asmodeus lowered his head. The hand on her face dropped, and before the disappointment of loss could set in, he grasped her other hand and pulled their hands between them. His skin was smooth, warmth extending through her hands were his held hers. The bulk of her phone was the only awkward piece that didn't fit into the equation, but Asmodeus didn't seem to care as his thumb brushed across the pulse on her wrist. "You have so much faith; it's astounding. I don't know whether I find that more attractive about you or if it makes me angry knowing you put too much trust into others."
Satan chuckled beside them, ruining the bubble she had brought herself into while taking in every flawless piece of Asmodeus's skin. "If I leave you two alone, you won't go at it like rabbits in the middle of the street, will you?"
Heat crept up her neck and to her ears so quickly she couldn't hide it. Removing her hands from Asmodeus's, she covered her face, her phone helping block most of her face. Oh my God. Who does he think he is? I would nev-God. She wanted to. Not in the street per se, but she wanted to feel his body against hers in more ways than one.
Oh, God, what does he think of me?
There was no way Asmodeus hadn't gotten that impression of her, and that was not something she was ready to give up. It was a fantasy her mind conjured that her body and heart seemed to crave just the same.
"Shut up, Satan," Asmodeus shot back. "She doesn't need your insistent voice nagging about something like that."
Satan whistled a high-to-low pitch. "Who knew you had it in you, brother? An actual commitment without diving right into the good stuff. What would dear Li-"
The bone-crunching sound was heard beside her and uncovered her face. Asmodeus wasn't in front of her anymore. She was met with a side profile of his dark grey shirt and the retracting of his left hand.
Frozen in place, Savannah took in the site of Satan holding his jaw, blood dripping from the corner of his mouth, feet away from his brother now standing. Nothing prepared her for the gaze in Satan's eyes. They flared with a dangerous blithe at his brother's actions as if he knew that would happen.
Asmodeus's shoulders rolled, yet she didn't think the tension left his body. But it did nothing as her eyes watched the movement of his shoulders blade underneath the t-shirt that hid...nope. Stop. "You know, as well as I, that she had gone too far. I never gave anything more than what I said."
Savannah watched on silently, breathing in as quietly as she could. If she breathed louder, it felt like something would shatter. Breaking whatever tension had formed and began to ease its way back into the atmosphere slowly. So many questions ran through her mind. Who was the person Satan was about to name? Why had Asmodeus gotten defensive at it? Was it a woman? It wasn't lost on her that Asmodeus was a...ladies man, in better terms. He had admitted it the night they met. So, why did it still feel like his actions had punctured her lungs?
Satan closed his eyes, wiping the blood from his chin. His features smoothed out, the creases softening at the corner of his eyes. "I got what I needed to know. I'll take my leave." He turned to her, and a small apologetic smile graced his face. "I'm glad to know you're okay, Savannah. It was lovely to see you again, too. Don't let my brother get too soft, will you?"
"I will end you, Satan. Get lost," Asmodeus ordered through clenched teeth before she could even thank his brother. Or ask what he meant. The only thing she could muster was a small smile in gratitude.
"As you wish. I can tell when I'm no longer wanted." Satan raised two fingers to his nose, saluting her weirdly before turning and heading away.
Was this a brotherly thing? To stand by one another, then fight like you hate each other in one second? She had barely fought with Arielle like that, and even then, they never used harsh words like that at each other. They fell wordlessly, never being able to be spoken. They cherished their time together after her parents passed, and fighting seemed insignificant to everything else that it rarely happened.
"Were you going to call for help with that?"
Savannah turned to Asmodeus, finding him raising an eyebrow and gesturing down. Her cheeks flared to life again, glancing down at the phone in her hand and why she had it out in the first place. "Umm... no. I was actually..."
"Yes?" Asmodeus asked after a moment of silence.
She hated how she could see him so vividly in her mind, raising an eyebrow at her. Nothing good would come asking when emotions were high and fresh. Would she jeopardize everything because she was insecure and chalk it up to a lie if it wasn't? "I was going to message you."
"Oh? Can I know for what?"
"I..." Savannah trailed off again, knowing she couldn't go out for coffee like she wanted to. Not without spewing the words and asking who him and Satan were talking about. "I was going to see if you wanted to meet up Saturday."
That should give her enough time to stop overthinking, right? To not feel coals of jealousy burn through her veins.
Meeting his gaze, the serene blue of his eyes were back, yet she could see a slight disappointment and edge to them now. "I would love to."