Page 11 of Falling for Lucifer

Lucifer respectfully bowed his head. “If it’s okay, I’ll join you in a minute. I need to go see my baby girl first.”

Daniel grinned at Lucifer before gesturing toward the corner of the yard where Yasmine and Etta were. “Fo’sho. I’ll be here when you’re ready.”

Lucifer nodded at him before he placed his hand on Ellodie’s lower back and brushed past Kamilah, completely ignoring the stern look on her face.

“Aye, what’s ya mama’s issue, anyway?” Lucifer asked as they made their way toward Etta and Yasmine.

Ellodie’s cheeks heated. Her mother always made her feel embarrassed, because she was so evil. Everyone picked up on that negative energy, and it always left Ellodie feeling miniscule. “I genuinely wish I knew.”

“She always been like that?”

Ellodie nodded. “Always.” Lucifer simply shook his head as they reached the table.

Ellodie quickly grabbed the pink diaper bag that sat in one of the chairs and pulled out hand sanitizer.

She squirted some on her palm before reaching it out to Lucifer and doing the same to him.

“Lu, this is my cousin, best friend, and Etta’s godmother, Yasmine. Yas, this is Lu.”

Yasmine peered up at him and then looked at Ellodie, wide-eyed. “You ain’t tell me he was this fine, Ello.” She looked back at Lucifer. “You got any brothers I can play pretend with?”

Lucifer glanced at Ellodie, and she could tell he was unsure of how to respond since she didn’t warn him that Yasmine knew their secret. She gave him a reassuring smile. “It’s okay. She knows who Wes is, so I had to tell her what was going on. She’s the only one though.”

“Wes?”

Ellodie looked around before whispering. “Etta’s father.”

At the mention of her name, Lucifer reached out for the baby. “Mind if I hold her?”

“Not at all.” She smiled up at him as he took Etta.

She scrunched her little body up and yawned, but her brown eyes were wide open as she peered at him curiously.

He held her out in front of him for a moment with the biggest smile before he cuddled her up to his chest. “Hey, pretty baby. How you been?” His large hand made small circles around her back.

After a minute, he realized it was silent, and he looked up to see Ellodie and Yasmine smiling at him. “What?”

“You’re good with her,” Yasmine pointed out.

“I told you he’s like the baby whisperer,” Ellodie said.

“For real. You got any brothers?” Yasmine asked.

Lucifer shook his head with a smirk. “Trust me, you don’t want nothing to do with my brother. Besides, he’s married, and his wife don’t play about him.”

Yasmine pouted, and Ellodie giggled. “Fix your face, girl.”

Lucifer stood there with them for a moment longer before Daniel got everyone’s attention.

“The food is ready, y’all, but first, I just wanted to welcome Lu to our home. If you haven’t had the chance to meet him yet, he’s Ello’s boyfriend and Etta’s father. Y’all make sure you treat him like family. Now, let’s eat and turn up. Someone get the cards so we can get a game of Spades goin’!”

Ellodie giggled. Her father might have a highly important job that caused him to rub elbows with the city’s elite, but he was from the Ellway Projects. Nothing would change that.

Kamilah scoffed. “Daniel, this is supposed to be a classy event.”

Daniel waved her off and accepted the shot of Hennessy his brother handed him. After they took those down, they headed toward the sound system to turn on some tunes.

Ellodie glanced up at Lucifer. “It’s about to get rowdy real quick.”

Her voice was light with amusement though. She loved seeing her father in his element like this. These were the times she felt more connected to him and like they could have a great relationship if it wasn’t for her mother.

“Ratchet is what she meant. Hell, tell them pass that Hennessy this way,” Yasmine said as she moved away from the table in search of some liquor.

“Hope you don’t mind. When my daddy’s family gets together, it can get wild, but it’s fun.” Ellodie grinned at him.

Lucifer shrugged. “Long as the food is good and you and Etta are cool, I’m aight.”

On a whim, she reached over and rubbed his forearm. “Thank you.” When she dropped her hand, he took her by surprise and pulled her into him with his free arm, securely holding Etta in his other one. Her brows rose as she looked up at him, a smile playing on her lips. “What are you doing, sir?”

“You my girl, ain’t you?”

Her breath caught in her throat for a moment before she murmured, “Yes.”

His smile made her melt against him. “I’m about to kiss my girl.”

And then he did. His lips were soft, and they felt so good pressed against hers. She allowed her mouth to open, and his tongue found hers. They stayed wrapped up like that for a solid minute, completely consumed by one another, before Etta’s cries tore them apart.

Ellodie felt completely breathless as she held herself steady by the back of the metal chair beside her.

Lucifer bounced Etta. “Either she’s really hungry or she’s really jealous I was just giving you all that attention.”

As if on signal, her breasts leaked milk because of Etta’s cries. She thanked God she remembered to put on her nipple pads; otherwise, she would be so embarrassed.

She held her arms out and said, “She’s hungry. Will you be okay for a moment while I go feed her?”

“You need help?” he asked before biting his bottom lip.

Ellodie felt heat spread over her before she shook her head and let out a nervous giggle. “No, you stay out here. I won’t be long.”

She needed a moment to herself because it felt like he had her under some kind of spell after that kiss. It felt anything but fake, but she had to remind herself that it was, . . . wasn’t it?

“I’ll be aight. I’ll go take your uncle and pops up on that drink.”

She nodded. “Get some food too. I’ll be back in a minute.”

She turned to walk away, but he called out to her, which stopped her in her tracks. “Ello?” She turned. “Miss you already, love.”

She blushed before she turned around and scurried away, hoping she found a lick of sense and reason within the walls of her parents’ home so she wouldn’t get too caught up in the fine ass man named Lucifer.