Page 13 of Falling for Lucifer

E llodie smiled down at her phone. It had been two days since she woke up in Lucifer’s arms at her parents’ house.

Nothing eventful happened that night, other than Lucifer waking up every time she and Etta were up and him holding her when they were able to catch some sleep.

Still, she felt giddy interacting with him.

He quickly became the highlight of her days as she fought through the postpartum changes her body took her through.

After taking a quick peek at Etta, who slept on the bed next to her, she tapped out a quick response to Lucifer.

Lu: What you and my girl over there doing?

Ellodie: She’s sleeping, as always. I’m enjoying the break she decided to bless me with.

Lu: Don’t do her like that. I told you to call me if you ever needed a break.

Ellodie stared down at her phone as she bit her lower lip.

There were times she didn’t understand what they were doing.

All this was supposed to be for show, but she had to admit that Lucifer had quickly become her friend.

Not only that, but she was also highly attracted to him.

She knew he felt the same. It made her wonder if something could come of this.

She hadn’t thought of being in a relationship since Wes, simply because that man was crazy as hell.

It was better to appease him than go against the grain.

She felt ashamed to admit it, even to herself, that she had ended up with too many black eyes to count when she went against what Wes wanted.

The last thing she needed was Wes to catch wind of her being up under another man and him crashing out on them both.

With Lucifer, that thought didn’t scare her. She felt secure in his presence and like nothing could touch her. That alone had her wondering if something more than this fake dating scheme she came up with could come of them.

She refocused on her phone and replied to his text.

Ellodie: I know, I remember.

He replied immediately, which made her smile.

Lu: I’m getting ready to go to check my niece out finally. You want to slide over there with me?

Her eyes widened. He really just invited her over to his family’s house. Not only that, it was his brother she’d heard so much about. Hades sounded like a character she wanted to avoid, but the thought of spending more time with Lucifer had butterflies swarming in her stomach.

Ellodie: Are you sure it’s okay that me and Etta come?

She glanced over at Etta again and smiled.

She used to be the woman who did everything on her own, but she didn’t have to do that anymore.

Now, she had a built-in best friend who she loved being with.

It didn’t matter how stressed she got when Etta had a bad day or how lonely she felt. Her baby girl made it all worth it.

Her phone buzzed in her hand, and she looked down at it with a grin.

Lu: Am I picking my girls up or what, Ello?

She giggled as she replied.

Ellodie: Yes, Lu.

Lu: Be ready in twenty.

Luckily, she had showered as soon as Etta went down for her nap, so all she had to do was throw some clothes on and make sure Etta’s diaper bag was good to go.

As she moved through her house getting ready, she couldn’t wipe the smile from her face. Lucifer had her wide open, and she constantly had to remind herself to slow her roll. They had yet to even talk about what this newfound friendship with fierce attraction even meant.

By the time she was dressed in some biker shorts and an oversized shirt, with the diaper bag packed and ready to go, the doorbell rang, startling Etta out of her sleep. Her cries filled the room just as Ellodie stepped back into it, and she rushed over to her baby to comfort her.

“It’s okay, sweet pea. Mama’s right here.” She cooed as she walked through her condo and to the front door.

As soon as she opened it, Lucifer invaded her space, towering over her and assaulting her with his delicious scent.

“What’s wrong with my baby?”

Ellodie arched a brow and playfully responded. “Nothing, I’m good.”

Lucifer chuckled before bending down and kissing her cheek and taking Etta from her grasp. “I meant this baby.”

Etta cried for a few more seconds before she quieted down and snuggled further into Lucifer’s arms.

“The doorbell scared her,” Ellodie said, bending to grab the diaper bag.

“You need to make me a key then, so I don’t do that again.”

Ellodie’s eyes rose as he grabbed the bag from her and put it over his shoulder. “Moving kind of fast, aren’t we?” she joked, but part of her wondered if this would be the moment they had the very talk she was just thinking about.

Lucifer’s brows furrowed. “I already helped you through labor, allowed you to claim me as your baby daddy, bonded with your daughter, and met your family. I’m pretty sure we ain’t moving fast. We’re moving backwards as hell.”

Ellodie giggled. “I guess you’re right.”

She grabbed her purse from the coffee table and walked back over to them. When he didn’t make a move to go out the front door, she looked up at him. He gazed down at her so intently it caused her to fidget.

“I do like you, though, so if you wanted to give me a key, I’d be okay with that.”

Ellodie’s heart skipped a beat. “I like you too. I’ll see what I can do.” The thought of him having a key to her place didn’t bother her at all. In fact, it excited her. “But will I get a key to yours?”

He threw his head back and chuckled. “You know I can’t say no to you.”

She beamed. Little did he know that question was a test, but he passed with flying colors, especially if he followed through on what he said.

They walked out the door, and she locked up. As they made their way to the elevator, she asked, “Where do you live, anyway?”

“Near Ellington Heights,” he replied nonchalantly.

Her eyes ballooned. That was a rich neighborhood in Ellwood. “Let me find out you got money.”

He chuckled as he hit the button to call the elevator. It opened right away, so they stepped on.

“Something like that,” he replied as the elevator doors closed.

Ellodie took the time in the small, enclosed space to admire him.

He was so fine, even when he dressed down.

She could tell he worked out frequently, and her mind drifted to thoughts of what he might look like naked . . . “Like what you see?”

His words snapped her out of her staring, and she focused on his side profile. He wasn’t even looking at her.

“How do you do that?” she asked as the elevator stopped and let them out into the lobby.

“Do what?”

“Know when someone is looking at you or entered a room without even looking.”

He shrugged as he held the door open for her. “You don’t grow up in a house like I did and not develop that sixth sense.”

She instantly felt bad for asking. “I’m sorry, Lu.”

“Don’t ever be sorry for asking a question, love.”

They stopped at his car, and she realized she forgot something important. Being a new mom was an adjustment, for sure. She groaned. “I forgot to grab her car seat.”

He shook his head and unlocked his car. “I didn’t.”

Inside was a brand-new car seat, just like the one she had. She looked at him in disbelief. “You got her a car seat?”

“I figured I needed to play my part, right?” he asked with a grin.

She didn’t know how to feel about his response. She’d hoped he gotten it because he genuinely wanted to and because he saw them spending more time together. He must have seen her emotions on her face, because he immediately reached out and pinched her cheek. “Cut it out.”

Her brows scrunched together. “Cut what out?”

“Overthinking.” He had her there. She was good for overthinking. She offered him a weak smile and then watched as he put Etta into the car seat and strapped her in. When he finished, he stepped back. “You want to check my work?”

She looked up at him sheepishly and nodded her head. It wasn’t that she didn’t trust him. It was just that he didn’t have any kids and this was her kid they were talking about. Ellodie would always make sure Etta was good.

It impressed her that he’d gotten it right. After stepping back, she closed the door and smiled up at him. “Good job, baby daddy.”

He bit his lip as he peered down at her before grabbing her hand and leading her to the passenger side of the car. After opening her door and making sure she was comfortable, he jogged back to the driver’s side and got in.

The ride to Harley and Hades’s house was silent, aside from the soft R&B music playing. It seemed like they were lost in their own thoughts but thoroughly enjoying the comfortable silence.

When they pulled up to a large home, Ellodie appraised it with high approval. She was used to the finer things, and it looked like Harley and Hades were too.

“Welcome to my childhood home,” Lucifer said as he put the car in park.

Ellodie whipped her head around to look at him. “You grew up here?”

“Hades bought this home shortly after my mother died.”

Ellodie looked at him in confusion. “How old was he?”

“Too young to own this home, but he did. He wanted nothing but the best for me and my sister.”

“Wow,” Ellodie muttered. She was impressed with the man everyone kept warning her about, and she hadn’t even met him yet.

They got out of the car, and Ellodie waited patiently for Lucifer to get Etta out of the car. Once her car seat was securely in his hand, he grabbed hers with his free one and led her to the door.

He didn’t bother to knock, which led Ellodie to believe this really was like home for him. Though she didn’t have the best relationship with her parents, she still had a key to her childhood home and felt comfortable letting herself in.

Inside looked like a mansion, and it made Ellodie feel right at home. She’d never been ashamed to admit that she was used to the finer things in life, and she really appreciated people who were on her level.