Page 18 of Promised to the Demon King (The Demon Brides #1)

Nova followed Allister and Thomas into the prestigious high-rise building and into the top-floor penthouse that Allister owned in the city.

When she stepped in, she took in the setting and décor of the place. It was tastefully decorated, reeked of wealth, and looked like something out of a stage home catalogue. However, there was no distinctive personality associated with the home.

Seeing houses like Timothy's and her mother’s or penthouses like Allister's made Nova appreciate just how humble her father remained.

Her father was never one to flaunt his wealth to anyone, to the point of living in an ordinary four-bedroom bungalow in the middle of a typical, average suburb community.

He always said that any fool can peacock materialistic possessions and superficial enhancements, but a good man puts better stock in his word, commitment and character.

Her father was wealthy at both ends of the spectrum.

Like her father, Nova may have an unlimited financial portfolio to the point that she would never have to work a day in her life twice over, but she values what matters.

Character and hard work.

Once she turned eighteen, she would move back into her family home, go to college like planned, and stay humble. This was her tribute to her father and his dedication to raising her right.

Right after she got her revenge, that is.

Learning that Timothy was being investigated for embezzlement caught Nova’s interest.

Did he steal that money? He seemed adamant that he didn’t; Nova secretly watched his response to his brother’s accusation.

Nova noticed long ago that Timothy would stand and fight when he was lying about something. Timothy is a professional gaslighter. He loves to battle, challenge, and be victorious. He is a seasoned manipulator, but something about the way he was when they were at dinner made him seem scared and panicked. It didn’t suit his usual approach to his sliminess.

Something told Nova that he might be innocent of this crime.

If that were the case, she suspected her mother was the culprit behind the theft. And if that was what happened, Nova couldn’t figure out why Carol needed that large sum of money.

Her mother had unlimited access to Timothy’s personal finances, and thanks to Timothy, she had many credit cards. So, why steal a hundred thousand dollars from Carter Construction and Contracting? Embezzlement was a major corporate crime, and it was not easily reversed those rumours in the business world.

Timothy Carter would be ruined by this, which would, in turn, ruin and upset Carol from her lofty perch above. She risked financial stability and her status for what? A quick large sum of money? Something wasn’t adding up.

Nova wondered if this was because of the Will reading. Her mother put on quite the performance at the funeral and wake but nearly lost her mind at the Will reading when she discovered that she would receive nothing until she proved to be a half-decent mother for the next few months.

Nova remembered her mother hissing to Timothy that it wasn’t right and that she deserved, at the very least, a large sum for child support if she was stuck with the brat.

Was Carol in some debt, and that was why she had her father killed? Did Carol expect to inherit the wealth instead of Nova? Since she got none of it, did she have to steal it?

She was weighed down with all the possible reasons.

“Nova?”

a man's voice broke her from her inner interrogating thoughts. She returned to the present and found Allister standing directly in front of her with a concerned expression. “Is something wrong?”

“Hmm,”

Nova hummed.

“Is something wrong? You are standing in the entryway, looking lost. Do you not like it? We can redecorate. I am really not attached to any of this stuff.”

Allister rushed as he looked around the penthouse. At times, his face scrunched due to the tackiness of the décor.

“Oh no, its fine. Don't redecorate on my behalf. I am only a temporary guest anyway. But, thank you.”

“I can assure you, I didn’t decorate this place. A hired professional did. I've never actually stayed here before.”

Allister continued to explain, making the corners of Nova’s lips curl slightly. He was cute when nervous, but why was he anxious about her liking or disliking his place?

“That must be hard on you,”

Nova said thoughtfully, stepping into the penthouse and laying her coat down on the armrest of the bright white sofa. She took a seat, her face pinched slightly as she did. “Always being away travelling for work, I mean.”

Allister joined her, sitting on the matching accent chair beside the sofa. “It is, but I will be here for some time. I have to say, this chair is terribly uncomfortable. Is the sofa any better to sit on?”

Allister adjusted his position on the chair to try and find comfort.

“Honestly?”

Nova whispered.

“Yes.”

Allister stared into her vibrant green eyes. “I ask that you are only ever honest with me. I will never be upset with you for your honesty. Only lies.”

“Deal. I expect the same, then.”

“Agreed!”

They both smiled, pleased.

When Allister smiled, Nova thought of how handsome he was. She thought he should smile more; it suited him better.

Allister was Timothy's younger brother. He was a ruthless business tycoon who was known globally. Although Timothy took over the family business, Allister made the family name known internationally.

It was rumoured that he had underground connections, but this has never been proven—at least not by Nova. Her father paid more attention to Carol and her dramatic marriage than Nova did.

She did know that Allister was the product of an affair with a secretary at Timothy Carter, Sr.'s office. Labelled a bastard, Allister received nothing but his surname. It was his role to carve his own path in the business world—and he did.

At the age of thirty-one, Allister had made his own legacy that the Carter family now latched onto and took hold of much of the claim and the credit, all the while looking down on him for being the bastard that ruined a happy home.

If it was happy, then why did Carter Senior run around? Nova wondered. Cheaters aren’t ever happy; they’re greedy, and Greedy people can never be satisfied for long.

Nova continued to take in Allister's physical features. He wasn’t an adonis of a man. He had a beaked nose and untrusting dark brown eyes. He had sharp and narrow features. His build was lean, and he stood only five feet ten inches tall, but his presence and his aura commanded respect and dripped of authority.

He was a dangerous businessman, ruthless as they came, but as he sat uncomfortably in front of Nova, she found herself relaxed and smiling.

At that moment, he was different. He was just a normal guy fighting for comfort. He was clumsy, and as though unaware of his own body, he kicked his slender leg up and out, knocking the crystal vase off of the coffee table.

He hissed, and when he found Nova staring at him, he blushed with embarrassment.

“Still adjusting to this body.”

Allister shrugged nervously and tried to smile the moment off.

“Maybe try the sofa. I don’t particularly find it the most comfortable, but I am also not jumping around like I have ants in my pants, like you are.”

Nova giggled.

Thomas entered the living room with a small broom and dustpan. He quickly swept up the broken vase. While he did, Allister shifted over to the sofa with Nova. His face fell with a lack of enthusiasm.

“Thomas, tomorrow we are going to buy new furniture. We need something more comfortable. This crap won’t do.”

Allister mumbles in apparent disappointment.

“Tomorrow, you have to be at Carter Construction, sir. The board meeting regarding Timothy has been set.”

Allister hisses in annoyance. “Fine.”

He turns to Nova. “In a couple of days, we’ll get new furniture. Is that okay?”

His tone was soft and gentle.

Nova nods and lets them both know that there is no rush. When she looks at Thomas, she finds him staring at her. His eyes stay on her longer than she expected, almost to the point of discomfort, but he looks away right before that point. “Your bag is in your new room, Nova. It is the third door on the left. You have your own en-suite, as well.”

“We will need to buy you toiletry items at some point tomorrow. Maybe we can go after the boardroom meeting.”

Allister looked at Nova thoughtfully.

“That would be great. Thank you. I appreciate you allowing me to stay here for a bit. I know it is kind of weird.”

She mumbles, embarrassed by the state of her life at the moment.

“Think nothing of it. We will contact your lawyer tomorrow and make this new update known. I don’t trust your mother not to try and pull something legally, to be honest.”

Nova froze. She didn’t think about that. She needed to update Crane on what Timothy did and how Carol responded. She would not go back again, and Crane needed to make sure she wouldn’t be forced to.

“I didn’t even think of that. Thank you again.”

“Think nothing of it, Nova. I promised in that filthy office that I wouldn’t allow anyone else to hurt you again, and I mean it.”

Allister spoke with confidence and determination, which filled his words. It took Nova back. Very few people would stand up for her. Her appearance was often too off-putting for people. Add in her mother's spread of rumours, which worsened things.

“I know it's not my business, but I think it was Carol, not Timothy, who took the missing money. I don’t like Timothy, and he’s a disturbed guy, but something tells me it was my mother and not him.”

Thomas and Allister stared at each other silently before Thomas nodded randomly. Allister turned back to Nova and smiled. “We will investigate everything. Don’t worry; I plan to punish all the wrongdoers.”

“If there is nothing else, I will turn in for the night. It’s been a very exhausting day. Thank you both again. I appreciate you both.”

Without hesitation, Nova hugged both men before heading to her new room for the night. She felt each of them tense as she did.

She looked back at the still stunned, silent men. She smirked at the realization that they were still thinking about her hug. She was a hugger—always had been—and she trusted them. She just hoped that they wouldn’t let her down.