Page 48 of Wicked Believer (Original Sinner #2)

Chapter Thirty-Nine

Charlotte

By the time Azrael is finished pulverizing me into the mat nearly two hours later, and I’ve finally learned how to properly breakfall—he can’t possibly be serious that I’m somehow falling the wrong way, can he?

—I’m so furious and exhausted that I want nothing more than to shower and crawl back into bed for the foreseeable future.

And maybe use one of the playroom’s vibrators to ease the throbbing ache between my legs. To distract myself from the global news this morning. I groan.

No. I will not allow myself to acknowledge how Death and his creepy stalkerish ways have been the star of my recent freakish fantasies.

I am so not going there.

I force my thoughts to turn to Lucifer.

It isn’t until Mia meets me outside the training room, her shiny goddamn tablet in her hand with the Calendly schedule Lucifer created for me already pulled up, that I realize this torturous morning is only just the beginning. Day one of my punishment.

I scowl. “Where’s Lucifer?”

He may have played a key role in causing all this, but it doesn’t mean I’m not worried about him. I knew who he was when I chose to stay with him. I knew what I was signing up for.

Even if I never could have fathomed something like this.

I just need to be certain he’s okay.

“He’s busy.” Mia brushes off my question. “You’ll see him at seven. Your next appointment is with Greed.”

“Greed?”

Mia passes me a scone, and I stare at it, slightly shocked. “Thanks?” I quirk a brow at her.

This is the second time today she’s done something kind for me.

Maybe I was wrong about her?

I nibble a few bites, but after the full-body workout Azrael put me through, I’m basically dead on my feet.

Daddy Death takes no prisoners.

I cough, nearly choking on my scone at the unintentional nickname I’ve given him.

No. No, no, no, Charlotte. Why? I internally berate myself.

Just because loving Lucifer feels difficult right now doesn’t mean ...

I stuff another bit of scone inside my mouth to keep myself from groaning.

But the nickname is kind of perfect, actually.

And what does a bit of harmless fantasy hurt?

Lucifer would likely say the same thing.

And Azrael strikes me as a little too serious for his own damn good.

He’s not nearly as playful as the Lucifer I fell in love with, though I haven’t seen much of that side of Lucifer the past few weeks.

My thoughts turn to the dark circles I noted under his eyes the other day, the way the weight of the world seemed to hang on his shoulders.

Not that he’s bothered to confide any of it in me.

And why would he? that awful doubt inside me whispers.

Especially considering I just spent half the morning ogling another man while simultaneously getting my ass handed to me.

And not in the fun kind of way.

Maybe I’ve been asking too much of him.

Team No Apocalypse is looking pretty grim at the moment.

“Are you sure Lucifer is okay?” I turn back to Mia, too tired to care that I’ve got a bit of powdered sugar on my lips.

I just can’t shake the feeling there’s something wrong. Like he’s hurt in some way.

Horribly, terribly wrong.

“I told you. He’s fine. You’ll see him later tonight.” She points to a red block on the Calendly schedule that reads “Playroom.”

“So, you’re like my personal assistant now? Is that what this is?”

She frowns at me. “I’m the house manager, and I’ll remain the house manager. This is only a ... temporary reassignment of my duties.”

I snort. “Keep telling yourself that.”

Just like my reassignment as Imani’s assistant was temporary.

Or mine and Lucifer’s initial engagement.

We didn’t even get to talk wedding plans before everything went to hell. Literally.

My amusement turns sour as I trudge after Mia.

“And how do you feel about ... you know?” I gesture around us. “About today’s headlines.”

She scrunches her nose. “About what? The world falling apart?”

I nod.

I’m curious to hear a regular human’s perspective on all this.

“I’m pretty sure the whole world’s been collectively holding their breath and waiting for something like this since the moment Lucifer and the other Originals came topside.

Scary shit happens. Life churns on. We’ve all gotten so used to impending doom, we’re just sort of numb to it now. ” Mia shrugs.

“Way to be a nihilist,” I mutter.

Though I suppose she has a point.

She leads me down the stairs into the sitting room.

Greed is already there waiting for us, looking as impeccable and indulgent as ever in an elegant side-split shawl dress that matches the Balenciaga clutch she’s holding.

From the hang of the material and the sheen of the real-gold buttons, it’s clearly a custom-made Oscar de la Renta that, on her generously curved figure, makes her look like the new age of haute couture.

“Charlotte.” She comes to my side and makes a show of kissing me on both cheeks, without smearing any of her lipstick, before she glances toward Mia, who’s not exactly gawking but is fairly close to it. “Why are you still here?”

Mia takes the hint and quickly collects herself.

“Oh, a-apologies, Ms. Apollyon. I’m just a huge fan.

That’s all.” She says the word “huge” at the exact moment her eyes land on Mimi’s full chest. She blushes and mumbles something about needing to check on my dry cleaning before she disappears to some other part of the penthouse.

I nod in Mia’s direction. “Feel free to be as much of a bitch to her as you’d like.”

Though I’m not certain I really mean it anymore.

The idea of Mia with Lucifer in any capacity still makes my insides harden with rage, but even as annoying as it was to have her show up in our bedroom this morning, I’m legitimately grateful that she saved me from Lucifer’s punishment tonight.

If he’s even capable of it, considering the state he might be in.

No. I shake my head. Azrael said it was just celestial roughhousing between siblings.

But what does that even mean ?

“Do you know if Lucifer’s okay?”

Greed casts me a confused look. “Why wouldn’t he be?”

Like she’s blissfully unaware of how the world’s burning.

“I don’t know. I just ...”

Have a bad feeling, I almost say.

I shrug it off. “It’s nothing, I guess.”

Azrael said he was fine, and so did Mia for that matter.

Mia wouldn’t lie to me at least, would she?

Mimi sighs, like my obsession with her older brother disgusts her. “I’m not my brother’s keeper, Charlotte.”

“I know that.”

“In a bitchy mood today, are we?” Mimi smiles knowingly.

We haven’t had the chance to be alone much since I last met her at her office down on Bond Street, the headquarters of Zest, her lifestyle company, where she offered me a job with the stipulation that I ditch Lucifer along with Apollyon Incorporated.

It wasn’t long after that when I learned she was responsible for killing Paris Starr, with Michael serving as the middleman, her hired muscle apparently.

All in an attempt to undermine Lucifer.

The knowledge that she’s as vicious as any of her brothers has shifted my perception of her—just like my gallery visit with Azmodeus did of him—but I’m not sure if it’s to a better one, honestly. Is it respect or disgust I feel when I look at her?

Maybe a little of both?

“I’m really tired from training with Azrael, that’s all.”

“Azrael?” she says, her eyes lighting up like I’ve just told her the most delicious gossip she’s heard in a century. “Oh, that’s an interesting choice now, isn’t it?”

“What do you mean?”

“Don’t worry your pretty little head over it.” She pats the crown of my hair like I’m a dog being told to sit.

But I’m not about to let this go.

“Who is he, Mimi?”

Greed simply shrugs. “I suppose you could say he’s Lucifer’s most loyal guard dog.” She smirks at me.

I have a distinct feeling she hasn’t begun to tell me the half of it.

“If that’s true, then why haven’t I—”

“That’s enough questions.” She claps her hands. “Come along now. We don’t have all day.”

“All day for what?”

She isn’t dressed for the gym or any kind of combat training.

“Haven’t I already done enough training?”

“Azrael’s job is to train your body”—she smiles like there’s something painfully amusing about that—“but it’s my job to train your mind.

Make you a true celestial. Teach you how to embody your feminine divine power.

” She spreads her arms wide, and for a moment, she looks exactly like the self-love wellness guru all her followers believe her to be. “Come.”

She takes my hand, and before I can stop her, the stars inside the ether are swirling around us, making me dizzy so I can’t gather my bearings before we land hard. My stomach bottoms out at the sight before me.

Because my father is standing right there, furiously glaring at me.