A DEAL WITH THE DEVIL
Stefan's calm and agreeable response was not what Lilly was expecting nor was his use of the endearing term ' angel' followed by a sexy grin.
Caught off guard Lilly paused slightly before continuing with her bravado, " I wasn't expecting you to be so ... agreeable." Lilly blurted her ability not to be able to lie or not speak her mind making her do so.
Stefan grinned at his little angel's directness and honesty two qualities he greatly admired " And I wasn't expecting my angel to be so bold, but here we are." He replied in a ruggedly deep and manly voice that held a note of amusement in its tone.
Lilly blushed at hearing him use the endearing term before lifting her head higher and forcing herself not to coo like a lovesick schoolgirl or loose her newfound confidence. " Well as you reminded me bluntly last night, this may be my last week to live so I thought there was no point in giving in to my fear of you and I may as well not care about any repercussions of speaking my mind and angering you and just speak my mind. After all, what's the worse punishment you can inflict death- you will be doing that anyway most likely at the end of the week, so I may as well make the most of my last week, and I am neither an angel nor yours." Lilly replied daringly awaiting his reaction.
Stefan did something he hadn't gone it over a decade after hearing Lilly's speech, he threw back his head and he roared with amusement as his deep joyful laugh filled the room.
After he finally managed to control his laughter he looked at Lilly who was staring at him in shock and managed to reply, " Your right, it may well be ... so you feel free to speak your mind at all times around me. I have killed people who dared speak to me the way you just did, but I find I oddly enjoy hearing your blunt honesty ... you intrigue and amuse me... and your beauty and aura of innocence make you an angel in my eyes. So in return for you being allowed to speak your mind for the next week without repercussions, and believe me, they are ones worse than death, I will continue to call you my angel and you will not object as that's exactly what you are for the next week, agreed?"
Lilly swallowed, her innocent mind wondering what repercussions could be worse than death? Failing to think of any but intimidated none the less by the prospect, Lilly finally nodded agreeing to Stefan's deal.
" Excellent, I am glad we could come to an agreement and speaking of agreements ...please continue with your requests... sorry demands," Stefan smirked before pouring himself more coffee and offering Lilly some who politely declined.
" Okay then, my first request.. demand," Lilly started quickly changing the word request to demand to keep her allusion of bravado, " is for you to stop intimidating the staff. If I am to stay here I want to make friends and I can't do that with you being all Mafia Bossy and frightening them. So I would appreciate it if you officially gave them permission not to be so formal and if you were less intimidating around them, smile occasionally, say please and thank you and try and appeared friendlier."
Stefan was expecting demands for diamonds, designer clothes, and other expensive things which he would have happily provided since money was of no consequence and since it was her, this humble demand threw him off guard and he took time to consider how to respond. " Friendly isn't in my nature." he finally replied but seeing Lilly's hurt expression he quickly added in an attempt to please her, as he didn't know why but pleasing her was important to him " but for you ... I will try, and I will instruct the staff to be less formal towards you. what's your next demand?" Lilly gave him a genuinely delighted smile that made Stefan's heart squeeze and made him pleased with his vow to try and change for her, as he would do anything to keep that radiant and stunning smile on her face.
" Thank you, next I will like a few things to entertain myself whilst I am ... your guest. I would like a few books to read and to be given access to the kitchen and allowed to cook and bake whenever I want." Lilly stated.
" I will see you have books and access to the kitchen if you write down your preferred genre of books and any baking supplies and cooking ingredients you want I will send the staff out to get them this morning. " Stefan replied amazed still be her demands, most women would have demanded diamonds, perfume and lots more of expensive luxuries, she was like no woman he had ever met.
" Next I will like my clothes from my flat brought to me, whilst I appreciate you kindly allowing me to borrow what I assume is your clothing I can't wear yours all week." Lilly blushed
" I can't retrieve your clothing it's too far away and I have important business this week and can't spare any men to retrieve them but if you write down your sizes and the type of clothing you want I will have new ones delivered to you by tomorrow. And by the way, I like you in my clothes." Stefan compromised and winked.
Lilly blushed even more at his wink and nodded her approval, new clothes seemed excessive but if she survived the week she would make sure she either donated them to a charity or paid Stefan back.
" I would also like to write letters to my friends and a Will and I would like your words that you will give my Will to a lawyer and make sure it's followed and that my friends receive my letters... in the event that my brother doesn't keep his promise and you kill me," Lilly replied authoritatively showing how much this demand meant to her.
Stefan's face contorted with anger that made Lilly flinch slightly.
He wasn't angered at her demand only at the fact it reminded him of the fact he had vowed to kill her if her brother let him down. The thought of Lily being hurt made his stomach churn with anger and guilt at the prospect of him killing her, he suddenly realized he didn't want to do it. He was however in a difficult situation and he didn't know what he would do when the time came.
Stefan softened his expression seeing Lilly's fear and replied reluctantly choosing his words very carefully as he did, " I vow that... IF YOU DIE, I will see to it that your will is carried out according to your wishes and that any letters you have written are passed to the intended receptors." Stefan replied giving his word he would honor her demand but carefully not using words that would commit himself to kill her again.
Lilly sighed with relief, at least if the worst came to happen she was comforted by the knowledge that her friends may receive some sort of closure rather than having years of uncertainty not knowing she was dead as she lay at the bottom of a river somewhere rotting or whatever Mobsters did with the bodies of their victims. " Thank you," Lilly replied stiffly genuinely grateful- how odd she thought that she can display gratitude to someone for following a simple request after they murdered her.
" Is that all of your demands ?" Stefan asked in a tone equally as stiff.
" No, if my brother doesn't hold up his side of the bargain..." Lilly started but Stefan's expression turned dark assuming she was about to beg for her brother's worthless life and her own. He would never be weak enough to spare her brother but if she asked him to hers he would instantly. Stefan knew however even in the brief time that he had known her that Lilly, unlike her cowardly brother, was selfless and she would beg for someone else's life but never her own.
" It's not what you think..." Lilly said quickly seeing Stefan's dark expression and knowing that Stefan was assuming she was going to try and squirm out of the deal and beg for mercy. " I was only going to ask if my brother doesn't honor the deal you made that you allow me to say goodbye to him first before you kill us both and if you could maybe find it in your heart to make his death quick. I understand why you can't let his actions go unpunished and
why you have to kill us but please if you can reconsider the threat of torturing him to death. I know in your world it would be expected and seen as your right to do that and you vowed you would but ... he's my brother." Lilly pleaded as, despite his cruelness and the fact he was a complete jerk and bad brother he was still her brother and she would do anything she could to look out for him right up until her last breath- as she couldn't hold a grudge against all his misdeeds even if she wanted to, it just wasn't in her nature.
Stefan responded instantly wanting to get the subject of Lilly's death over with as quickly as possible. " I will agree to allow you time together to say your goodbyes, one-hour sounds fair but I will not commit to showing the thief any mercy- but I will consider it." Lilly unable to help herself stood up from the table and ran across the room to Stefan and kissed him chastely on the cheek before blushing and walking back to her seat at the other end of the table, leaving Stefan temporarily frozen in shock.
" Sorry I couldn't help it and thank you. I understand why you can't commit to not showing him mercy but the fact you are willing to consider it and that you are allowing us to say goodbye ... it means the world to me," Lilly said shyly as Stefan unable to speak simply nodded his understanding and resisted the urge to touch his cheek where she kissed him and grin like a schoolboy
Stefan, at last, snapped out of his lovesick daze and went back to a persona he was more versed in- the businessman. " Well if that's all your demands they seem reasonable and as I said I am willing to agree to them if you are willing to agree to mine in return."
" Your demands?" Lilly asked slightly nervous.