The Devil's Sweetheart

Clutching the paper bag as if she was holding her dear life on to it, Leena dashed away from the shopping emporium to get away from his sight.

"You mad girl, why do you always lose rationality in his presence?" She huffed, pretending to look calm when she saw that he was following behind her.

Trailing behind her, his towering long legs which could stretch over long hauls, Devin spotted her in no time. Everywhere they were heading, both garnered attention from the public, but it didn't sink into their brains, for both were busy playing hide and seek game. The moment his eyes seized her, Devin swiftly closed the distance and grasped her hand.

Devin chuckled seeing her running away like a scared cat after kicking his leg. "Slow down. Why are you rushing?"

"Because the voice in my head is telling me to run away from you." Pushing his hand away, Leena snapped at him blatantly, expecting to hurt his ego and make him angry, but her understandings always contradict when it comes to him.

"You are the first woman to ignore me." He said, squeezing her cheeks with a mirth dancing in his eyes. Countless letters, posts, he gets from many women every day which he rejects without even seeing them. But the only woman he is chasing always tries to escape away from him.

"So, Mr. Adonis is finally admitting that he is a playboy?" Leena scoffed. I shouldn't have believed Leah's words when she said he doesn't heed to any girl.

"I am not a playboy sweetheart. But I know how to play with you." He said with a wink, unable to resist the urge to mess with her a little.

Her corner of the mouth twitched in vexation with his sarcastic comments.

'Leave it, Leena. He is a pain in the arse. His shamelessness has no shame at all. Even if you kick him away, he will somehow find a way to slink back into your life with his witty teasing.'

Ignoring him, Leena began walking towards the exit, but with the bustling crowd, she did not notice a woman was rushing towards her direction. Before she could avoid the hurrying woman, Leena was shoved away, and right when her body was about to knock on to the ground fully, she was seized by a pair of hands.

"Are you okay?" Devin's reflexes were faster than hers, he caught her waist and wielded her in no time.

"Are you hurt anywhere?" Devin worriedly asked when she is not answering back and in a haste, he thought that she might have got hurt when that woman roughly pushed her. If not for his instantly catching her, Leena would have been knocked down by that woman.

"I_I am fine." She felt uneasy all over and her heart was going into upheaval whenever he shows little care. Even though it sounded bizarre to assume such a thing, Leena suddenly felt his touch was very familiar, the one close touch she had with a stranger at the cliff when she was in a near-death accident five years ago. Even though she sensed this rare feeling in their earlier encounters, Leena still rebuffed the theory.

"Can you release me?" She asked. Nodding his head, Devin immediately released her and brought her to stand.

"She did not even confess to her mistake right?" In a rage, Devin was about to leave and reprimand that woman, but his hand was swiftly caught away by Leena.

"Let me go." He said, trying to release Leena's grip.

"It's ok. I am fine." She smiled trying to bring him back. Why is he getting vexed up when I am the one who got hurt? Leena pondered.

"That bubble butt needs a small lesson," Devin said.

Leena immediately giggled at the nickname he used. Indeed that woman's butt is a little rounded. But did he has to go to that extent and openly call her with such a nutty name? Thank God, she did not listen. Shaking her head, Leena looked up and her eyes unconsciously landed on the same woman who was glaring daggers at them.

"Mr. Adonis. She is standing behind you. Did she listen to everything?" Leena whispered in a crying tone.

Even before Devin could answer, Leena heard a woman's unfamiliar voice.

"I listened to everything." Scowling with a little rancor, especially towards Devin, bubble butt shouted.

"So what if you have listened? It doesn't change the fact that you have a bubble butt." Turning towards her, Devin gave her a death stare that was even detectable through his mask. She dared to talk back again after she pushed my darling.

"Idiot." Leena whipped his back slightly. " Why are you fighting with the_"

"Miss who so ever you are, I was in a rush to find my fiance. I am sorry that I did not see you. And please control your boyfriend. He is totally off the limits."

"He is not my boyfr_"

"It's not your business to advise my girlfriend in the first place." Even though he stated in a deadpanned voice, Devin was internally grinning like an idiot. Are we really looking like a couple to others?

"What the hell are you blabbering?" Hearing to his words, Leena tried to hit him for spouting all nonsense, but it was easily evaded.

"Maybe you can start afresh tomorrow. Your daily quota has ended for today." He whispered referring to the kick.

"You are becoming more shameless by each pass_"

Leena's thoughts suddenly halted when she heard another unfamiliar voice calling the same woman with her nickname. "Bubble butt, shall we go?

Leena pressed her lips to control her giggle which was threatening to come out when she saw that woman's stigma. In no time, his fiance got sacrificed in front of Bubble butt's fury.

"James Gattie! Do you wish to die today in my hands?" With pure shame, bubble butt started beating her fiance for humiliating her with the nickname again.

Watching over the couples fighting until they were out of their sights, Leena and Devin burst into a fit of laughter.

After continuously laughing for a whole lot of time, Leena completely forgot that Devin has shamelessly declared her as his girlfriend when she is not.

Still laughing over the odd couple, both were proceeding to the exit when Leena's stomach growled with a loud noise.

"Nice music darling. I should put it as my ringtone." He said, trying to control his laughter.

"I_I did not eat anything after breakfast. Might be because of that." Leena sheepishly confessed looking down at the floor. Ringtone? Is he serious?

"Let's go then. I literally forgot there is a food devourer here." With a smile, he grabbed her hand and started walking towards the parking.

"Don't call me that, idiot. I am just curious about the variety of foods." Leena pouted.

"Curiosity about food is also gluttony darling." He winked.

Leena ignored his comments and walked along with him silently when she knew, he will come back with something to shut her mouth with his witty remarks if she opened it again.

....

Out of boredom, Drew was playing video games sitting in the car and occasionally his eyes were trailing outside expecting someone.

"I am hungry. Why aren't they coming still?" He sulked. Just then he heard Vincy's voice and when he looked up and saw them, his eyes twinkle in amusement. Ultimately, I can have food now.

"You are here finally?" Seeing the paper bag, Leena was holding, Drew got real curious. "What is that? It looks like a wrist wat_"

Before he could utter the next word, Leena smashed his leg to silence him.

"Owww...Why did you kick me?" Crying, he asked her. It's the second time. He still remembered her powerful kick when they were in Azure hotel.

"There was a cockroach roaming around your running shoes." Leena lied to distract him.

"Cockroach? But I didn't see any." Drew questioned looking around.

"Enough Drew. Let's go. I will take you to the best hotel in Seattle." Devin avoided the topic knowing that Leena is not eager to discuss it. But Jealous was continuously brewing within him thinking about the watch going into someone else hands.

"You are the best Vincy." With a delighted mood, Drew hopped into the car forgetting the real matter. Leena sighed in relief then after.

After they got settled, Devin accelerated the gas and sped up to their destination. Within thirty minutes, they were in the hotel Blue mountains. Handing the keys to the parking valet, they headed towards the entrance.

But one pair of the footsteps halted suddenly, the moment she saw the name of the hotel. Feeling scared and tensed, Leena started sweating all over.

"Vin_cy, her breathing." Drew suddenly noticed something was off with Leena and poked his friend's arm.

"Are you not well?" Moving close to her, Devin checked her forehead and pulse for any fever, but Leena was least responsive to his touch.

Seeing her staring at the hotel name continuously, Devin was turning to get worried. Did something happen suddenly?

"Shall I take you to the hospital?" Lightly shaking her shoulder, Devin whispered to get her out of the trance.

"No. C_an we go to some other hotel?" Holding the hem of his shirt, Leena pleaded in a weak voice.

"Please," Leena begged. She neither wants to walk into her past nor cross her path with Ethan again.

"Shhh...You don't need to ask again." Grasping her hand, he gently guided her to the car.

Devin could sense that she is traumatized by something. Did something happen in the past? She always tries to create positivity around her. But right now, his heart was feeling completely void, and null.. Seeing her wretched state, his heart was starting to shatter with pain.