Sell to the Devil

WESTLEY

Crap!

What was I thinking? I knew something didn’t add up. Did he really want me to be his model or he was up to something?

My head snapped to the footsteps behind me.

Keene showed off his cocky smile. “Good job.” He raised his mug.

“I’m doing all of these for you, dumbass.” I got back to my swing. “Any news?”

“Nope. Not yet.” I could feel the dismay and sadness in his voice.

I couldn’t let him give up—not until what we’d already sacrificed over a year for him to be still with me. “Your new friend’s mom might be able to pull some strings.”

Keene moved to stand in front of me. “You okay with that?”

I met his gaze. “I’ll do everything for you, Keene. I will sell my soul if someone is willing to buy it.”

“Then sell it to the devil himself.” He chuckled. I knew exactly who he was referring to. Was he the devil though?

“Not funny.” I scowled. Given our situation and the opportunity, this was maybe our best chance.

“You don’t have to do that, Westley. You’ve done so much for me already that paying you till the hereafter isn’t enough.”

“No talking shits, Keene Wendall Storm!” I bolted inside the house.

I hated myself for being so useless to him. If I chose the other option I might be able to help him or I might not. I hated things that happened for reasons. Until now, I couldn’t find any good reason why Keene had to suffer from his illness.

Of all the people, why it had to be him? He’d been a great son, a thoughtful friend, and a God-fearing individual. Why not just some assholes like my family?

I reached my room. A typical one with cream painted walls with a small chandelier that dangled when fly passed by. Literally. An old rusty queen-sized bed, a small reach-in closet, and a nightstand with an expired condom box inside the drawer—Keene’s Christmas gift for me—he thought it was fun to remind me of what I’d missed.

The only thing I loved about this room was the princess window that gave me the complete view of the tall trees from the backyard. The sounds of night crickets and singing of birds were just comforting when I had a rough night. Weird, huh?

I slid the window open. The chilly fresh air pricked my face. I breathed in and out for a couple of times to wash away my worries, but instead, it just worsened further.

God helped me.

I stormed out of the house toward Clyve’s cabin and banged the door until I heard him yelling from the inside.

“What took you so long?” I met the ever-gorgeous Clyve in just a pair of sweatpants and a black T-shirt wearing a confused look on his face.

“Took me so long? Do we have archery training today?” He grinned—a grin that could make girls swoon for.

“To open your damn door. What are you up in there?” I tipped my head to the slightly opened door.

His brows met together. “Hey, what’s wrong?”

“You what’s wrong. Since you came into our lives, you make things complicated.” I regretted right away before I could finish my words—they just shot like a loaded gun in my mind.

“I honestly don’t know how I came intothat wrong part, Westley. Care to elaborate?” God, I wanted to punch the innocent look on his face.

“Can we talk inside, please? I mean if you have time.” I shrugged. I didn’t want to impose though I already was.

“Come in.” He stepped aside, widely opening the door for me.

I took a deep breath, gathering all my strength, and setting aside my pride. I needed this. I was willing to do everything for Keene who did everything he could for me without a second thought. He sheltered me from the storm when my life was so miserable.

The cabin smelled pine. My eyes landed on a muted and paused football game on TV, a cup of steaming tea on the coffee table, and the rest it was almost spotless. Wow! Clyve was a neat freak.

“Don’t say a word.” He walked past me, sitting down on the couch. Then he patted a space beside him.

“I’m not here to say a word.”

His brow cocked. “Then why are you here? I don’t entertain service in the morning.”

I squinted at him, snorting defensive laughter. “What service?”

“Jeez, lady. Chill out. I’m just messing with you. Audene Westley doesn’t just come over here without something important on her sleeves. So, please, have a seat, and I’m all ears.”

I sat beside him. I could smell the cologne he was using—masculine and spicy. Could be his aftershave, but it was damn sexy. Damn it! Focused.

“I’ll get a cup for you.”

I blinked. “No, thanks.”

“A coffee?”

“No thank you.”

“Okay. Start because I’m a busy man,” he joked.

“I need help.”

He seemed to stiffen. “What kind of help?”

I faced Clyve and thought of Keene before I took all the strength not to burst out all my emotions in front of him. No matter how worst the situation was, he was still a stranger, and he could say no.

The last time I shed tears was when Keene and I received terrible news. Crying didn’t make someone weak, it didn’t also help solve the problem.

“I know, I’ve been nothing but an ass to you, and we barely know each other. I shouldn’t be doing this, but I’ll take all the chances I get.” I shifted in my seat uncomfortably. Keene was known to be decisive—he rarely asked for help in making a decision. “We did our best, spent a lot of money. I know Keene well—he doesn’t mention anything, but the guilt is eating him up from the inside when we used my savings for his latest medical bills, even it was my choice. We have nothing left other than this property. I wish I could tell him to sell this, but I also knew that this is the only thing he has left from the Storm.” I couldn’t let Clyve pretend to understand our situations. I looked down, pressing my lips into a tight line when I realized I was desperate.

Clyve was quiet for a moment, and I couldn’t help but think that I made a terrible mistake in coming over. But the satisfaction hit me straight when he nodded.

“Go on.”

“I promise I’ll do everything you’ll ask me to if you can ask your mom to pull some strings just for Keene’s complete diagnostic tests. I kind of Googled your mom—she’s the head of the Pediatrics Department at Central Hospital in New York. I researched that they had the best specialists and consultants that can give us some options for Keene’s case.”

Clyve kept staring at me. One thing I knew about him for a short time was he kept staring when he was in-depth thoughts.

“Say something, please?”