Blue Eyed Devil: The Devils

By Shala Mungroo

Catarina De Angelis was a woman used to getting what she wanted.
She was heading the De Angelis empire and had men at her beck and call, so why then was the one man she really wanted, the most forbidden of them all?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Shala Mungroo
• Release date: Apr 7, 2023
• ISBN: 9798215661222

Book preview

One

Chapter 1

Chapter Separator

CATARINA- 12 Years Ago..

I pulled off my headphones to hear the sound of splashing water and raucous laughter outside by the pool area of my house.

I rolled off of my bed where I had been listening to my favourite Backstreet Boys album and thumbing through a Teen Beat magazine- my usual routine during summer vacation, to peer out the large bay window of my bedroom that faced our backyard.

I wasn’t surprised to see that my older brother Lucian was home from college and tossing a bubblegum pink, bikini clad blonde into the pool. What did surprise me was the guy next to him.

My eyes narrowed in curiosity as I studied the stranger from afar. He was tall- taller even than my brother who was already over six feet. He had golden blonde hair that fell over his eyes much like Leo who I’d just been fantasizing over in my magazine, and his body was lean but athletic as if he regularly engaged in some kind of physical sport.

My perfectly shaped eyebrows rose in appreciation as I ogled his body in his navy board shorts that ran low on his hips. I wished he would turn in my direction so I could see if his face was as gorgeous as the rest of him.

Lucian rarely brought friends home with him- male friends that is. He was four years my senior but always came around whenever I needed him. He was the one person I could always count on and he made sure that we spent time together bonding, especially during the breaks from school.

Our father, Sebastian De Angelis ran a billion dollar empire and was always working. Our mother, Mariella passed away almost five years ago and the loss forced my father to somehow withdraw from us even more.

In those times, I always felt like it was Lucian and I against the world.

I padded down the long, winding staircase in my flip flops, frayed denim shorts and tank top and headed out back to the pool. I stopped abruptly in front of the hallway mirror to smooth back my long, dark ponytail and grimaced when I saw my reflection. Sure I was pretty enough I suppose, having been the product of good genes. I had long black hair and sapphire blue eyes exactly like my brother, but my frame was more willowy than curvy and more than once I’d been told I had the body of an editorial model- but I was still too self conscious to put myself out there like that. Besides my father would have a stroke if I did. Lucian and I were to be the heirs to his throne. Well Lucian was, but I had to be there to support him, that was the family way according to my father. I was planning to prove him wrong and show him that I was more than capable of running the De Angelis empire. All he had to do was give me the chance.

I ignored the bodyguards patrolling the house like I usually did and walked out onto the patio immediately drawing the attention of my brother and his guests.

Cat! Come over here, love. Lucian pulled himself out of the pool, water sliding down his chest and washboard abs and with a mischievous grin- made a move to hug me.

I squealed and jumped out of reach but Lucian caught me up in his arms hugging me tight. I laughed, not noticing the way the blonde guy watched me curiously.

Lucian pulled away to slip an arm around my shoulders to face his guests.

Cat, that’s Linda over there. He said pointing to the girl-of-the-week in the pool who waved back, And this, He turned me towards the blonde guy so we were barely a few feet apart, Is Aidan Callaghan from my Tort class. Remember I told you about him?

So this was Aidan. I recalled that Luc had told me about the guy who was never shy about answering questions in class.. or flirting with the female teachers. His clear grey eyes met mine evenly and a shiver of awareness crept up my spine.

He was gorgeous.

He had a typically straight Anglo nose, square jawline and slashing eyebrows that highlighted that intense smoky gaze. I could already feel myself being drawn to him and we hadn’t even been properly introduced.

I put out my hand and he took it in his. The contact searing me so that I almost gasped. I was too innocent to see the answering response in his eyes that he was trying to keep carefully hidden.

Little Cat. he murmured, his thumb absently running over my inner wrist stoking a fire deep in my belly, Finally we meet.. except you’re not so little as your brother described.

I gave Lucian my best fake scowl and punched his arm playfully and he let me go to join Linda in the pool leaving me alone with Aidan.

I’m sixteen. I said firmly, facing Aidan again and crossing my arms over my chest.

I couldn’t help but notice the way he cocked his head as he studied me from head to toe making me acutely aware that my clothes were now soaked thanks to Lucian, but hopefully not transparent.

His lips quirked as if my response amused him.

I can see that.

Are you staying with us for the summer? I asked innocently as I dipped a toe in the pool testing the temperature, so I missed his frown.

Just for a few days. He told me expression shuttering, Then I have to spend some time with my family back in England.

I turned back to him in surprise.

I love England! Is that where you’re from? You don’t seem to have much of an accent. I knew I was rambling but couldn’t help it.

He didn’t seem to mind at all. He just slipped on his wayfarers and smiled at me distracting me with his dimples smack middle in either cheek.

That’s because I’ve been attending school in America since I was six.

I opened my mouth ready to ask a hundred questions because he was just so fascinating but Luc splashed water on us making me shriek.

You guys can chat later, come on in!

Aidan gave me a shrug and cannon balled into the pool to join his friends.

For the next few days, Luc, Aidan and I did practically everything together and I was surprised that they didn’t mind having me tag along with them whether it was to the movies or hitting the gym. Now and again Luc would have a girl join our new group, but not Aidan. It was during these times that we got closer. Learned so much more about each other.

I’d found out that his father was also a big deal across the pond and also ran his own multi-million dollar business. Aidan as the only child was expected to take over when he finished law school, just like Luc. He spoke fondly of his mother but hinted at a very strict upbringing. I got the impression that his father was very hard on him. When he fell into the somber mood I was quickly becoming familiar with -when he thought about his family, I would tease him out of it.

When that week ended and Aidan had to leave for England, I’d felt like my heart was being ripped out of my chest. Little did I know that what started off as a teenage crush would eventually turn into something so much more…

******

CATARINA - Eight Years Ago

Lucian threw a party for me at his new penthouse the night of my twentieth birthday and invited all of my college friends to attend, but there was really only one person I wanted to see.

My father was in Europe on business again but it didn’t matter, I didn’t expect him to come home for my birthday anyway having never done so before. In fact I was used to his absence. I did receive a large bouquet of flowers and the latest Gucci bag I’d been eyeing this morning at the house though.

Over the last four years, Aidan and Luc had gotten pretty close and had confided in me that they were thinking about opening their own Law Firm together. My father wasn’t going to like that at all. However, it was because of their close relationship that I also got to spend a lot of time with Aidan myself. He was always at dinners or hanging out at Luc’s penthouse -having just moved out of our family home a few months ago.

My kitten heels clicked loudly on the marble floor as I made my way to Lucian’s office where he was currently holed up after getting a work call. I was just nearing his office when I heard him raise his voice through the slightly open door.

You know she’s expecting you Aidan. You have to come. Cat will be disappointed if you don’t.

I pressed my back against the wall in the corridor so as not to be seen as my heart plummeted in my chest.

Aidan didn’t want to come to my party? But why? I thought he cared about me.

Maybe I was wrong. Who was I kidding? He probably thought of me as his little sister the same way Luc did.

I pushed off the wall determined to get Aidan off my mind and went in search of my friends to distract me. There were so many guys there, I didn’t need Aidan.

I plucked a flute of champagne off the tray of the nearest waitress and made my way over to a group of guys from my economics class doing tequila shots out by the pool. They toasted to my birthday as they did their next shot and soon I was joining them. The alcohol made my brain fuzzy and forget all thoughts of golden haired playboys.

Half an hour later, one of the guys had his arm around my waist to keep me steady while he walked me over to a corner of the room.

He pressed me into the wall, smelling like potato chips and tequila. His lips were barely an inch from mine, when out of nowhere he was yanked away from me. Fully expecting to see Lucian being an overprotective brother, my eyes widened when I saw Aidan’s furious face instead.

Beat it. Aidan hissed at the guy through clenched teeth. He took one look at Aidan’s face and scurried off to meet his friends, leaving me to fend for myself.

What the hell are you doing? I demanded pushing off the wall to face off with him.

He looked perfect in a black turtle-neck sweater and charcoal grey dress pants. His blonde hair was brushed back neatly to avoid spilling over his eyes which were smoky fire as he glared down at me.

"I’m the one that should be asking you that question. His voice lashed. What did you think you were doing letting that boy kiss you?"

I scoffed and shook my head at his tone.

"I’ve kissed many boys Aidan. I taunted and watched his eyes narrow, Besides, I don’t have to answer to you." I muttered, turning on my heel to walk away. But he was faster, his fingers snapped around my wrist and he started pulling me along the corridor.

Let go of me. I tried to twist my hand to break contact but it was futile.

Stop fighting me, little Cat. We’re just going to have a chat.

He pulled open the door to Lucian’s movie room shutting the door soundly behind us. The lights automatically came on, dimmed, creating an almost intimate atmosphere. My body hummed of its own volition and my breathing got shallow just from being alone with Aidan- its usual response around him. It only got worse over the years.

What are you even doing here? I asked, angry at him. Angry at myself for feeling so mixed up about him when he on the other hand, still thought of me as a kid.

I came to see you. His voice dropped, stirring up the butterflies in my belly.

This room was sound proofed so we couldn’t hear anything happening outside. It was as