Queen

     I pushed my hair over my shoulders and it fell straight down to my back. I burned myself several times with the flat iron, but it was worth it. I looked bomb as fuck and me complimenting myself was definitely a rarity, but I deserved this one.

Syn still hadn't told me where he was taking me. All he had given me was a small shrug and two words when I asked him about attire 'Something cute'. It offered a shit load of no fucking help but I decided to go practical.

Light makeup since he was probably going to mess it up again and a dress for easy access. I sighed as I looked at myself. If only he were as accommodating as I was. Easy access and Syn in the same sentence sounded too damn good.

I tugged on the spaghetti straps of the white and green floral dress. It was corset style so it cinched me up in the right place and made my boobs look fucking good. The only thing was it was a bit shorter than I remember. The mini dress stopped a little bit above the halfway point of my thighs, but it would do. As long as I didn't move too much and kept my breathing to a minimal.

"Three minutes." I heard Syn warn me from outside the door and I rolled my eyes.

"I'm coming."

I finished last minute touches on my hair and make up before stepping into my white sneakers. I cringed thinking about the pair up but beauty going hand in hand with pain wasn't worth it for me tonight. My toes already felt like they were going to shrivel up and snap off.

Syn was right about me being a seven and those heels...

They were my hopes and dreams— my unwillingness to believe that I was an aging woman. My six and a halves...

I took note of how comfortable the sneakers were and forwent my thoughts of change.

After a few more moments, I walked toward the door and twisted the knob. When I stepped out of the restroom, Syn was nowhere to be seen. I frowned. I could've sworn I heard his footsteps a few seconds...

I heard a knock at the door and my confusion set in further. Hmm. I walked toward the door of them bedroom and when I opened it, Syn was standing on the other side.

I looked at him in surprise and fully took him in. He wore a black knit sweater rolled up to his sleeves with matching dark slacks. All black like usual but there was something softer about his appearance tonight.

His hair was styled a bit more, the gel giving it a sort of wet look that made the hairs falling into his face look like intentional spikes. He looked fucking panty dropping and if I were wearing any, they'd be on the floor.

"Hi," he said softly and I blinked a few times.

"You look..." I shook my head as I looked him up and down. Damn! He laughed a bit at my reaction and I took note of his scent. It was hit cologne but there was a hint of a spicier, warmer scent. Maybe cinnamon? "Wow."

He smiled, his eyes skimming me slowly as he took a step back. "You look fucking..." he let out a huff, "every word that comes to mind right now doesn't measure up."

My cheeks heated and I clasped my hands together. "Give me one."

He took me in again before whispering, "Fuck." And I grinned.

"I'll take that."

"You are breathtaking, Princess."

"Thank you," I told him, suddenly a bit nervous.

He pulled his arm from behind his back and held out a bouquet of bright yellow sunflowers. "These are for you."

"Really?" My face broke out into a grin as I reached for them.

I never really received flowers. Especially not like this. Every time I got them in my past they...shriveled up and died from the portion of Lucifer's magic I had in me.

I stopped myself from reaching out to them when I remembered and looked up at Syn. "Can you put them in a vase for me? I don't want them to die."

"These are for you, Queen," he told me. "I wouldn't have brought them to you if they were going to die."

I wasn't convinced but the look in his eyes convinced me to hold my hands out again. He passed them to me and I accepted them gently as if it were a precious diamond. I paused a beat. When they didn't suddenly combust into ashes, I let myself smile again and held them against me.

"How?" I looked up at Syn.

"Can't tell you." He crossed his arms and shook his head.

"Then tell me why?" I asked him. "You didn't have to..."

"I thought about a lot in the few hours we were apart yesterday. And I realized that I've never truly taken you on a proper date— the one with the picking you up with flowers and giving you my jacket when you get cold because you forgot yours. And you will forget yours here," he ordered me on the last part and I resisted the urge to laugh.

"You watch so many of those romance movies...so I've seen a few and...they're disgustingly cliche and fucking predictable. But I want disgustingly cliche and predictable tonight, with you."

I could count on one hand the amount of times I'd seen Syn nervous before. It was rare. He was usually so sauve and smooth so often. Seeing him struggle to find the words was truly endearing yet so shocking.

When I didn't say anything he spoke again. "Besides, if someone does decide to court you again, I've come up with a new standard."

I pushed past the lump in my throat and asked, "What?"

He pointed to the flowers. "The flowers. First, they have to get your favorite flowers. Second, you must be able to hold them," he said. "I happen to be the one of the only people in the world that has figured out just how to do it."

"Ah, so another impossible standard." I smiled, glancing down at the flowers.

"Not impossible," he said. "Just difficult."

"I see."

"But seeing your reaction...it was worth it. I almost feel like I'm at a disadvantage and need to give you something more." I laughed and he smiled, but it didn't quite reach his eyes. "A task so difficult is so effortless because I love you the shit out of you. Don't let any man love you any less than that."

Tears began pricking my eyes at that and I sucked in my bottom lip. I had no intention of losing him, but he had no clue of my plans. This was him being as selfless as he could be. My stupid stupid beautiful man.

"You will have men falling at their feet to have you, but say no to every one of them. They'll promise you all types of shit. Money, power, fame— no matter what it is, say no," he instructed me. "If ever a day comes where a man comes to you and is able to give you flowers that won't crumble at your fingertips...just know he has figured it out and you can accept him.

"Because then one of two things has happened; either somehow from beyond the grave I told him how to do it, or I've reincarnated."

I sniffled and tried my hardest to blink away my tears. "You don't believe in reincarnation."

"I'm open to it these days."

I laughed, averting my eyes from him. He was going to be the death of me. "You're going to make me mess up my makeup, Syn," my voice broke slightly.

With his fingertips, he titled my face back to his direction and took a step forward. "And what a shame that would be. You did so good."

Thank you. Flutters passed through my skin and body as I held back a smile from the compliment. I had been trying to deny it for a long time, but Syn had given me a fucking praise kink. Any sentence he uttered with the word good in it made me giddy.

I found it cringey when other men did it. I'd go as far as to say disgusting, but Syn fucking SinClaire-- he was the exception to every rule I had.

"Do you want to put those inside or do people usually take them with them?" He asked me and I blinked a couple of times before looking up at him.

"I have no idea," I admitted. "But I want to carry them for now."

"Okay." He smiled and held out a hand for me. "Ready?"

I shifted the flowers into the crook of my elbow and accepted his hand. "Ready."

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      We walked through the door leading to Syn's garage and he paused by the rack of keys. After a few seconds of thought, he grabbed one and pulled me along. We passed several parked cars— all different models and body types. I smiled a bit when I remembered how our conversation went when I asked him about them.

"You have a lot of cars." I looked around the garage. It was huge. It was almost like he parked the cars and had the walls built around them instead of the other way around.

"You're observant, Princess," he teased dryly and I rolled my eyes.

"You don't even drive, Syn. Why so many?"

"Simply to impress you," he said, shooting me a wink as he opened the butterfly door of a sports car.

I crossed my arms. "To impress me?"

"Well, I didn't buy them to impress you per se. I have more money than I could ever spend and I like nice things," he said. "However, if you weren't here they'd be here rusting and collecting dust in this damn place. I don't drive. Why would a man who can snap his fingers and be anywhere in the world drive?"

That was what I wanted to know.

"To impress a girl?" I asked him.

"No, not just any girl. You," he said. "Plus I like the anticipation of getting to our destination and holding your thigh on the way."

"You are a mess." I laughed. "So you waste time to do things you can still do when we're not driving?"

He looked around for a quick moment. "Yes, exactly. So...are you?"

"Am I what?"

"Impressed."

"Not so much by the cars." I admitted. "But by how your mind works...yeah, I am."

The beeping of a car door brought me back to reality as Syn let go of my hand. He put his hands at the small of my back and let me to the passenger side of a black SUV before opening the door.

"Wait." I paused. "What about your other car?"

He took a look around the garage. "You'd rather take another car?"

"No, no, I meant the one I left at the gas station last night," I reminded him.

"Oh, I'll have Paris pick it up. Don't worry." He held my hand to help me get up on the seat and I sat back. As soon as the door shut, she scent of new leather filled my nose and I realized this may have been the first time he was driving this car.

He opened the door on his side and slid into the seat before shutting the door. He pressed the button to start the car and immediately a golden orange flowed across the dash, bringing the car to life.

"Should I let Paris know the address?"

"Of?" He adjusted his seat, confirming my thought that this in fact was the first time.

"Where your car is, Syn." I laughed softly.

"He'll figure it out."

"Hmm." I faced him. "It's in his job description to car hunt for you?"

"Well." He turned the steering wheel with a one handed grace that I had only seen him use before he clicked the button to open the garage. "I just gave him a hefty bonus so I'd say; yes, it is. Seatbelt, Princess."

I set the flowers down on my lap as I sat back. "As if I'll die if I don't wear one..."

"We're immune to mortality. Car accidents? Not so much. It won't kill you but I'd hate for you to fly through the windshield," he said and I smiled a bit before he added, "I paid a lot for this car."

I gave him a look and he laughed, waiting for me to put on my seatbelt before he exited the garage.

I pulled on the seatbelt, almost having it halfway before he stopped me. "Wait." He took it out of my hand let go of it.

"What?"

"I want to try something."

Hmm?

I raised my brows. Before I could ask him to expand, he leaned over the middle console. My breath let my throat as his face was suddenly a few inches from mine and my face fell to his lips. Fuck, and that smell! It was just purely and wholly him and I wanted to be completely wrapped up in it.

He glanced down at my lips and I thought he was going to kiss me but he grabbed the seatbelt and pulled it over me. His eyes never left mine as he buckled it and I shifted in my seat, crossing my legs.

He left out a huff, giving me a smug smile as he noticed my legs. After a moment, he leaned back into his seat and began driving. I simply watched him as he let go of the steering wheel for a few seconds to put on his own seatbelt.

"What was that?" I asked him.

He smiled as he glanced at me. "What? I see that bullshit in those movies of yours. I didn't think it'd actually work though."

"Work?" I swallowed a breath. "W-what do you mean work? What effect do you think it had on me?"

"You're clearly turned on," he said simply as he drove out of the winding driveway to the dark main gate.

I looked out ahead. "I am not." I crossed my arms.

"Should I check?"

..."No."

He chuckled and pushed a button to turn on the radio. I recognized the song playing and began singing along and Syn placed a hand on my thigh. I tried to ignore the fact that he was a mere few inches from where I truly wanted his hand and focused on the song.

We just had sex. I could wait.

Not too long though and what a shame that was. He had turned me into a fiend.

When the chorus came on, I turned toward him and shouted the lyrics. He kept a straight face, his eyes on the road but I could see the small smirk on his lips. It only widened into a smile when I touched his face.

He took my hand from his face and kissed my knuckles. He held my hand, letting me finish and completely butcher the song until the last note played.

"I suppose life wouldn't be fair if you were good at everything."

I burst out into laughter. "I have no idea what you're talking about. I've been told I'm a great singer."

"Oh, yeah?" He set my hand down and brought his own back to my thigh. "By whom?"

"Plenty of people."

"Name one."

"Saint."

He snickered and shook his head. "So a two year old that would cheer if a smoker in an iron lung with five holes in their throat..." I burst out laughing, "...sang him Skip To My Lou told you that you were a great singer. That's the standard right now?"

"How can you go from giving me flowers to comparing my singing voice to a smoker in an iron lung?"

"It wasn't a comparison," he said. "I'm simply pointing out Saint's version of good to you. If it applies, then..."

I smacked his shoulder and he laughed. I smiled at the sound and settled back into the seat. Another song began to filled the car and I hummed along, swaying as I eyed the dark city around us.

"I didn't say that for you to stop singing."

"Hm?" I turned to him.

"If you know the song, sing it," he said. "I like listening."

"Could've just sworn you called it awful," I teased him.

"I love everything you do...even if you are bad at it."

My face broke out into a smile before I could stop myself. Then I caught the diss. "Even if I'm bad at it? What else am I bad at?"

He chuckled. "Singing..."

"Okay, established." I held out my thumb. "What else?"

"Cooking." I opened my mouth argue that and he interjected. "Food that can be made in the microwave with instructions on the back do not count."

"I think if it's edible it should count, but okay," I muttered before lifting my index. "Go on."

"Let me think," he said, his eyes on the road.

"Don't think too fucking hard," I warned him.

"That's all." He smiled.

"You sure?" I asked him. "You should definitely tell me before I meet my future husband so I can fix—"

"Do you want to die before meeting him?" I laughed and he raised a serious brow at me. "Because I can definitely do that for you."

"I'm kidding!"

"Ah, Tsk. there's another thing you're not good at then."

"Please." I waved my hand. "You're my biggest fan."

"Unfollowed."

"Unfollowed?"

"Whatever verbiage you social media cretans use. I'm hereby denouncing myself as a fan of you. Take me out of the fan club— out of the group chat, shall I say."

"Who teaches you these things?!"

He chuckled. "I'm quite the fast learner."

I shook my head. "The devil that everyone is so afraid of keeps up social media lingo."

"I am with the shits."

"I am scared. And I, would like to go home now."

His laugh was a deep rumble as I shook my head at him. I gently touched the soft yellow petals of the flowers and a smile found its way to my lips.

"I'm glad you like them."

"I love them." He squeezed my thigh in response and I looked out ahead at the pitch black underpass ahead of us. There were a few of these in every realm at certain points. Those who couldn't create portals could instead drive or walk into them. The intention still mattered though and those who weren't skilled enough could end up somewhere entirely different than they wished.

"Where are we going?" I asked Syn cautiously.

I didn't want to be thinking pancakes while he was thinking waffles and fuck everything up.

"It's a surprise," he said.

"Shouldn't I know for the portal?" I gestured a head.

"Think what you'd like or don't think at all," he said. "I can handle this."

Before I could object, he drove through the portal and darkness engulfed us. I tried my hardest to let my mind be blank as we did. I was a danger. Because if it were up to me, once we were on the other side of that portal we'd be naked and I'd be on top of him.

Rays of golden light began to permeate the shield of darkness little by little until we drove out of it onto a freeway. A golden orange sunset was ahead of us, hues of purple and orange painting the canvas that was the sky around us.

My mouth dropped. "Where are we?" I looked around.

He simply rolled down his window and lifted his finger to his left as he stared ahead.

I followed his finger to the mountains beside the freeway and my eyes landed on the 'HOLLYWOOD' sign.

"Oh. My. God."

"I will accept it this once..." he warned.

"We're in L.A.?!"

"Yes."

"Like California, Earth— L.A., HOLLYWOOD sign?!"

"I'm going to let you work on that sentence, Princess."

I screamed excitedly and Syn held back a laugh. "I've never been here!"

"I know. That's why I brought you."

I beamed at him before lowering my window and staring out at everything. It was all so dazzling. The air even smelled...it smelled like—

I imagined it smelling like sex and cigarettes but instead it smelled like salty ocean breeze mixed with smog, blooming flowers, food and..there was something else. Gasoline. It must've been the exhaust from the traffic around us.

I rolled up the window and turned back to Syn. I was excited, but a question lingered in my head.

"Thank you," I told him.

He rubbed circles into my leg with his thumb. "You don't need to thank me."

"Can I ask you why?" I questioned. "You're not exactly the biggest fan of Earth."

"Well, everywhere else except for here everyone knows I'm the Devil. It kind of gives me a leg up, doesn't it?" He glanced at me. "For tonight, I just want to be a man taking his girl out on a date. We can both pretend we were born into a simpler world this once."

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