Alex pushed open the heavy side door of The Lux, the cooler night air rushing to greet her. She inhaled deeply, letting the music and noise fade behind her. Her heart was still hammering from the performance, her mind still reeling from him.
She rounded a corner and stopped short.
Leaning casually against a brick wall, right under a "Smoking Area" sign, was Jasper Allister. A cigarette dangled loosely between his fingers, smoke curling lazily into the night. He caught sight of her immediately—and smirked.
"My, my," he drawled, voice rich and teasing. "Who do I see wandering into my lair? Is it Alex Dunphy… or a new fan?"
She rolled her eyes, arms crossing over her chest. "You wish."
He chuckled, slow and easy, like he had all the time in the world. "Lucifer Morningstar, huh?" she added, arching an eyebrow. "Seriously?"
Jasper took a drag of his cigarette, exhaling a thin ribbon of smoke toward the stars. "Why not?" he said smoothly. "Ain't I as bright as the Morningstar… and as handsome as the Devil?"
Alex opened her mouth—then promptly shut it, because, well, he had a point.
Alex forced herself to maintain her composure, glaring at him instead of admitting the obvious. "You really have an inflated sense of yourself, don't you?"
Jasper grinned, that devil-may-care smile spreading across his face as he flicked the cigarette to the ground, stepping on it with one smooth motion. "Hey, confidence is key. Just look at the crowd in there. They loved me." He leaned in slightly, lowering his voice as if sharing a secret. "And between you and me, I think you liked it too."
She felt the heat creeping up her neck, and she quickly turned her face away, trying to cover up the involuntary reaction. "In your dreams," Alex shot back, though the edge in her voice wasn't as sharp as she'd hoped.
Jasper took a step closer, his grin widening as he cocked his head slightly to the side. "Darling, if I was in your dream, you'd never wish to wake up."
She froze for a moment, caught off guard by his boldness. The confident, almost arrogant tone of his voice had an edge that made her heart skip a beat. But Alex wasn't going to let him see how much it rattled her.
"I'm not watching you," she quickly recovered, folding her arms tighter. "I was just, you know, trying to figure out what kind of person would go around calling themselves Lucifer Morningstar. It's kind of—"
"Legendary?" He cut her off with a smooth wink. "Come on, don't act like it doesn't have a ring to it. Plus, if the name fits..." He let the words hang in the air, his grin widening at her clear discomfort.
Alex snorted, rolling her eyes. "If the name fits, I guess you'd be living proof that the Devil can sing." She couldn't help herself; the snark was coming out faster than she could stop it. "Too bad the Devil doesn't have a better taste in clothes."
He glanced down at his outfit—still looking sharp, still effortlessly stylish—and raised an eyebrow. "Ouch. You sure you're not just mad that I outdressed you in that dark, mysterious 'I'm too cool for this mall' kind of way?"
Alex opened her mouth to respond, but nothing came out. She had to admit, he did look good. Damn good. And the way he carried himself... with that air of arrogance mixed with undeniable charm? It was like he was built to throw off her game. But she wasn't going to let him see that. Not now. Not ever.
"You really are insufferable," she muttered, looking away as if there were something incredibly fascinating in the ground beneath her shoes.
"Yeah, well," he replied, his voice now teasingly smooth, "you're just too cute to hate."
Alex froze. She didn't need to look at him to know that he was smiling in that infuriating, charming way of his.
"I'm not cute," she grumbled, her gaze shifting awkwardly around the alley. "And stop calling me that. Seriously. You're making it worse."
"Make it worse?" He stepped closer, his eyes glinting with mischief. "I think it makes it better. You know, you really should learn to take a compliment every once in a while."
"Compliment? What, you think telling me I'm cute is some sort of gift?" She laughed—sarcastic, dismissive, but internally, she felt a little warmth prickling along her skin. "I'm not interested."
Jasper's smile faded slightly, but the mischief never left his eyes. "I'm not just talking about that. I mean, I'm talking about the fact that you keep getting all flustered when I'm around. It's kind of adorable."
"I am not flustered," she snapped, even as her pulse picked up speed. "I just don't have time for whatever game you're playing."
"Game?" He tilted his head, giving her a knowing look. "You think I'm playing games? I'm just saying what's on my mind. And you—" He pointed a finger toward her chest, locking eyes with her. "—are definitely playing hard to get. But I like that. It's cute."
Alex stepped back, holding her ground. "You really need to stop saying that word."
Jasper laughed, loud and free, the sound rich and full of amusement. "You keep saying that, but I can't help it. You're cute when you're all defensive. Like a kitten that's trying to act tough, but it's obvious you're just hiding a soft spot."
"God, you're impossible," she groaned, shaking her head. "I'm not some charity case for you to poke at. Just go back inside and leave me alone."
He raised an eyebrow, amused. "But I thought you were the one who needed some air? What's the matter, Alex? Don't like being outside when the Devil's around?"
"Stop with the devil jokes already," she snapped, even though there was a small, quiet part of her that didn't entirely mind. "You're just here to get a rise out of me, aren't you?"
"Would it make a difference if I said yes?" he asked with a raised eyebrow, his smile turning almost dangerously inviting. "Because that's kind of the fun of it. You're so... unpredictable. Makes it more interesting."
Alex stood there for a moment, resisting the urge to let her guard down completely. The city lights from the street beyond cast long shadows, painting the alley with a strange, sultry glow. He was right about one thing: he was unpredictable. And infuriating.
But also… kind of magnetic.
Still, Alex had no intention of letting him know that. Not yet.
She took a deep breath, squared her shoulders, and gave him a sharp look. "You're not my type, Allister."
Jasper leaned in slightly, his smile widening. "Funny, I didn't think you were looking for a type."
Before she could come up with a witty retort, the back door of The Lux opened, and a few people stepped outside, breaking the moment.
Alex turned on her heel, eager to escape before she could say something dumb. "Enjoy your smoke break," she muttered over her shoulder.
As she walked back toward the door, she could hear Jasper's voice trailing behind her.
"I'll be here when you change your mind, Alex. You know where to find me."
She didn't turn around, but his words stayed with her all the way back inside. God, he was impossible.
A/N Sorry I couldn't upload I were immigrating