Your Girlfriend Calls Me Daddy-Chapter 8 | A Devil Girl’s Guide to Getting Secrets Out of a Rich Boy

Chapter 8: 8 | A Devil Girl’s Guide to Getting Secrets Out of a Rich Boy

I followed Mera out of Building C and into the afternoon sun.

The campus was packed. Students moving between buildings. Groups clustered on benches. A few people openly staring as we walked past.

Already getting used to that.

Mera kept her hand on my arm until we hit the main gate. She waved at the security guard like they were old friends and pulled me through without slowing down.

Shore District started immediately outside campus. Boutiques. Cafes. Restaurants with outdoor seating packed with students who clearly didn’t care about afternoon classes.

The ocean smell hit different here. Salt and grilled fish and something sweet I couldn’t place.

Mera navigated the crowd like she’d walked this route a thousand times. Probably had. She turned down a side street and pointed at a small restaurant with faded blue paint and a hand drawn sign that said Luca’s.

"Here."

"This is the place?"

"Best shore tacos in Century City. Don’t let the outside fool you."

She pushed open the door.

Inside was tight. Maybe six tables total. Half of them occupied by what looked like construction workers on lunch break. The walls were covered in photos of boats and beaches and people holding fish bigger than my torso.

An older man behind the counter looked up. Grey beard. Apron covered in stains. He saw Mera and grinned.

"Marilyn! Haven’t seen you in a week."

"Been broke Luca. Had to ration my visits."

"Your usual?"

"Not today, I’m feeding someone."

He looked at me.

"Boyfriend?"

"Classmate."

"Sure."

Mera laughed and walked to the counter. I followed.

The menu was written on a chalkboard above Luca’s head. Shore tacos. Grilled fish. Something called Kelp Fries. Prices in dollars that seemed way too cheap for anything near campus.

I stared at the board.

No idea what half this stuff is.

Shore tacos could be anything from actual seafood to some weird kelp substitute.

Mera glanced up at me.

"Want me to order for you?"

"Sure. I’ll pay."

Her yellow eyes lit up.

"Really?"

"Really. You can pay me back by helping me with math."

She tilted her head.

The corner of her mouth pulled into a grin that showed teeth.

"Oh is that how it is Rome?"

"That’s exactly how it is. Now what do we eat I’m starving."

She turned back to Luca.

"Two shore taco plates. Extra fish on his. And chips with queso."

"Drinks?"

"Two lemonades."

Luca punched numbers into an ancient register.

"Twenty eight fifty."

I pulled out my wallet and handed him two twenties.

Angelo money still works in this world at least.

Luca made change and Mera grabbed the receipt before stuffing it in her pocket.

"Table in the corner."

She led me to the back of the restaurant where a two person table sat under a window overlooking the street. I dropped into the chair across from her.

She leaned back and crossed her arms.

Her tail curled around the chair leg again. Same thing she did in homeroom.

"So."

"So."

"Tell me about yourself Rome D’Angelo."

"Not much to tell."

"Liar. Everyone’s got something."

I shrugged.

"Rich kid. Transfer student. Registered Null. That about covers it."

"Boring answer."

"It’s an honest answer."

"Honest and boring aren’t mutually exclusive."

Luca brought over two glasses of lemonade. Set them down without a word and walked back to the counter.

Mera took a sip.

"You really don’t know anything about shore tacos?"

"Never had them."

"Where’d you grow up?"

Good question.

No idea what the real Rome’s backstory is.

Private tutoring doesn’t explain never eating local food.

"Around. Moved a lot."

"Ah. That tracks."

She swirled her straw.

"Your dad runs Angelo Enterprises right?"

"Unfortunately."

"What’s that like?"

"Conditional."

She raised an eyebrow.

I took a drink.

The lemonade was tart. Real lemons. Not the powdered garbage from a cafeteria.

"He gave me an ultimatum. Graduate top five or lose the company to my sister."

Mera’s eyes widened.

"Wait seriously?"

"Seriously."

"That’s so fucked up."

"That’s business."

"No that’s bad parenting."

I didn’t argue.

She’s not wrong.

Mera leaned forward.

Her elbows hit the table. Her chin rested on her hands.

"So you’re here because you have to be."

"More or less."

"And if you don’t make top five?"

"Then I’m disinherited and probably working retail somewhere."

She laughed.

"You? Retail?"

"What’s wrong with retail?"

"Nothing. Just can’t picture you folding shirts."

"I’d be great at folding shirts."

"Sure."

Luca brought the food.

Two plates stacked with tacos. The shells were blue. Not dyed blue. Naturally blue like they came from some kind of kelp or seaweed. The fish inside was white and flaky. Topped with purple cabbage and a bright orange sauce that smelled like citrus and heat.

The chips and queso came in a basket. The queso was yellow and bubbling.

That looks normal at least.

Mera grabbed a taco and took a bite.

Her eyes closed.

"God I missed this."

I picked one up.

The shell was crispy but flexible. The fish tasted clean. The sauce had a kick that built slowly instead of hitting all at once.

Okay this is actually good.

"Told you."

I finished the first taco and grabbed another.

"How’d you find this place?"

"I got lost looking for a bookstore and stumbled in here. Been coming back ever since."

"You come here a lot?"

"When I can afford it."

"What’s your situation?"

"My situation?"

"Money. Family. The usual."

She ate another taco before answering.

"Parents are from New Orleans. Dad was a pro hero. Mom’s a freelancer. They’re comfortable but not Angelo level."

"What tier was your dad?"

"Three star."

Solid ranking.

Not top tier but enough to make real money.

"Retired?"

"Yeah. Gate incident took his leg. He consults now."

"Sorry."

"Don’t be. He’s still alive."

She took a drink.

"So you really don’t know what your Essentia is?"

Here we go.

I tried to remember what the original Rome’s file said.

Passive Null Result. Low output. No classifiable ability.

Convenient cover story for someone with an incubus power set.

"That’s what the scan said."

I finished my second taco.

Need to flip this.

She’s fishing for information and I still don’t know what her deal is.

I remember Mera being a small character in the novel. Side character at best. Background filler most of the time. But she had something. Some kind of ability that made her useful in a specific situation.

What the hell was it?

I wiped my hands on a napkin.

"Hey Mera."

"Yeah?"

"What’s your Essentia?"

She smiled.

"Guess."

Of course.

I looked at her.

Red skin. Horns. Yellow eyes with slit pupils. Tail. Warmer body temperature than normal.

Demon aesthetic. 𝒻𝑟ℯℯ𝑤𝑒𝑏𝑛𝘰𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝒸𝑜𝘮

Succubus would be the obvious answer.

Which means it’s probably not that.

I leaned back.

"Succubus."