It was by no means a special occasion as far as she knew it but as Chloe stood in front of the full length mirror in the bedroom of the penthouse she wondered what was going on. The amount of coming and going today had been insane, even though she had spent most of it up here hiding away from the chaos.

Lucifer had insisted she bought this dress. It was short, but for his taste not indecently so, in a rich maroon and it cost more than three months wages. The shoes too – black with the familiar red sole – added a few hundred dollars. She quite liked a heel but these might also just about induce vertigo in some.

Chloe smoothed down the hips of the dress, turning this way and that as it had to be just so. Something inside her wanted to look perfect for tonight as she pulled at the shoulder, trying to make it sit so the long sleeves did not bunch. She was never one for dressing up; it was a rare event for her to be glamorous but for some reason Lucifer had insisted on it. Make up and a hairdresser had been to the penthouse to be told to tend to her every need and he himself had been gone for half an hour at least. She had thought of creeping downstairs to find out what he was doing but if it was a true surprise, she knew how disappointed he would be if she found out.

The dress didn't hug too tight but she turned again examining the back, well, what little there was of it. When she had seen the dress she had liked it. When she turned it around to see it would barely cover her entire spine, it had gone back on the rail.

"No, no" Lucifer had whispered as he stood by her in the boutique."That's perfect".

"It's too...exposing" she had responded, keeping her voice low as they were spied upon by the assistant. He looked as though he could have the cash to buy thousands of dollars worth of dresses like this. She however did not in jeans, a t-shirt and scuffed boots from chasing down too many murderers.

"It's perfect" he had said again, his breath dotting against the shell of her ear he was that close. "At least try it on. You liked it at first. Trust your instincts".

So here she was. Chloe picked up the small gold clutch bag that was sitting on his bed. It used to be her Mom's from years ago at some ridiculous price too. In it was only her cell and some money, not that she ever needed it in Lux and those times that she had not stayed the night here, he had always paid for her cab. She turned back to the mirror, smoothing down her board straight hair, not realising she had company.

"I see you're ready". Lucifer's voice was amused but she was sure it was an octave deeper than normal. He was in a dark navy suit, vest and his white shirt was open at the neck. He was also holding two crystal tumblers of whiskey.

"Whenever you are" she smiled back at him, doing a little spin so he could see. In truth she needed a drink or two inside her before she could face anyone else and hoped one of those glasses was hers. He stepped up into the bedroom and indeed passed her a glass. It went down in one go, almost making her eyes water as it scorched its path.

"I am impressed Detective", Lucifer responded hearing her laugh. His own glass was gone too; sliding down his throat without a care. "We do need to work on your swallowing technique before too long though..."

Chloe shot him a look, grateful he had not said that in company but it was like water off a duck's back to him. He put both glasses down on his bedside table before walking back across and sliding his palm across her cheek. Lucifer went to kiss her but she pulled away from him. "You'll smudge my lipstick" she replied, hearing a disgruntled noise from him that settled in her stomach with amusement. Instead she tapped her cheek and a second later she felt his lips press to her skin, just caressing before she heard a whisper.

"You owe me"

Chloe just smiled as he pulled away. "So are you going to tell me what tonight is all about?" she asked. He was groomed within an inch of his life apart from the lack of tie that was on the bed. He paid for all she was wearing so it must be something special.

"Lux" he replied, simply, standing behind her and putting his tie on as they watched each other.

"Lux?" she frowned in response before turning to face him. He could see her bare back in the mirror hidden by hair only to a degree. He stepped closer; watching as his own hand rested on her back.

"Hmmm" he responded, checking himself in the mirror once more before he turned his attention fully to her. "It's her 8th birthday"

Chloe stopped a smile. "So we are celebrating the birthday of bricks and mortar?"

"Yes", Lucifer replied. "She is an extraordinary place to be. She deserves it and you are my particularly special guest".

"Am I?" she asked. Very few people knew of their relationship and it was certainly not common knowledge. True she had heard the odd thing that the playboy owner of Lux had started outright rejecting some of the ladies and indeed gentlemen that would try and throw themselves at him. He had never been particularly selective before but nobody had thought he might have a more monogamous lover who, in fact, was a cop. That was probably the kicker, bearing in mind this less than legitimate, rule breaker character that he had cultivated seemed to follow him around.

"You are" he replied. From that second on, she knew he was going to make it clear that she was the lover and he was no longer the available playboy he had once seemed to be.

It took barely a minute for the lift to arrive in the basement where they could both hear the sound of the music as it thumped. Chloe was nervous all of a sudden, fiddling with the clasp on her bag. "You look like the Devil could devour you in one bite" he whispered in her ear, causing her already jittery heart to cannon against her ribs. "And in a few hours, believe me he will".

Before she could answer or comment, the lift doors opened up to reveal the dance floor. Chloe felt his hand rest on her buttock, pushing her through the crowd which parted for them like something from the bible as they headed towards the bar. She heard the occasional whisper as they walked, but she passed by so quickly that she could not pick out what they were saying.

In front of her lay the bar and as they approached Jacob walked to where he had already laid out a glass of whiskey for his boss and Chloe's favourite – vodka, lime."Good evening Mr Morningstar, Miss Decker", he said, gently pushing the two glasses towards them. Chloe smiled at him before she hopped up onto one of the stools with Lucifer simply taking to standing behind her.

Lucifer nodded at the other man who smiled back."Remind me tomorrow, Jacob, to add something substantial your wages".

"Th..thank you Sir" Jacob stuttered in surprise. "I will".

"Believe me, pleasure is all mine" Lucifer smiled back, but it was not that smile that said anything more than he was grateful. Lucifer leant back against the bar surveying the dance floor. It was as though those that they had passed had forgotten that the so called eccentric owner of Lux had told the world where his attentions were tonight.

He raised the glass to his lips as she carefully sipped her drink through a straw. "Smudged lipstick". He would see about that. Lucifer stood up straight, having spotted someone who he had not expected to see tonight but he needed to speak to. He put his glass on the bar."Darling", he started. "Are you alright to stay here for five minutes? I spy a business associate that I must speak to". In truth the man was one of his favors and it was almost time for repayment.

"Of course" she smiled, feeling his hand squeeze her knee as he moved away.

From the other corner of the club, as he shook the man's hand Lucifer could still see her, laughing and joking with the barman as he refilled Lucifer's glass. He also knew the impact Chloe had on him when she chose to exert it. A mere mortal did not stand a chance if the Devil didn't. Her confidence in her own beauty had spilled over these past few months and her smile was infectious. It was almost as though he could hear her laugh as it travelled over the noise of the club goers.

"She yours?" the other man asked,

"She is Frank, she is" Lucifer responded, ready to wax poetically of her virtues but there were more pressing matters at hand.

"Heavenly little creature even for a married man to say" he responded.

If it had been another time Lucifer might have said something, particularly about the 'heaven' part, but instead he pulled out a piece of paper from his trouser pocket. "Your favor" he said, presenting the note to the man. "I am calling it in"

The man read the note. "I am sure I can arrange that", he said. "Friday suitable for you?"

"Perfect", Lucifer replied. "From Friday, and delivery, consider yourself to have paid up".

Frank smiled. What Lucifer had done for him was life saving, literally, but he had feared the consequences. Instead however there were none apart from a scribbled note and a trip downtown to a jeweller.

As Lucifer said his farewells he looked over again and saw someone had sidled up to Chloe. He saw that smile on her face that was reserved for awkward customers and murderers before she was about to cuff. A hand felt to her knee, and from a distance Lucifer saw her move away, trying to 'help' it slide off. The man seemed persistent though and he brushed her long hair over her shoulder so he could whisper something in her ear. Chloe tried to lean away and Lucifer was waiting for the first punch to be thrown; or at least a slap or two to start the evening with a bang. Chloe Decker would certainly announce her presence then.

"Would you care for a glass of champagne, Mr Morningstar?" A voice interrupted his thoughts and he looked down to find one of his waitresses holding a silver platter, on which stood several full glasses. She was tiny compared to him, dark almost black eyes and long flowing curls spread over her shoulders. "Thank you Gracie" he smiled, taking up two glasses as she batted her eyelashes at him before, without a second thought, he walked away. He had business to attend to somewhere else it seemed.

He had seen the man before as he got closer. He had been one of the first people by the lift when they had walked in. He had his hands on her and fire began to sizzle inside the Devil. Chloe's head fell back slightly as the interloper pushed closer to her. In truth she was looking for Lucifer, or maybe even one of the bouncers, so they could deal with the situation. Her saying 'no' repeatedly had had little effect.

Lucifer clutched the stems of the two champagne flutes tighter, not thinking he might snap them as he moved between the two of them, shoving his way through to put the glasses on the bar.

"Hey man", Chloe's unwanted companion complained. "Don't interrupt a man when he's chatting a babe up".

"Careful?" Lucifer responded, his voice low and menacing. "Careful? Babe?" he repeated, eyes darkening."Perhaps you should should be careful who you touch when they say no to being groped by a stranger..."

"Hey, ease off..." the man replied, stepping back from Chloe and putting his hands up in surrender. "No need to get shirty. She's probably frigid anyway. Girls who look like never put out".

Chloe's eyes widened and she took hold of Lucifer's arm to stop what she knew would happen next if she didn't. Instead he cocked his head to one side and gave the man a closed mouth smile, looming closer deliberately to put the fear of God into him. He was his father's son in that manner. "I promise you, this spectacular woman is far from frigid. I promise you there are no words on this planet to describe how it feels to be buried so, so deep inside her. Because believe me my friend, I know exactly that." Chloe's face went red under the layers of makeup and she swiftly gulped down the last of her drink as the other man scooted off.

"Thank you" she whispered, seeing Jacob take her glass for a refill.

"Pleasure is certainly all mine" he replied, putting his hand back on her bare knee, eradicating the feel of the unwanted contact and that anger that had started to simmer inside him. Whilst he might have spent a fair number of hours just observing the bodies of other people as they undulated, nobody, upon nobody, touched her now. He took the champagne glasses and offered one to her, getting no kick from another man's attentions on her.

"Would you care to dance?" he asked, raising one arm to gesture at the dance floor. The lights had fallen lower and the music had gained a deep bass that he could feel through the floor. Chloe clutched her glass for a moment, deciding.

She did not tend to dance and her face tilted enough so he could see her eyes glowing in the light. Dutch courage was needed and the champagne went the same way as the whiskey up in the penthouse before she slid off the stool.

Chloe took his hand and they slipped into the crowd