Page 65 of The Devil In Disguise

Upon arriving at Luci’s house, the doctor is already waiting for us inside. Amaris’ limp body sways in my arms as I rush her into the guest bedroom where the doctor set up her supplies. Maven and the doctor assure me they’ll give me answers as soon as they have them, then promptly kick me out of the room, locking themselves in.

For several minutes, all I do is pace outside the door, but it only serves to heighten my nerves. Luci is deep in thought when I enter his study, a signature glass of rum sitting in his hand. I pour myself a glass of my own and take a seat across from him, sitting in a comfortable, but heavy, silence for a while.

“What’s your next step, Ky?” Luci cocks a brow up, catching me off guard. He knows before I say anything what I plan to do, like always.

“I want out. When she gets better I’m taking her away from this life. Anywhere else but New York.”

“What if she doesn’t want to go with you?”

I narrow my eyes. “Leave that to me.”

The thought crossed my mind, but I refuse to think about it. I’m not above kidnapping, but after what she’s been through, that doesn’t seem ideal. All I know is I need her by my side, always.

Fuck, it’s killing me not knowing what happened to her. The only thing keeping me sane is knowing she’s safe with me now.

“Either way, this life isn’t for me. I want to do something that fulfills me instead of leaving me drained or feeling sick most days.”

For a while he’s pensive, then he drops it. “Well then, that just leaves the matter of who will run the syndicate.” His lips tug up in a smirk when I give him a blank expression. “I guess I’ll need to find somebody to take my place now.”

There is no doubt in my mind who he will appoint as capo to take over his crew, but I leave that to him. We continue to discuss both of our next moves until the doctor comes back. For someone who always showed determination for the hot seat, there was a hint of dread swimming in Luci’s eyes throughout our conversation.

“Amaris is okay,” she tells us. “The blood on her clothes wasn’t hers, but she has a few bruises on her legs and face. Due to the extreme stress and trauma she went through, her blood pressure dropped too sudden for her body to handle, causing her to faint. She also hasn’t had a meal in the past twenty-four hours, so I gave her some rice with beans and chicken that Maven found in the fridge. She’s awake now, but be gentle with her. Lord knows she’s been through more than enough for one night.”

My body doesn’t relax until I’m in the room seeing Amaris and the light back in her eyes. I let go of a breath I didn’t know I was holding ‘til then, too. She looks so drained and it kills me, but she’s alive and that’s what matters right now.

“Hey, foxy,” I say hoarsely.

When her eyes land on me, they shut and a single tear slips out. Rushing over to wipe it off, I whisper, “I’m so sorry.”

“I need time, Kylo,” is all she says, still not looking at me.

Tipping her chin lightly, I rub my thumb along her cheek. “Look at me, please.”

This woman turned me into a beggar. I’d happily get on my knees and do anything she asks of me if it means I get her back for good. I know I still have shit to work on and things to make up for, but I’m ready to do it all.

Her eyes open to mine and her nose turns a light shade of pink as she fights back tears. “I can’t go back there. Go home,” she whispers.

“Baby, that place never felt like home to me, you do. We can leave all of this behind, go anywhere in the world, and start fresh. Together.” I grab her hand in mine and plead, hoping she can see the sincerity in my eyes. “It can’t be too late for us.”

“Maybe it’s not. But I still need time right now. Would Lucifer care if I stay here tonight?” I’m assuming she calls Luci by that name.

It’s not too late. I can feel it, but I know I need to respect her wishes and give her some space. Slowly but surely, I will gain her trust again. For the meantime, there is still the matter of Renato. By now if no one has found out that he’s gone, they will soon. I have to handle shit over there before I can think of taking Amaris away.

“He won’t mind you staying here. Did you want me to send over anything from the compound?”

She looks down to where her hands are fiddling together. “Would you care if I have Ace here, just for tonight? I need to see him and make sure he’s okay, too.”

“He might be more your dog than he is mine at this point. I’ll have somebody bring him for you.” She nods and thanks me. It takes the last bit of my strength to pull myself away from her and out of the room.

When I get to the compound, half of the soldiers are outside buzzing with whatever gossip they think they know about what happened. They don’t notice me at first, so I stick to the shadows until I’m almost at my house. That is when a hand grips my shoulder and I whip around with my gun out reflexively. Marco stands with his hands in the air and I blow a breath out.

“You can’t be grabbing people like that around here, man.”

He passes his hand over his hair nervously. “Maven told me you got her out of there, but I haven’t heard anything else. Is she okay? That’s all I want to know.”

The genuine concern in his eyes softens something inside of me, knowing she still has someone to worry over her and be there. Since he and Amaris started to get close and spend time together, I looked deeper into him and started watching him. He doesn’t have any real family, and when Amaris didn’t think she did, either, that seemed to bond them together.

“She is fine now, but would you actually do something for me? It’s more for her than me really, but I think she would like another friendly face right now.”

---