Page 70 of The Devil In Disguise

As soon as she shuts the door, I pull her to me. When we come together, it’s electric.

It feels like fireworks.

It feels like home.

“Are you ready for the real test now?” she asks when she pulls back.

“I’m ready for anything you throw at me.”

“Good, because you are coming to dinner with me tonight to officially meet my parents.”

She walks off to pack the stuff she used while I stay rooted in my spot, muscles stiffened as my stomach contracts into a tight ball. I consider myself an overly confident man, but the thought of her parents disapproving of me makes me strangely insecure. Knowing of my reputation and history with her family, my heart starts racing and my body grows hot, but I sit on the bed in an attempt to play it cool.

Amaris finishes gathering her stuff and her eyes survey me. “What? Kylo Kincaid, are you nervous?”

“So what if I am?” I retort.

Wrapping her arms around my waist, her expression grows soft. “Just be yourself, they are open to getting to know you, the real you.”

“I have a feeling I fucked it all up before I even met them.” I blow a breath and pull myself together. “I’m ready, we can go.”

“I didn’t see your bike out there, did you drive here?” she asks me.

“Yeah, why?”

“Take my bags in your car and follow behind me, I’m taking my bike.”

“You got a bike, already?” I ask as I gather her bags.

“Sure did, try to keep up with me.” With that she winks and walks out ahead of me.

We park in a nice neighborhood in Chelsea where Amaris leads me up to a penthouse. My nerves racket up once the elevator doors close.

Trying to distract my mind, I ask, “So, this is where you grew up?”

“It is. I never really liked the big city life, but when I’m home with Mama, it’s always nice.” She grabs my hand to stop it from fidgeting and kisses the top of it. “Relax, no matter what happens in there, you know exactly how I feel about you.”

The doors open and her mother jumps up from the couch to greets us. She exudes warmth and the way she actually includes me with her and Amaris catches me off guard. We sit in the living room for a while and make small talk until her dad gets home from work.

My body works on its own when the elevator pings minutes later, standing to greet her father. His face remains impassive until he shakes my hand, eyeing me warily.

“Follow me, I want to have a word with you before we sit down to eat,” he says.

Without waiting for a response, he turns to kiss his wife and Amaris on the cheek, before walking towards a big, brown door to my left. When I glance at Amaris and her mother, their eyes are apologetic, but I get it. Regardless of what Amaris told either of them, she is still his baby girl and he doesn’t know my intentions. We enter an office and he takes a seat behind his desk, motioning for me to take the seat across the way from him.

“Amaris told us everything. Well, not everything, but she told us enough of what happened while she was gone.”

This is it. The moment I have been dreading since Amaris mentioned this dinner. But I won’t go down without a fight.

“Sir, if I can just—" He holds a hand up to silence me.

“Let me finish what I have to say. Everyone knows of you around here, but I know that nobody knows who you really are. My little girl out there seems to be one of the people that do know your heart. You saved her life and, from what I’ve heard, you make her happy. That’s all I want for her and for that I’m grateful. However, if I so much as hear about or see one small thing I don’t like, I will take it upon myself to kill you with my bare hands. I don’t care who you are or what type of power you have. Are we clear?”

The knot in my stomach loosened with every word he said. Giving him a firm nod, I say, “If I ever hurt her again, I will come to you myself and let you do it.”

He claps his hands together and smiles at me, relaxing and allowing me to release a small breath. “Well then, let’s have that dinner now, mijo. Can’t leave the ladies waiting too long.”

Amaris is in the kitchen with her mother helping her finish preparing the meal when her father and I return to the main room. My heart feels full at the sight. At the acceptance. The first thing I ask when I reach them is if there’s anything I can do to help them out.

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