Page 11 of Stolen By the Devil

When I entered the dining room, the children were again already seated, their eyes darting to me with a mixture of fear and curiosity. But Angel, ever the steady presence, greeted me with a soft smile, as if my joining them was perfectly natural.

"How was your day?" I asked, my gaze shifting between the three of them.

The children mumbled a few grumbled responses, barely audible. "Fine," Liliana muttered, stabbing her fork into her plate.

But when I looked at Angel, her smile didn’t falter. "We have some growing pains," she admitted with a gentle laugh, "but it’s going to be okay."

Her calm reassurance stirred something inside me. She wasn’t just managing them—she was guiding them, teaching them, in a way that no one else had been able to. "If they give you trouble, call me," I said, my voice low but serious. "Though it seems like you’re handling them just fine."

Angel smiled, a soft blush rising to her cheeks. "I don’t have a way to call you," she admitted.

I frowned, realizing the oversight. "I’ll have a phone for you by the end of the night," I promised.

The rest of dinner passed in a comfortable silence, the children eating without fuss and Angel maintaining her calm presence, just like the night before. Once dinner was done, she stood to take the children upstairs, but I stopped her with a gesture. "After you’ve put them to bed, I want to see you in my office."

I retreated there, pacing the room as I waited for her. Something about her—her poise, her unshakeable serenity—had drawn me in deeper than I had anticipated. I wasn’t used to being intrigued by anyone, especially not someone as soft-spoken as Angel. But there was more to her than met the eye. I could feel it in the way she held herself, the quiet strength that simmered just beneath the surface.

When she entered the office a short while later, I had already prepared a device for her. I handed the smartphone to her without a word, watching as her fingers brushed against mine as she took it. The brief contact sent a jolt of warmth through me, unexpected and powerful.

"Here," I said, my voice low. "This is yours now. You can reach me anytime."

She nodded, slipping the phone into her pocket before pausing. "May I speak freely?"

I leaned back in my chair, gesturing for her to continue. "Go ahead."

Angel took a deep breath, her blue eyes locking onto mine. "It’s obvious that the children lack the affection they need from a parent. I’m not saying you’re a bad father, but they’ve been cared for by too many nannies. They need stability, consistency. They’re testing boundaries with me, but that’s because they’ve never had anyone stay long enough to show them they care. It’s not going to be easy, but I’ll get through to them."

Her words hit harder than I expected, cutting through the armor I had built around myself. I wasn’t used to hearing the truth spoken so plainly, especially not about my own children. She wasn’t accusing me—there was no judgment in her tone—but the truth was undeniable.

"How many nannies have they had?" she inquired.

I sighed, running a hand through my dark hair. "I lost count at ten."

Her expression softened, a flicker of understanding crossing her face. "They need someone who won’t leave. Someone who can be a constant in their lives."

I found myself more intrigued by her with every passing moment. She was different, unlike anyone I had ever met. There was a strength in her that belied her gentle demeanor, a resolve that made me want to know more. "Tell me about yourself, Miss Rossi," I said, shifting the conversation. "What about your personal life? Any relationships?"

Her blush deepened, and I could see the discomfort flicker across her face. She looked away, her hands fidgeting slightly as she stammered for a response. It didn’t take long for me to realize the truth.

She was a virgin.

The thought hit me like a spark igniting dry tinder, the heat spreading through me in an instant. It wasn’t just her innocence that excited me—it was the knowledge that she had kept herself untouched, untainted by the world around her. My demon stirred, the dark, primal side of me that craved possession, dominance. The fire that burned in my veins wanted her, needed her, in a way I hadn’t anticipated.

Without thinking, I closed the distance between us. My hand reached for her, fingers brushing her cheek, and before she could react, I leaned in and kissed her.

The moment my lips touched hers, it was like fire and ice colliding—an explosion of heat that seared through me, setting every nerve on fire. Her lips were soft, trembling beneath mine, and the taste of her was sweeter than anything I had ever experienced.

My demon surged to the surface, demanding more, wanting to claim her entirely. It wasn’t just lust—it wassomething deeper, something more powerful. She wasn’t just a woman who had stumbled into my life by chance.

Angel was mine.

Chapter Five

Angel

The air between us was thick with tension, crackling like the moments before a storm. Drago’s eyes were locked on mine, dark and burning, filled with something raw and dangerous. My heart raced as his hand cupped my cheek, his thumb brushing lightly across my skin as if he were trying to memorize the feeling of it. The fire in him was rising, and I could feel it—an undeniable pull that made the air almost impossible to breathe.

His lips hovered over mine, so close I could feel his breath mingling with mine, and my whole body trembled in anticipation. The kiss we had shared moments ago still lingered on my lips, a taste of something that I knew I shouldn’t want but craved all the same. The tension between us had only grown, spiraling out of control, and I wasn’t sure how much longer I could fight it.