Page 18 of The Devil's Secret

She pulls in a long inhale, her body practically wilting. “Why can’t you just let things go?” She bows her head. “I don’t want to lie to you.” Her gaze finds mine again, her eyes bleak. “But I can’t talk about it. So just drop it, okay?”

There’s too much pain clouding the features of her face. The truth she won’t admit is there, submerging her in hell. I want to take it all away, to end the lives of every single one who’s made her feel this way.

“Come,” she says softly, dragging me to the sofa.

I attempt to steady my racing heart, my barraging breaths. She needs that. I know she does. We sit side by side, her fidgeting with her long, red fingernails, me bouncing my foot on the floor like a damn lunatic.

“Hey.” She draws my focus to her, her palm landing on my knee like a lightning bolt, zapping me to life.

“Yeah, baby?”

Her eyes, that angelic face, her grip around me, the need to be her protector, to save her, it’s all there.

Why her? What makes her so special?

Who the fuck knows? We can’t control how we feel about someone. Sometimes feelings, they just happen, unexpectedly. And meeting her, wanting to know her, it’s unexpected all right.

“I’m your baby now? I thought you were looking for just a friend.” A smile tugs at her mouth as she comes to straddle me, draping her arms over each of my shoulders. Her whole face lights up, and fuck, it makes me want to be a better man, to make her look this way every day, knowing I did that.

I snicker. “I call all my friends baby.”

She lets out a raspy giggle that goes right to my cock.

I curl my arm around her back and pull her closer, staring up at her. “You’re my favorite though.”

“Oh yeah?” She bites her lower lip on a laugh. “You’ve got a hierarchy of babies?”

“Mm-hmm, and you’re at the top of the list. You’re on top of a lot of my lists.”

“Lucky me. Or is that what you tell all the girls?” Her gaze flirts with mine, her voice dancing with an erotic current that makes me hungry for more.

“Only the pretty ones,” I tease, my lips twitching with amusement. “But you’re more than just pretty, you’re damn special. I may not know you well, but I can’t explain wanting to be around you.” I let the pad of my thumb brush over her mouth, locking her gaze with mine. “I never felt that shit before, never wanted it. Not until you. And that’s the damn truth, baby girl.”

She forces her blue gaze down to my chest, like she’s trying to hide that she feels the same.

“Look at me,” I demand, softly nudging her chin up with the back of my fingers. “Don’t hide.”

This time she doesn’t.

“I’ve never even hung out with a girl before, unless I was fucking her,” I confess, and for once, I’m afraid of being judged for it. “And Idowant to fuck you, by the way, you know, in case you get some weird-ass ideas.Again.” I shoot her one of my crooked grins.

Her eyes roll and she laughs. “Duly noted.”

Lifting her hand, my lips land on the center of her palm, just as she holds my cheek with the other, her mouth lowering there with a tender kiss.

I pull in a harsh breath. “That’s the first time I’ve ever been kissed like that.” I throw in another confession. “That’s officially my favorite kiss.”

“I’m sure you’ve had way better kisses than that.” Her voice goes low and raspy.

“Nah. None of them meant shit.” I roll my fingers up her spine, curving them into her hair, holding back a groan, my cock throbbing. “Not until you.”

She shuts her eyes, her brows pulling with…with what? Regret?

I’m too damn afraid to ask. She doesn’t even know me, or everything I’m going to do in the name of my family. She’s sitting with a monster, and she doesn’t recognize his face.

Will she fear me? Hate me? I guess we’ll find out. Because Joelle, she’s not going anywhere.

My other hand drifts to her knee, my fingertips gliding up, and when I glance down, I almost jump off the seat.

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