Page 45 of The Devil's Secret

I’m torn between wanting to hold her in my arms and wanting to rip off her clothes and punish her for ruining what we could’ve had. It was worth trying. She was worth trying for. Now—it’s too late.

After I left the office earlier, I called Colleen, our personal shopper, who hooked me up with all kinds of clothes and more girly shit than I’ve ever seen in my life. I guessed on the sizes, but Colleen won’t have a problem with exchanging any of it. I hope this gets Joelle smiling.

Readying to enter the room with the six bags I’m holding, plus some food, I stick the key into the door and shove it open.

She sits up as soon as she spots me, the same glare on her face, the one I’m becoming too familiar with.

“Hey, I brought you some clothes and stuff,” I say, placing the items on the floor at the foot of the bed.

She crosses her arms over her chest and my eyes instantly zero in on her tits, those nipples hard beneath her tank top.

I grind my jaw.

Fuck. Stop looking.

One of the containers of food is empty, sitting open on the nightstand

At least she’s eating.

I clear my throat, my gaze dropping to the bags as I retrieve some of the clothes—dresses, leggings, shirts, shoes. I got her too much shit, considering we won’t be going anywhere, but she can take them with her when I send her away.

But the thought of her leaving, fuck… It sets a pain in my chest. I shake it off, not wanting to feel this way for a woman who never really gave a damn.

Getting sick of her silence, I walk up to her, a shirt clutched in my fist, a thumb tipping up her face. “You can say,thank you, Enzo.That was so nice of you.”

She scoffs, shoving my hand away. “Thank you, Enzo. Thank you so much for kidnapping me and not letting me leave. You’re all kinds of wonderful. I can’t wait to introduce you to my mom. She’s gonna love you.”

My lips wind up at the corners. “I bet she would. Maybe we should call her and ask.”

Her face drops, eyes widening. “Ahh—no. We—we can’t,” she stammers, quickly shaking her head. “Don’t ever do that.”

I can smell the fear rippling off her.

But why?

I clasp her cheek. “Babe, I wouldn’t even know how to. And I wouldn’t do that, not unless you wanted me to. I’m not here to hurt you.”

Her brows drop with the frown settling on her face. “You say you want to help me, so help me. Let me go, Enzo,” she pleads. “That’s how you can help! Every moment I’m in here is a chance that the person I love will be killed.”

“Fuck, Joelle!” I roll my thumb over her mouth, my chest tightening. “Tell me who it is. I will find them and bring them back to you. And whoever is after them, will die. Believe that.”

“I can’t take that risk.” She exhales a long sigh, gazing up at me with a shadow of her pain.

Lowering with a bend, I kiss her forehead, my eyes falling shut before I right myself. “And I can’t take the risk of the Bianchis killing you. As soon as you step a foot out of here…” I look back at her. “They’ll find you and kill you, and whoever you care about. So if I can keep you safe, then I damn right will.”

“You don’t understand,” she pants with a soft cry.

“Then you have to help me understand.”

“Just go.” Tears stamp over her voice as she roughly shoves them away.

“Baby. Talk to me.”

“Go!” The word rips into me like a knife. “Leave!” She gets off the bed, pushing at my chest with her palms. “Get the hell out of here!” She shoves harder, but I haven’t moved an inch. “I want you to fucking leave!”

I place my hands over hers. “I’ll go. I’m sorry. I mean that.” Her breaths climb out rapidly, her eyes level to my chest as I continue. “I’d do anything for you, Joelle, even protect you when you don’t think you need it. I hope you get that I’m doing this for you.”

“You’re doing this foryou!” She finally stares up at me. “Don’t act like any of this is for me.” She pivots, returning to the bed and gives me her back.

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