Page 57 of The Devil's Secret

She shouldn’t be in that room. She should be in mine. And from now on, she will be. Yanking the comforter up, I place her down on the bed, tucking the blanket around her before resting a kiss on her forehead.

“You’re safe here,” I whisper. “No one can hurt you anymore.”

I slip out of my shoes, pulling the shirt from beneath my pants, unbuttoning it as I start to move. Suddenly, her palm clasps around my forearm, her pleading eyes peering up at me. I see her. Finally, she’s there, the clouds shrouding her eyes now fading.

“Stay,” she asks, her brows bowing.

“I’m not going anywhere, baby. Just gonna take this shirt off.”

“O-okay.” She nods with a tremor, dropping her hand away. I quickly snatch a T-shirt and some sweats from the drawer, changing into them.

Placing my nine on top of the nightstand, I get into the space beside her. Shifting closer, I curl one arm under her hip, dragging her body to mine.

“You wanna talk about it?” My fingers stroke up and down her arm.

“Not tonight.”

I kiss the back of her head.

“Could you just hold me? You’re the only one who makes…” The rest of the words die out, but I’ll do anything to hear them.

“Makes what, Joelle?”

She sighs. “Makes me feel safe.”

My inhale comes deep. Those words, they mean so much. “You'll always be safe with me.”

“I know that now.”

“Sleep, baby. No one is coming for you, not while I’m here.”

Her fingers slice through mine, curling into my palm. “Goodnight, Enzo.”

“Goodnight, baby girl.”

Once her chest drops with a steady rhythm, and she’s asleep, only then do I allow myself to go there too.

CHAPTERNINETEEN

JOELLE

The nightmares come more oftenthan I’d wish, like an ocean crashing over the shore while I lie there, dragging me into its deep demise, over and over, until I lose the ability to scream.

That first memory of Faro and his two brothers violating me still causes the panic to swell. Underneath my skin, I feel them tearing at me until there’s nothing left. Even still, they take more, like scavengers, unsatisfied until they’ve consumed every bit.

But it was nothing compared to what Agnelo did, over and over, nor the cruelty I endured at that club for the sake of money.

It’s been three days since Enzo found me on the bed, trapped in my nightmare. He rescued me from the panic, from the darkness, calling to me while my fingernails dug at the sand, scrambling to climb out.

In these last two nights, sleeping beside his warm body, I’ve been without a hint of those visions, held prisoner within his arms, casting them away.

If only Robby was with me, I could truly be happy. I could finally live. That’s assuming Enzo would still want me after he learns the truth about my child and my past.

The scalding water sluices down my body as I lift my face to it, wanting the burn, the steam enveloping the sprawling master bathroom.

I’ve got to tell Enzo everything. It’s my only option. I have to ask for his help. He’s waiting for me right outside the door. All I have to do is start at the beginning. But I just don’t know how.

Shutting off the shower, I open the glass door, grabbing one of the white towels stacked on the marble stand beside me, drying off, then wrapping it around myself.

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