Page 15 of Devlin

“Don’t be late,” Enzo warned, then ended the call abruptly.

Krista sighed, placing her phone down. She wasn’t surprised Enzo refused to have her send the documents electronically. Enzo Rosso was notoriously paranoid. He was brother to Lorenzo Rosso, head of the Rosso Family and a long-time enemy of the Arrows.

The thought that Enzo might somehow know she was now working for Devlin worried her. Maybe she was overthinking things, but in her line of work, one couldn’t be too careful.

She ran her fingers through her hair, frustration and anxiety battling for dominance. How did she end up in this mess in the first place? She shouldn’t have taken this job, but now it was too late. Krista was in too deep. And yet, a part of her didn’t regret it. A part of her was almost glad she’d been forced to speak and meet Devlin again. It was a girl’s naive wish, of course, but she couldn’t help it.

Krista chastised herself. She was thinking with her heart, not her mind, and in her world, mistakes like that could cost her life. She needed to stay sharp, stay focused.

Yet, she couldn’t forget the way Devlin looked at her, like he would burn the entire world for her.

She shivered. What would it be like, to be Devlin’s woman? Krista would no longer have to constantly watch her back or worry if she had enough money to pay her bills. The thought of having his protection, of being his, was intoxicating. She imagined a life where she could sleep soundly at night, knowing Devlin was there to keep her safe.

Then again, Devlin could just see her as a distraction, a toy he could throw away after he was done with her … and yet, she didn’t think so. There was something in his eyes, something in the way he touched her, that suggested she was more than a fleeting amusement.

Devlin’s touch, his voice, his intensity—they were all burned into her memory. It was as if he had marked her, claimed her in a way that went beyond mere physicality. Krista wasn’t a betting woman, yet she wanted so desperately to believe Devlin saw her as something more. There was a raw, unspoken connection between them.

She remembered the way his gaze softened when he looked at her, the rare moments of vulnerability he allowed himself to show. Could she risk everything on that fragile hope? Could she trust Devlin with her heart, her life?

His father killed yours, an ugly voice in her head reminded her. The weight of that reality was a constant, gnawing pain, one that threatened to overshadow any feelings she had for Devlin.

Her father had been her world, her protector, and his brutal murder had left a void in her heart that nothing could fill. How could she even think about aligning herself with the son of the man who had taken everything from her?

Then again, Devlin was a victim of his father as well. She couldn’t put all the blame for her father’s murder on Devlin. He had inherited a legacy of violence and cruelty, a throne built on blood and betrayal. It wasn’t fair to hold Devlin accountable for his father’s sins, just as it wasn’t fair to blame herself for the choices she had made to survive.

They had only reunited today and yet, Devlin had shown her glimpses of the man he could be. Besides, Devlin could have gotten rid of her, but instead he offered her his protection. Krista didn’t know if she had the strength to let go of the past, but she knew she had to try.

After messaging Devlin about her conversation with Enzo, Krista leaned back in her chair, exhausted but resolute. Today had been a long day. She had to be careful, stay one step ahead. And most importantly, she had to keep her emotions in check until this job was over. There was no room for mistakes.

Krista was about to call it a night when she received an encrypted email. Her heart raced upon seeing it was from Phantom. Devlin believed Phantom was responsible for selling some of his family secrets to his rivals and suspected Phantom either worked for him or used to.

Even worse, Devlin speculated that this hacker knew about their history, which alarmed Krista. She clicked the message open.

Krista,

I know the Arrows caught you. I’m surprised they let you go.

-Phantom

Krista’s breath caught. She didn’t like the idea of Phantom knowing her every move, manipulating her like a chess piece.

At least Devlin was upfront about what he wanted from her. And in a twisted way, she had agreed to work with him because she also wanted to get back at Phantom for thinking he could use her.

Krista sent a quick message to Devlin:Devlin, Just received an encrypted email from Phantom. He knows you let me go. We need to figure out our next move. Krista

Her phone buzzed almost immediately. It was a message from Devlin. She didn’t think he’d get back to her so quickly. Had Devlin been waiting for Krista to contact him?Don’t overthink this, she reminded herself. Krista read his message.

We need to meet. Now. Your place. Devlin

Krista sighed, running her fingers through her hair. She was worried about Devlin being sighted, now that she knew Phantom was somehow keeping tabs on her movements.

An hour later, there was a knock on her apartment door. She peered through the peephole and, recognizing who it was, opened the door.

It was odd seeing Devlin in a disguise. Dressed in faded jeans and a hoodie, he was barely recognizable. He stepped inside quickly, glancing around the apartment as if expecting someone to jump out at any moment.

“Let me see Phantom’s email,” he said, his voice low.

Krista handed him her phone, and he scanned the message, his expression darkening.

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