Page 6 of Devlin

He rifled through the documents, disinterest on his face. He set the papers down on his desk and waited. She remembered he asked her a question.

Krista hesitated before answering. She reminded him of a prey animal caught in a trap. A beautiful prey animal.

Devlin moved his gaze down her ample-sized breasts, and that black outfit hugged her in all the right places. She flushed, as if she knew he was silently assessing her. The girl who left him behind to his father’s rage and cruelty had transformed into a beautiful, tempting, and defiant woman.

“I needed those documents, Devlin. I … I needed the money,” she admitted.

She sounded a little pathetic to his ears and he pitied her. It was clear life hadn’t been kind to her since they last met.

Pitying the enemy?Devlin thought to himself. That was simply unacceptable. He could already imagine his old man laughing in his grave.

Devlin narrowed his eyes. “So, you’re just a common thief now? You’re playing a very dangerous game,” he said.“Do you know what happens to people who take a shot at me and my brothers?”

Krista swallowed hard. “I didn’t have a choice,” she said.

Devlin pushed away from his desk and stood, slowly approaching her. The room seemed to shrink around them, the air thick with tension.

“You always have a choice,” he said, his voice low and intense. “But you chose to betray me. Again.”

He was close now, so close he could feel the heat radiating from her. The familiar scent of her brought back memories he had buried deep, memories of a girl who had once been his one-time friend, his confidant. In that basement, they had shared something deep.

“Why, Krista?” he asked, swiftly eliminating the distance between them. “Why come back now?”

She met his gaze and the steel there thrilled him to bits. Most folks would be trembling or begging by now, but Krista held her ground.

“Because I had nowhere else to go. I needed the money to survive,” Krista said with a brutal honesty he admired.

The ice in his heart melted a little. This woman was dangerous.

“You could have asked for help,” he said, his hand reaching up to brush a stray lock of hair from her face. “You didn’t have to steal from me.”

Devlin didn’t know what possessed him to say those words, but in some way, he felt his family owed her. His father had killed her father in cold blood after her escape. Then again, would he have truly helped her? Some irrational part of his brain still hadn’t forgiven her for that betrayal all those years ago.

“You wouldn’t have helped me,” she answered.“I can still see the hate in your eyes.”

He cupped her cheek, using his thumb to gently caress her skin, and he felt a surge of dark delight as Krista shivered at his touch. The fear and uncertainty in her eyes mixed with something else, something he recognized all too well—desire—and he couldn’t help but relish the power he held over her. For a brief moment, the years melted away, and he saw the girl she once was, but the moment passed, and the reality of their situation settled back in.

Devlin tightened his grip on her cheek slightly, a silent reminder of who was in control now. He leaned in closer, his eyes locked onto her lips, debating whether to claim them. The proximity was intoxicating, and the air between them crackled with tension.

Krista’s breath hitched, and he could feel her heart pounding. His gaze lingered on her mouth, those tempting lips slightly parted in a mix of fear and defiance. Devlin wondered if she would taste sweet like honey.

He could see the conflict in Krista’s eyes—part of her seemed to want to push him away, while another part wanted to give in to whatever this was.

Slowly, deliberately, he moved even closer, until their breaths mingled, the scent of her filling his senses. Krista’s eyes flashed with a mixture of fear and defiance, but she didn’t pull away. Instead, she held her ground, her chin tilted up in a silent challenge. Devlin admired her spirit, even now, even after everything.

He could end it all right here, assert his dominance, and let her know who was in control. But instead, he paused, his lips hovering just a breath away from hers, the anticipation almost unbearable.

She swallowed hard. In that moment, he made a choice. He leaned in, kissing her hungrily. Krista’s breath caught, and for a split-second, she didn’t resist. She responded with equal passion.

But then, as quickly as the moment had come, Devlin pulled back. The taste of her lingered on his lips, intoxicating and sweet. He knew if he didn’t stop himself now, he wouldn’t be able to hold back.

“Tell me, Krista,” he murmured. “do you still remember what it felt like to trust me?”

“You don’t understand,” she said, her voice trembling. “I can’t just ask for help. Not from you.”

He stared at her for a long moment, the silence stretching between them. Finally, he sighed, releasing her and stepping back.

“Not from me. I see,” he said coldly.

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