Page 8 of Devlin

Devlin cursed under his breath, the tension in the room thickening. “We need to find out who it is and deal with them. Immediately,” Devlin said.

Galen nodded. “Agreed. But there’s something else. The girl—Krista, right? She might have answers. She’s connected to all this somehow,” Galen pointed out.

Devlin’s mind raced. He had been so focused on the personal connection with Krista that he hadn’t considered her involvement in the larger scheme.

“You think she knows who the rat is?” Devlin asked.

“It’s possible,” Galen said. “Or at the very least, she might have information we can use.”

“Then we’ll question her. Thoroughly,” he said.

“Shall I call in Carver?” Galen asked, referring to their youngest brother. Carver also happened to be the best when it came to extracting answers. Carver would leave Krista in a bloody mess … and somehow, Devlin couldn’t have that.

“I’ll personally handle it,” Devlin said.

Galen frowned at that. His brother knew that these days, Devlin no longer got his hands dirty if he could delegate the work to someone else. Galen stood, placing a hand on Devlin’s shoulder.

“Just be careful, Dev. Don’t let your history with her cloud your judgment. We need answers, not old grudges,” Galen said. Clearly, Galen knew there were some unresolved issues between him and Krista. Galen was no fool.

Devlin nodded. “I know, Galen. But if she’s involved in this, she’s going to regret stealing from us,” he said.

Galen gave his shoulder a supportive squeeze before heading for the door. “Good. Let’s get to work,” Galen said.

As the door closed behind his brother, Devlin’s thoughts turned back to Krista. He had to keep his emotions in check, had to focus on the task at hand. But deep down, he couldn’t shake the feeling that their past was far from over. And that scared him.

Chapter Four

Krista paced the small confines of her cell, her gaze darting around, searching for any possible escape.

The walls closed in on her, the air thick with despair. She tested the bars on the tiny window, but it was useless. She couldn’t fit through it. The space felt suffocating, a chilling reminder of the basement where she and Devlin had once been trapped years ago.

Her breaths came faster, shallower. She tried to calm herself, to think rationally, but the memories clawed at her mind, threatening to drag her under. She could almost hear the echoes of their whispered plans, their desperate promises. Devlin’s voice, urging her to run, to escape while she could. Her heart pounded in her chest, and she felt the walls closing in, tighter and tighter.

Krista’s vision blurred as panic seized her. She sank to the floor, gasping for air, her hands trembling uncontrollably. She hugged her knees to her chest, willing the terror to subside, but it only intensified. The room spun, and she felt herself spiraling, lost in the grip of fear.

The door creaked open, and she barely registered the sound. She expected a guard. All thoughts of fighting disappeared, replaced by sheer desperation to breathe, to escape the crushing weight of her panic.

But it wasn’t a flunky who stepped into the cell. It was Devlin. He stood there for a moment, his eyes softening as they took in her trembling form. Instead of mocking her, as she had feared, Devlin approached her slowly, his movements gentle. He knelt beside her, his presence a steady anchor.

“Krista,” he murmured. “Krista, look at me.”

She forced her eyes to meet his, her breath hitching. Devlin reached out, brushing a strand of hair from her face. His touch was warm, grounding her in the present.

“Take a deep breath,” he instructed softly. “Focus on my voice. Just breathe with me.”

His words wrapped around her. She followed his lead, matching his slow, steady breaths. Gradually, the world stopped spinning, and the tightness in her chest began to ease.

Devlin continued to stroke her hair, his thumb tracing soothing circles on her cheek.

“I’m sorry,” he said quietly, his voice laced with genuine regret. “I never wanted you to go through this again. I was so angry, I didn’t think.”

Krista blinked, tears welling up despite herself. She hadn’t expected this tender and vulnerable side of him. He seemed like a completely different person from before.

“I … I didn’t think you cared,” she whispered, her voice cracking.

“I care.” Devlin hesitated, then added, “Come, on. Let’s get you out of here.”

The sincerity in his words, the warmth of his touch, made something inside her shift. She saw the boy he once was, the one who had sacrificed so much for her. And now, despite the years and the distance between them, that connection still flickered, fragile but unbroken.

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