Page 9 of Devlin

Devlin helped her to her feet, his arm steady around her shoulders.

“Are you letting me go?” Krista asked, unable to keep the hope out of her voice.

He shook his head. “I need to ask you some questions first,” he said.

“Of course,” she replied dryly, the walls of her defenses slowly rebuilding.

Now that she had calmed down, embarrassment washed over her. He had seen her at her weakest, and for a moment, she had let her guard down, they both had. But what had she expected?

Nothing had changed between them.

The suits guarding her cell didn’t blink once as their boss emerged with her. She pulled away from Devlin’s grip, reclaiming a shred of her autonomy. He didn’t comment, but it didn’t matter, because they both knew she wasn’t going anywhere.

They got on an elevator. “Your men…” She paused once they were inside. “Won’t they talk about their boss taking a prisoner out?”

Devlin laughed, a deep, rich sound that was unfairly sexy to her ears, making her body tingle.

“My men are loyal to me. Most of the time.” His gaze darkened at those last words.

The elevator climbed to the building’s highest floor—the 70th. Looking at the elevator panel, she finally realized where she was being taken. Arrow Towers.

Devlin and his brothers owned this building, and while some floors were used for his legal companies, rumor had it the other floors were reserved for the shadier aspects of the family business.

The elevator doors opened to a penthouse. She took in the sleek modern furniture and the floor-to-ceiling windows with a breathtaking view of the city. Was this Devlin’s private sanctuary?

“Welcome to my suite,” he said, gesturing for her to step out.

Krista walked ahead, feeling his eyes on her every step of the way. The door slid shut behind them, sealing her in with him.

“You live here? Not at the house?” Krista asked, her curiosity piqued.

“I do. It’s more convenient,” Devlin replied with a casual shrug. “Although occasionally, I go back to the estate for business meetings.”

Krista watched him closely, noting the way his eyes darkened ever so slightly at the mention of the estate. She sensed he didn’t consider that house his home, not with the nightmares associated with it.

“Convenient, huh? Or maybe you just enjoy the view from up here,” she said, trying her hand at flirting. After all, she just discovered he still had a soft spot for her and Krista would use everything at her disposal to get out of this alive.

Devlin smirked, locking his gaze onto hers. “The view does have its perks,” he replied. “But it’s not the only reason I stay here.”

Krista arched an eyebrow, intrigued. “Oh? And what are the other reasons?”

He took a step closer, his eyes never leaving hers. “Privacy, for one. It’s hard to conduct certain … personal business at the estate.”

She felt a shiver run down her spine at the intensity in his voice.

“Personal business?” she echoed, her heart racing.

Devlin leaned in, his breath warm against her ear. “Yes, personal business. Like dealing with uninvited guests who try to steal from me,” he murmured, his lips brushing her earlobe.

Krista swallowed hard, trying to keep her composure. “Well, I suppose it’s good to know you value your privacy.”

Like earlier, just when she thought things were about to heat up between them, he backed away suddenly. He led her to a plush chair and gestured for her to sit, taking the seat across from her.

“Let’s start with the basics,” Devlin began, his tone professional again. “Why were you trying to steal from me?”

Krista held his gaze, refusing to be intimidated. “I needed the money,” she said simply. “For survival. You know how it is.”

Devlin leaned back, studying her.

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