Page 19 of Devlin

“You didn’t think to consult me?” Krista asked, her voice sharp.

“I’ll, uh, get the rest of the boxes from the truck,” Mark said. He must’ve sensed an argument brewing, so he made that excuse. Mark promptly left the penthouse, leaving them alone.

Devlin turned to face her fully, locking his gaze on hers. “Krista, I nearly lost you. Do you know what that felt like? I need you here, where I can keep you safe,” he told her.

Her expression softened momentarily. “Devlin, I can take care of myself. We’ve been through this,” she insisted.

“I know you can,” he said, taking a step closer. “But I can’t go through that again. I won’t.”

She sighed, pushing away from the doorway and walking toward him. “You can’t control everything, Devlin. Not even me,” she pointed out.

He reached out and took her hand, his grip firm but gentle. “I don’t want to control you. I just want to make sure you’re safe,” he said. Devlin was well aware that one wrong move or word, and he could lose her.

Krista looked at him for a long moment, searching his face. “This isn’t just about safety, is it?” she asked quietly.

Devlin shook his head, pulling her closer. “No, it’s not. It’s about needing you, Krista. It’s about wanting you with me all the time. Because I love you.”

Those three words slipped out by accident, but Devlin didn’t regret saying them. If his father was alive, he would certainly call Devlin a whipped weakling but good thing for him, the old man was still rotting in his grave.

Krista’s eyes widened slightly, and she let out a breath she didn’t realize she was holding.“Devlin…”

“I know it’s sudden,” he continued, “but after what happened, I realized I can’t waste any more time. I need you with me.”

She looked around at the boxes, then back at him. “And what if I say no?” she asked.

Devlin’s jaw tightened, but he forced himself to relax. “Then I’ll return everything and we’ll go back to the way things were. But I hope you don’t. Our enemy is still out there and he won’t stop until we’re both dead.”

Krista searched his eyes, seeing the vulnerability he rarely showed. Finally, she nodded. “All right, Devlin. Let’s try this,” she said.

Relief and happiness flooded through him, and he pulled her into a tight embrace. “Thank you,” he whispered into her hair.

She hugged him back. “Just promise me one thing,” she said softly.

“Anything,” he replied.

“Promise you’ll talk to me before making decisions that affect us both.”

Devlin nodded, pulling back to look into her eyes. “I promise, Krista.”

Krista trailed her fingers down Devlin’s shirt, a playful smile on her lips. Devlin took her fingers, lifting them to his lips and kissing them gently.

“Now that’s settled, are you hungry?” he asked, changing the topic.

“Starving,” she replied. Krista seemed curious as he led her to a barstool in the kitchen.

“Sit,” he instructed. “Coffee?”

“Sounds good,” she said. He was aware she was watching him intently as he moved around the kitchen.

She tilted her head slightly. “What are you doing?” she asked, noticing him grabbing ingredients from the counter and sink.

Devlin glanced at her with a casual shrug. “What else? Cooking us breakfast.”

Krista blinked in surprise. “You … cooking?” she echoed, as if the notion was completely absurd. “What about your private chef?”

“I asked her not to come in today,” Devlin answered, a hint of a smile playing on his lips. “Don’t look so shocked.”

He whipped up some eggs, intending to make an omelet. It had been a while since he cooked for someone but he remembered the motions easily. It was just like riding a bicycle or wringing answers from a prisoner. Devlin decided by cooking for her, she could forgive him for not consulting her before moving her belongings to his apartment. Besides, he wanted her to see a side of him she hadn’t seen before.

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